MoneyZen: The Secret to Finding Your "Enough" – An NPR Best Book on Money, Burnout, and Joy for Women

by Manisha Thakor, Lisa Sweetingham

A leading financial expert breaks down the personal, cultural, and societal forces that have led us to falsely believe we can never have, do, or be enough, and shows us a fresh new path toward “MoneyZen”—her joy-based approach to living a life rich in financial health and emotional wealth.

For anyone who has ever felt that they can never measure up, MoneyZen is your cure.

No matter your age, income, or profession, it’s all too easy to fall prey to the false belief that the amount of money you earn, or accomplishments you achieve, or praise you receive is just Never Enough. In MoneyZen, financial industry veteran Manisha Thakor candidly shares how she overcame toxic behaviors around work, money, and prestige that had threatened her relationships, her health, and her career, told alongside the inspiring stories of individuals from all walks of life who reveal their own struggles with “Never Enough.”

Through Thakor’s interviews with a wide range of interdisciplinary experts, you’ll learn how personal traumas, cultural influences, societal pressures, and even our own biology have conspired to make us believe that “more” is the answer to all our problems. And you’ll discover a unique way to reclaim your life using a formula that’s ultimately rooted in less: Financial Health + Emotional Wealth = MoneyZen.

The result is a powerful, research-based framework for getting off the hamster wheel of 24/7 striving so you can start to live a life fueled by authentic joy, connection, and meaning.

Genres: Finance, Nonfiction, Self Help, Money, Personal Development, Psychology, Business

208 pages, Hardcover

Published August 8, 2023

Reviews

[Reading · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fine for what it is. Manisha is a good writer and I think her ultimate message is an important one.

I don’t think I’m the target audience for this book. The target audience is workaholics and not, as I was led to believe, people who struggle with feeling like they have “enough” money. She touches on both but it’s more the former than the latter.

I rolled my eyes a lot at all the segments where she talked about all the expensive stuff she buys all the time. $1500+ handbags isn’t making her relatable to me. I also rolled my eyes a lot at the humble bragging she does about all her accomplishments and her friends’ accomplishments.

It’s also a lot easier (though still difficult perhaps) for someone who is a multimillionaire to say “maybe I don’t need to work so hard anymore” than for someone who isn’t.

She also does a lot of subtle selling in this book. Rarely does a chapter go by where she isn’t hawking her website, podcast, other books, newsletter, etc. guess that’s how she got rich.

[Alicia]

Target audience: Currently wealthy people who have the luxury of quitting work to travel the world for a few years. (An actual example used in the book.)

Not the target audience: The rest of us who just want a healthier relationship with the limited resources we have.

[Andrea Dumont · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had to pause it a few times to try to understand where my own perfectionistic tendencies come from. Was a good thought piece and seemed safe coming from a perfectionist financial wealth manager with similar money values.

[Nate Fricke · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/4
Fricke Library
First two chapters had me annoyed, I just don’t like to work as much as the author I guess? I get it, you work and buy expensive bags. Luckily we transitioned to some more relatable content that I think I need to mull over a bit still.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

📖 4 ⭐️ The Secret to Finding Your “Enough”
I really enjoyed reading about Manisha’s life as an investment & financial expert. A woman who once glorified working & achievement, who yes, because of her expertise, education & workaholic behavior lead her to be financially independent at 50. However, these behaviors + beliefs also lead to 2 life threatening illnesses & a divorce. I really really loved how she admitted & showed the reader that even though she was told to slow down, when she knew her work & achievement habits were killing her & her relationships, it was still so hard to quit!! It was refreshing, so often it seems in self-help books it’s like in an instant a switch flips & they’re immediately a different person with different beliefs & values. Not Manisha. She had to work through her trauma. I am so grateful that she wrote this book - she points so many fascinating, scientific & personal stories that support literally defining your enough is important for a healthy, happy life.
The last half of this book was the true bread & butter.
She even addresses the FIRE movement that puts frugality, work & investing at it extremes to read ‘financial independence & retire early.’ Manisha talks with Vicki Robin who wrote Your Money or Your Life, which inspired FIRE - & how the FIRE community really warped the meaning of & intentional out of being mindful about working + spending habits.
Another thing I found most helpful was Manisha addressing her belief & a common belief that money would make her feel whole & fulfilled. But she had achieved financial independence & wasn’t feeling free or fulfilled or ‘whole.’ She discusses instead getting curious about what brings you joy, what you value & want more of. How connection is what really fulfills us, not money. Connection with family, friends, the environment & community.
This really was a powerful book & I think I may read it again to really digest all of its lessons. This books is so well researched & doesn’t lean solely on Manisha’s own experiences & beliefs. She weaves scientific research, neuroscience, personal stories & hope together to create a thought provoking book about work, our inner value & money.

[Melissa O'Dell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was not the audience for this book. I only read it because several of my students wanted to read it for literature circles. Thakor seems like a nice lady who has done a lot of work reevaluating her priorities. Her idea that money-making and workaholism are literally addictions was somewhat interesting. However, as someone who intentionally chose a career path (teaching) that is not well-paid, I found it difficult to empathize with someone literally killing themselves to make more money. It also clarified for me why finance types have such contempt for the rest of us slobs. They really are working much, much harder for their money, and since they equate net worth with self-worth (Thakor's line), those of us who aren't killing ourselves for a buck are literally worthless and lazy in their eyes. If you are killing yourself to buy luxury goods, this is the book for you. If you are wondering if you'll be able to keep the lights on and pay your taxes when you retire, move on.

