Planning is easy — but what happens on launch day?

It’s Easy to Make a Plan. The Hard Part Is Pulling the Trigger.

At Teach Me About Property, we see this all the time. Students come in with a clear game plan. They’ve mapped out the steps. They’ve done the prep. They’re ready — or at least, they think they are. But then launch day arrives. And instead of pushing the button… they freeze.

Not because the plan is wrong. Not because the numbers don’t stack up. But because they’ve been unknowingly playing the poverty game.

The Poverty Game Is Driven by Fear

If you’ve spent your whole life letting fear guide your decisions, it becomes a habit. You start every decision with a list of worst-case scenarios.

“What if this doesn’t work?”
“What if I lose everything?”
“What if something goes wrong?”

Even when the data says you’re ready, your brain pulls the handbrake. And that’s the trap: fear delays decisions. Delayed decisions kill opportunities.

But Wealth Game Players Do It Differently

They feel fear too — but they frontload it. Before the big moment, they get their doubts on the table. They raise concerns, get clarity, and build solutions. By the time action is needed, there’s no panic. No second-guessing. Just a confident “let’s go.”

That’s the difference. Wealth game players use their fear to build confidence, not avoid action.

A Real Example: The SMSF Confidence Framework

Here’s a real-world example from inside the TMAP community.

One student had been planning to use their Self-Managed Super Fund to do two things:

  • Buy an investment property
  • Invest in a TMAP development project

Months of preparation. Research done. Numbers confirmed. But now comes the decision point.

A poverty mindset would hesitate — despite being ready.

But here’s what a wealth game player checks instead:

Step 1: Affordability

Can I actually afford this?

In this case, the total investment needed is $265,000 — $165k for the property and $100k for the project.

If your fund has more than that available, it’s a simple answer. You can afford it. You’re not gambling.

✅ Affordability: Ticked.

Step 2: Liquidity

Do you still have leftover cash in the fund after the deal?

This is about keeping your buffer. Lenders care about it. But more importantly, so should you.

Liquidity gives you breathing room. It means one surprise bill won’t wreck your retirement plan.

✅ Liquidity: Ticked.

Step 3: Return on Investment (ROI)

This is where most people get stuck.

They let money sit in cash “just in case” — earning 2%, maybe 3% at best. Meanwhile, the opportunity in front of them could return 8%, 10%, or more.

It’s not about taking blind risk. It’s about asking: what is the best use of these funds?

Don’t let fear hoard your cash.

✅ ROI: Ticked.

When It’s Time to Move, Wealth Game Players Move

They’ve done the work. The numbers stack up. Their questions are answered.

So when the moment comes, there’s no flinch. No last-minute panic. Just decisive action.

They push the red button. And the deal gets done.

Poverty Game Players Stall Out

They hesitate.
They delay.
They shrink back.

Their fear hasn’t been handled. So when it’s time to act, they freeze. And the opportunity slips away.

Not because they weren’t ready — but because they weren’t confident.

Final Word: Fear Slows You Down. Confidence Gets You to the Top.

At the end of the day, it’s simple.

Fear decelerates. Confidence accelerates.

The game you’re playing — poverty or wealth — will show itself when it’s time to act.

So prepare. Ask the hard questions. Do the work before the big moment arrives.

Then press go — with certainty. Because hesitation? That’s the most expensive choice you’ll ever make.