Why Self-Worth Predicts Your Income More Than Your SAT Score Does, with Marisa Franco

#751: The belief that’s quietly sabotaging your progress might not even be true. Free worksheet to question it: https://affordanything.com/turn-it-around

Two people can grow up with the exact same test scores — and as adults, one of them ends up earning double the other. Psychologist Marisa Franco says the deciding factor isn't intelligence, and it isn't luck. It's whether you actually believe good things are allowed to happen to you.

Dr. Marisa Franco is a psychologist and professor at the University of Maryland, and the New York Times bestselling author of Platonic. She's back to talk about her new book, Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment.

In this episode, we discuss:

How self-worth — not intelligence or family income — predicts how much you'll earn as an adult

Why some people quietly sabotage their own portfolio right before they hit financial independence

The difference between "good" and "bad" high self-esteem, and why one of them wrecks relationships

Why getting more love or praise than you expect can make you pull away instead of lean in

How to actually process a hard emotion instead of shoving it down

Why hitting a big financial goal can leave you feeling strangely empty once you get there

How to rebuild your sense of self after losing an identity you were attached to

Whether you've ever undermined your own progress right before a finish line, or wondered why reaching a goal didn't feel the way you thought it would, this episode gives you a framework for understanding — and changing — that pattern.

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

Note: Timestamps may vary slightly depending on dynamic ad placements.

(02:05) The two very different types of high self-esteem

(04:36) Self-esteem vs. self-worth: the real difference

(05:37) Why self-worth predicts income more than SAT scores

(12:21) Sabotaging your own portfolio right before you hit FI

(14:15) The self-fulfilling prophecy behind financial fear

(23:36) Why too much love can make you pull away

(25:05) How low self-worth blocks promotions and job offers

(36:13) The memory trick that can change your brain

(46:19) Why self-worth matters most in a bad market

(1:06:10) Does self-worth actually drive your net worth?

🔗 RESOURCES MENTIONED

👉 Worth: The New Science of Self-Esteem and Secure Attachment: https://drmarisagfranco.com/worth-the-book/

👉 Marisa's website (speaking, articles, more): https://drmarisagfranco.com

👉 Marisa on Instagram (for signed copies via Lost City Books): https://www.instagram.com/drmarisagfranco/

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