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pros :: Found this book interesting, thoughtful and has a wonderful message that believing in enough is paired with the understanding what enough would be. Thakor makes the messages of “the cult of never enough,” “self-worth = net worth” and the counterfeit financial culture that is expensive objects.” Also found it important to learn about false financial comparisons and “enough” money is not about a money problem, it’s an emotional problem.

Cons :: This book is aimed at high achieving, work-obsessed, and wealthy niche of professional adults. It’s hard to take in the message if you don’t have enough financial backing to take time away from the workplace or sandwiched between multiple family responsibilities.

[Laura Skladzinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Manisha is a personal finance guru, but the focus of this book isn’t on money but really on workaholism, as she explores figuring out what’s “enough” for you rather than pushing too hard. It was somewhat interesting, but it probably would have resonated with me a lot more strongly a few years ago; I didn’t get as much out of it at this time. I was disappointed that it wasn’t more about money (misleading title), though I suppose her other books cover that adequately. There were still some interesting insights, and I recommended it to a few friends.

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should be branded as a business self help how to stop if you are a workaholic. I was hoping it would be more focused on spending habits and feeling content with what you already have. But it was much more on if you work 80 hours you still aren't happy because your work to much, that's not my problem. And I feel bad for those people that feel they have to work or brag about working extra. Good from a business perspective I just wanted more financial wisdom.

[Katie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not very relatable. Though I can link up with the sentiment of each person dictating to themselves what is worth spending money on, this book is for the ultra rich. It’s for the people who pushed hard in their 20 at a very high paying job. Who now just needs a pat on the back and to be told they did good already and can calm down.

This book is not for someone who has to work for each paycheck. Simply “doing less” will not help these people be happy. It will not help them find money zen.

[Jess Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

best books on finance

My parents gave me her first book, “On My Own Two Feet” in 2008 and I have been focusing on her concept of “financial nirvana” ever since. Manisha is a very engaging writer and I loved rewarding about her philosophy of “money zen” in her latest book. Anyone who reads her books can see she makes finance really engaging for everyone, not just Econ majors.

[Manasa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've seen this in other reviews, so it's worth repeating. No, this is not a self-help book on personal finance management. I'm knocking a star off this book for the poorly chosen title!

For me, this book was a cautionary tale on what happens if you don't change the "never enough" mindset. Now I just gotta figure out how not to cringe when I tell myself to "Achieve less".

[Julian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too much fluff and the information is presented better elsewhere. I'm not a workaholic though so maybe I'm just not the target audience.

I'd recommend Morgan Housel's "Psychology of Money" and/or Vicki Robin's "Your Money or Your Life" for anyone looking for more practical/actionable personal finance advice.

[Angela Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book; it made me think about how much emphasis I place on work in my life. I recommend the book to you and I would consider reading it again someday.

Favorite quote:

Executives in France’s largest telecommunications company were convicted of “institutional moral harassment” in 2019 for creating an environment of relentless stress.

[John McPhee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book that was easy to read and had a bunch of valuable takeaways. I also like the fact that the author summarized the learnings as we move through the book and at the end of the book summarized the things that we had learned. Definitely worth reading For us all.

[Tiffany Dawson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is for anyone who struggles with never feeling worthy or feels tempted to constantly work within a "hustle culture" at work. It's filled with practical concepts and relatable stories. Tension released from my shoulders more with each chapter.

[Lisa Redmond · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was very well written and informative. I really enjoyed this book. Thank you for the information.
I believe in plenty. I believe in enough.

[BooksBoardsandBottles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never really been a workaholic and for that, I am grateful.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

A refreshing new vantage point from a recovering workaholic. This will have you reevaluating what “enough” means in your life, and how to prioritize human being rather than human doing.

[Mark Friedel · Rating 1 out of 5]

I expected this to have big “Hey girlboss” energy but instead it had reformed tech bro energy.

Boring if you have work life boundaries.

[Hudson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lol... Yeah no.

[Zeng Daria · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of things here are easier said than done. But it's still good to hear some of them.

[Cliff · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written journey to happiness. Stepping out of the rat race and learning how to live, this book is a blessing to anyone who is in search of peace in their lives.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

I need to add this to the list books I need to read every year. It’ll join atomic habits and ruthless elimination of hurry.

[Bjennas · Rating 1 out of 5]

The previous reviews say more and better than I can. I don't recommend reading unless you're already independently wealthy.

[Yama Chen · Rating 1 out of 5]

It made me a little poorer for money and time than before reading this book.

[Azure · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really don't recommend this book to basically anyone but I did get one thing useful out of it, which was her section critiquing the FIRE movement, which gave me food for thought

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I had managed to get more out of this book than I actually did, but it still was illuminating out the nature of overworking as a woman. I found it well put together and informative.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

[Katayoun Keyvanshad · Rating 5 out of 5]

Money and Perspective

A wonderful read that urges us to step off the treadmill of enough and embrace joy. I highly suggest you check it out.