Most people cling to one thing above all else: job security. The steady paycheck. The “safety” of a contract. The comfort of knowing rent will be covered at the end of the month.

But here’s the problem: job security is not security at all. It’s just another kind of risk — the hidden kind. You hand over control of your time, energy, and potential to someone else in exchange for predictability. And because the paycheck keeps coming, you don’t notice how the false sense of stability quietly shapes your entire relationship with money.

It’s why so many people stay stuck in jobs they’ve outgrown. And it’s why even those who leap into solopreneurship often bring the same distorted money scripts with them.

They’ve changed careers — but they haven’t changed the underlying beliefs.

I am no exception

Been there, done that. My own story validates all this. I never thought I had enough money to make my bold move, quit corporate and become a solopreneur. Instead, I kept chasing raises or higher-paying jobs, hoping I could save more money that would enable me to make the leap one day. That took me too long - 7 years. Crazy!

The best (or worst) part is that my flawed relationship with money continued to hold me back, even after I quit and started my one-person business. For the first year, I had zero sales and income. It was a total disaster.

Earning money felt bad. Earning good money felt even worse. Who was I to charge that much? Self-doubt. And fear.

I thought I would quit corporate and fly solo, and all my problems would vanish.

What I didn't know was that I carried over all the obsolete, limiting scripts my mind was running on autopilot (99% without me realising it). No wonder I stayed stuck again and burned out soon after (again).

Today, I’ll break down the 3+1 false beliefs about money that keep you stuck. First, if you’re still in a job, these beliefs make “job security” feel safer than freedom. And second, if you’re already out on your own, they quietly sabotage your growth and keep you on autopilot.

At this point, I want you to remember this. Those scripts are equally limiting (even destructive) whether you are a pre-solopreneur (before quitting and flying solo) or a struggling early-stage solopreneur.

Let’s start with the most fundamental script of all: Is money good or bad?

Running Away from Money

Pre-solopreneurs often carry the belief that wanting money makes you selfish. Maybe you grew up hearing “money is the root of all evil” or that “good people shouldn’t care about money.” So you dream of freedom, but deep down you feel guilty for even wanting financial success.

That guilt keeps you stuck. If money is “bad,” then you’ll unconsciously sabotage your chances of getting more of it. You settle for a paycheck job that drains you, because at least you’re not “greedy.”

Early-stage solopreneurs face the same ghost, just in a different form: “I shouldn’t charge too much, I’m still new.” They underprice themselves, work harder for less, and end up exhausted.

Neuroscience explains why this runs so deep: our brains encode emotional experiences into long-lasting circuits. If, as a child, you saw stress, fights, or shame tied to money, your amygdala (the brain’s threat detector) now lights up whenever money is at stake. Money = danger. Your system reacts with guilt or avoidance, even when you know logically that it's better.

Running away from money isn’t noble — it’s a trap. And it’s the fastest way to recreate the same paycheck-to-paycheck grind you were trying to escape.

Earning isn’t about greed; it’s about service. Every euro or dollar you earn is fuel to keep serving, creating, and showing up.

Now that we’ve agreed that money is good (only worshipping money is bad), let’s break down the 3 money scripts that rule people’s lives and keep them back for good.

1. Saving = Security, Spending = Risk

Pre-solopreneurs often say: “Better save everything, risk is dangerous.” So they sit at a draining job, endlessly hoarding cash, waiting for the “perfect” safety cushion that never arrives. Ironically, the caution keeps them stuck—they never feel ready to leap.

Early-stage solopreneurs echo this with: “I can’t invest in tools or help until I ‘make it’.” They hoard income, avoid risk, and starve their own growth. The business limps along because they won’t buy the very resources that would help it scale.

This is loss aversion at work. Neuroscience reveals that our amygdala responds more strongly to potential losses than to potential gains. Losing $100 feels worse than gaining $100. So the brain screams “Don’t spend!” even when the upside is bigger.

But here’s the irony: refusing to invest can be riskier than spending. By not buying the software, education, or support that saves time and builds momentum, you actually lose more—just in hidden ways.

Micro-test: Pick one small, low-risk investment—a tool, a course, or a few hours of help. Spend 5–10% of your budget. Track what you gain (time saved, stress reduced, results created). Notice how the benefits outweigh the fear.

Smart investments aren’t extravagance—they’re risk mitigation. They buy you speed, energy, and growth. Instead of asking “Can I afford this?”, ask “What problem will this solve? What opportunity will this unlock?”

