Most people are stuck in what Christian and Rod call fear-based planning—doing just enough to feel “safe,” but leaving a massive amount of wealth on the table. In this episode, they ask a simple but uncomfortable question: Are you just protecting your money, or are you actually optimizing it?

Christian and Rod unpack the mindset gaps that keep high-income earners playing defense: obsessing over not running out of money, clinging to guarantees, avoiding leverage, and retreating to traditional portfolios after one bad alternative investment experience. They contrast that with an optimization-based approach grounded in principles like cash flow, leverage, tax strategy, and velocity.

They also walk through a powerful framework shared by Tyson Cobb (drawing on Tony Robbins’ work) that compares long-term S&P 500 returns with private equity and syndication-style investing—and what happens when you have both winners and losers along the way. The math tells a very different story than the fear narrative most people live in.

If you’re a high-income earner who feels the pull toward alternatives but can’t quite shake the “what if it goes wrong?” voice in your head, this episode is designed to help you reframe the game. Christian and Rod show why education is the antidote to fear—and how a small shift in mindset can lead to exponentially different outcomes.

Key Takeaways:

• The core difference between fear-based planning and optimization-based planning
• Why traditional “don’t run out of money” retirement planning quietly limits your upside
• How CDs, qualified plans, and “guarantees” can still put you behind once inflation and taxes show up
• Tyson Cobb’s breakdown of S&P 500 vs. private equity-style returns over multiple decades
• Why leverage, cash flow, tax optimization, and velocity are essential tools—not enemies—of smart planning
• How education and principles-based decision-making help you move from scarcity to abundance in your wealth strategy

Money Insights is a strategic planning firm that is founded on the principle that "off-the-shelf" products and solutions often do not meet the needs of high-income earners. The Money Insights team works to collaboratively design customized financial solutions that will leave a lasting impact on each of their unique clients. Visit Money Insights and take the Investor Quiz at https://moneyinsightsgroup.com! Listen to the Money Insights podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or at https://moneyinsightsgroup.com/podcast/