Treating the cause, not the symptoms

Have you ever broken your arm? 

If you have, you know it hurts. A lot. 

So you might take some Tylenol or another painkiller to manage the pain. And sure, that helps a little. 

But it doesn't fix the fact that your arm is still broken. 

Everyone understands this instinctively. You don't treat a fracture with painkillers alone—you treat the cause. 

You get a cast. You let it heal. 

Managing the pain does nothing to change what's actually broken. 

This is obvious when we're talking about broken arms. 

But when it comes to money, we forget this principle entirely. 

The Financial Symptoms We All Feel 

“I’m feeling stressed about money. I feel overwhelmed. I feel like I'm falling behind.” 

These are symptoms that millions of people experience. And when you feel them, it's natural to react. 

You might change your investment portfolio or save more aggressively into retirement hoping it'll fix everything. 

But the cause isn't your portfolio or your savings habits.  

And all those actions—right or wrong—are just treating symptoms. They might make you feel better temporarily, like taking Tylenol for a broken arm. 

But they don't address what's actually broken. 

What Actually Causes Financial Stress 

The root cause of financial stress isn't that you're not saving enough or investing in the right things. 

It's the lack of certainty about your money: "How much money comes in?” “How much do I have to spend?” How much can I control” 

Without clarity around those questions, every financial decision feels like a guess. 

Every market downturn feels like a crisis. Every unexpected expense feels like proof that you're failing. 

Fear of uncertainty, the lack of control–drives those symptoms. 

This is why frameworks like The Big Three exist: to provide a mechanism for treating the cause. How much comes in? How much goes out? How much can I control?  

Once you can see that clearly, the symptoms start to change. 

Not because you've made some dramatic portfolio shift, but because you've eliminated the uncertainty and reduced the fear that was driving the stress in the first place. 

This Pattern Goes Beyond Your Finances 

When we look at the world around us—or just at what's happening in the United States—people are reacting to things that make them angry, upset, or scared. 

Those are symptoms too. 

And yes, reacting to symptoms can create meaningful change—through community organizing, policy advocacy, mutual aid, direct action. 

But money is one of the most concrete levers to drive impact. 

Learning to ask: Where does the money come from? Where does it go? Who controls it? – is not just about understanding budgets. 

It’s about learning to understand where power lies. That's where the levers to create change actually exist. 

Reacting to what's visible feels urgent. It feels like action. And sometimes it is. But real impact comes from understanding what’s upstream. 

Why Personal Finance Matters More Than You Think 

This is why I care so much about personal finance.