2. The “More Will Fix Everything” Trap

Pre-solopreneurs often say: “If I just earned a bit more, I’d finally feel safe enough to quit.” The idea is that a higher salary or savings amount will alleviate the fear. But months and years pass, and the number never feels big enough. You wait and wait, while burnout deepens.

Early solopreneurs fall into the same trap with revenue milestones. “Once I hit $10K months, my anxiety will vanish.” But as soon as they hit it, the anxiety shifts: “What if I can’t keep it up? Shouldn’t I be aiming for $20K?”

This is the hedonic treadmill: the brain quickly adapts to gains and pushes the finish line further. Research on income and happiness shows that while more money can increase happiness, it doesn’t erase deep-rooted anxiety. For those already unhappy or burned out, extra income brings little relief—the stress takes on a new shape.

Here’s the catch: if you believe “more will fix everything,” you never fix the real problem: your relationship to uncertainty, safety, and meaning.

Micro-test: Journal for a week about your most significant worries. Label which ones money could solve, and which ones money can’t. You’ll notice that many anxieties—self-doubt, loneliness, burnout—won’t magically vanish with more income.

Stability isn’t about hitting a magic number. It’s about habits and systems. Budgeting, building skills, setting routines, and creating supportive networks—these make you feel safe, regardless of your revenue. Focus on daily practices that build resilience, instead of chasing a moving target.

3. Chasing Validation Through Money

Pre-solopreneurs often measure their worth against that of their peers. “If I can earn more than my coworkers, that means I’ve made it.” This keeps them tied to the same job ladder, competing for raises or titles, instead of daring to design their own path. They stay stuck in an endless game of comparison.

Early solopreneurs experience the same pull online. “If I don’t post big wins, I don’t count.” They chase vanity metrics—sales screenshots, follower counts—because they equate visibility with validation.

The brain rewards this cycle with dopamine hits. Every compliment or “like” feels good for a moment. However, research indicates that associating self-worth with money and status can lead to increased stress and reduced control. You feel pressured to perform, anxious if others seem ahead, and empty when the applause fades.

The result? You live for external validation instead of inner meaning. Pre-solopreneurs stay trapped in jobs that “look good on paper.” Early solopreneurs often drift into burnout as they try to maintain appearances.

Micro-test: Instead of bragging about revenue, write down three stories of how your work helped someone. Share one privately with a friend or mentor. Notice how this feels compared to a public status post. Often, celebrating impact feels more fulfilling than chasing applause.

Success isn’t about outshining others, it’s about building meaning. Your worth doesn’t rise and fall with your bank account or likes. Redefine your “status markers” around growth, impact, and freedom—not comparison.

Closing Thoughts

Here’s the irony: most people stay stuck because of “job security.” But what they really have is paycheck dependency. And paycheck dependency fuels the four money beliefs: running away from money, hoarding instead of investing, chasing more for safety, and comparing for status.

True security is different. It’s not about clinging to a single paycheck or chasing arbitrary numbers. It’s about building internal and external assets no employer can take away: skills that compound, systems that support you, and beliefs that expand rather than shrink you.

If you’re still in a job, the safest move isn’t waiting for the perfect time. It’s auditing which of these four beliefs keeps you frozen. If you’ve already taken the leap, your next level of freedom depends on the same audit — because unless you rewire these money scripts, you’ll recreate the same cage, just with a new label.

Money isn’t evil, magic, a scoreboard, or a trap. It’s simply energy—an exchange of value. The sooner you see it this way, the sooner you’ll have the freedom you crave.

So ask yourself today: which of these beliefs has been holding me back? Pick one. Run the micro-test. Notice how your brain reacts. And then take the next small step toward rewriting your script.

Because freedom and security don’t come from jobs, they don't even come from money itself. They come from you.

If you feel ready to make the leap (not a leap of faith, but a leap of growth and confidence), let’s talk.

I can help initiate your transformation and transition to a world full of opportunities, work with meaning, and a lifestyle that feels natural because it suits your needs 100%.

Book your free Clarity Call with me here.

We will discuss what is holding you back from shifting from burnout, stuckness, and fear to freedom, resilience, impact, and a life and work with meaning, purpose, and enjoyment.

If you are not ready for that yet, it's okay. You are in a safe space here, and you are already on a path towards freedom and meaning. Trust me.

PS: You may want to check this out if you struggle to make the bold move but still want to test the waters, explore and embody your new identity without risking your job (for now), income, or sanity » 7 Low-Risk Entry Points For Pre-Solopreneurs (Before You Quit)