From Worry to Wealth: How to Measure Financial Progress
Welcome back to the Dollar Wise Podcast. In this solo episode, Certified Financial Planner Catherine Allen-Carlozo explores a mindset shift that can help transform financial anxiety into confidence. Drawing inspiration from the book The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy, Catherine unpacks how shifting your focus from what’s missing to what you’ve already accomplished can empower better financial decisions. She shares a real-life story of a client who overcame overwhelming circumstances and emphasizes the importance of celebrating progress — not chasing perfection.
Tune into this episode to also learn:
- How “The Gap and The Gain” framework applies to your financial journey.
- Why comparing your finances to others can lead to a scarcity mindset.
- What it looks like to build from progress, not perfection.
- A simple exercise to identify your financial wins and shift into abundance.
What we discussed
- [00:00:31] Catherine introduces the topic: shifting from worry to wealth by measuring financial progress the right way.
- [00:01:13] The dangers of comparing your finances to others — and why it often leads to feeling “behind.”
- [00:01:40] Key concepts from The Gap and The Gain and how they apply to financial planning.
- [00:03:22] A client’s story: how one widow shifted her mindset and rebuilt her financial life.
- [00:05:22] An invitation: do a simple 3-step reflection exercise to identify financial gains.
- [00:07:05] The takeaway: you’re not starting from scratch — you’re building on what you’ve already achieved.
3 Things To Remember
- Measuring financial progress by comparison often leads to discouragement — focus on how far you’ve come instead.
- An abundant mindset starts with recognizing and celebrating your financial gains.
- You already have the tools, courage, and clarity to build your future — trust your progress.
Memorable moments:
(00:01:40) “Comparing yourself to someone else’s financial life will almost always leave you feeling like you are not enough because you’re measuring your reality against someone else’s highlight reel.”
(00:04:27) “We didn’t start with spreadsheets. We started with conversations about her values, her fears, and what she had already done to get to that moment.”
(00:07:05) “Your next chapter isn’t about starting from scratch. It’s about building on the strong foundation you’ve already built.”
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