Navigating Money and Mindset:
An Interview with Jared Aquilina on Financial Freedom and Well-being
Trainer and Financial Coach Jared Aquilina
Can you tell us a little bit about what you do?
I help trainers and small business owners increase their wealth using my signature 'Money Mapping System.' Essentially, if you were to work with me, I’d identify your top three financial goals and automate a system around those goals to eliminate any stress and confusion for you.
But sometimes, achieving those financial goals requires building new habits. As a coach, I help my clients develop that “habitual muscle” so it becomes ingrained over time.
For those just starting to take control of their finances, what are three simple steps they can take today to begin building a more secure financial future?
I’m taking this literally—as in what you can do TODAY:
Start by writing down your 5, 10, and 20-year goals. It’s helpful to have a compass or beacon guiding where you want to be.
If you're a sole proprietor or business owner, separate your tax savings from your profits (revenue minus expenses), setting aside roughly 20-30%, depending on your business structure.
2A) If you're a W-2 employee, automate 10-20% of your paycheck to pay off debt or, if you’re debt-free, build an emergency fund of about three months' living expenses. Think of this as the concrete foundation for building wealth.
Open a high-yield savings account and funnel your tax savings and/or emergency fund into this account.
What are some common financial mistakes you see people making, and what practical advice can you offer to help them avoid or correct these mistakes?
A) Buying things to impress others or fill a void in their happiness. The satisfaction from making a purchase is often temporary and not fulfilling in the long term. The most satisfying part of the purchasing journey is often the process—finding a product, reading reviews, and doing research. Ultimately, we seek a sense of purpose, productivity, and accomplishment, which can be found in many other ways in our personal and professional lives.
To avoid impulse purchases, give yourself a 7-day rule. Take that time to think about whether the purchase will realistically add value to your life.
B) Not saving money for taxes as a business owner. You need to immediately separate money that isn’t yours to have more clarity around your finances. Set up a separate savings account and automate 20-30% of your monthly business profits into this account.
How closely linked do you see mental health, fitness, and finance?
VERY closely. Having a routine, structure, and habits around all three is the ultimate path to freedom and happiness in life.
It all STARTS with your mindset. Are you ready to make a change? Do you have the mindset to make those changes? Do you have the growth mindset to consistently strength train or reach your financial goals, even when you experience setbacks? All three require consistent efforts over long periods of time.
As someone who doesn’t fit the traditional mold of a financial advisor, how do you leverage your background as a personal trainer to connect with clients and differentiate your coaching approach from more conventional financial advisors?
What I love most about training is the program design aspect. The template, the routine, the system—these form the foundation for reaching a goal. When a client comes to me with a goal, I create a plan individualized to their specific needs, then put it into action with hands-on training. Doing that for 16+ years has allowed me to develop a similar system for people's money.
Everyone has a unique history and journey with both their body and their finances.
You’ve talked about how gaining clarity in your finances enhanced your personal and professional life. What has been the most significant change you've noticed in your mental health or overall life, and how has it influenced your approach to your work with others?
Knowing that I can be happy and fulfilled in the present because I’m not worrying about the uncertainty of my financial future.
Not to be meta here, but… Money is ENERGY. It’s involved in everything in our lives—from the roof over our heads to the food we consume that literally becomes part of us.
We are money energy. If you have anxiety around it, that anxiety will deter you from truly being happy. That’s what inspires me to help others—bringing more positive energy around money.
Thank you for taking the time to chat with us. If people are interested in working with you, how can they find you?
Aquilinafinance.com or @jared.aquilina on Instagram.
Last question: If you were to take yourself on a "wellness date," what would it be? Here are the rules: It has to be solo and some type of outing or expedition to explore something that interests, inspires or increases your well-being.
I’d love to sit down at a simple, rustic family dinner in Sardinia, where the food comes straight from your neighbors. Picture a long wooden table set in the middle of rolling hills and olive groves, covered with hand-cooked pasta, fresh cheeses, sweet honey, and slow-roasted meats cooked over an open fire. The only sounds are the ocean breeze, the crackle of the fire, and laughter. We’d wash it all down with wine that tastes alive, a little funky, and just a bit cloudy when poured, but you know it’s got soul—just like the dinner. No cell phones, just real connections.
The Therapeutic Investment
Money is emotional. How we feel about it, our relationship to it, and what that all says about us is integral to our identities. Therapy is a significant financial commitment - an additional weekly expense added to our other financial obligations. It is no wonder that starting therapy can bring up a lot of complicated emotions about money (and ourselves).
Therapy = money + time that we are spending on ourselves in order to improve our lives in the future. In the most traditional sense, therapy is an investment we make in ourselves.
Therapy offers a safe, confidential space where we can openly express what is otherwise difficult to share and gain clarity. It is a process that fosters self-awareness, encouraging reflection in a non-judgmental setting. Therapy addresses underlying issues that, when left unattended, often lead to high costs in the future. Issues like anxiety, depression, and trauma can all manifest in ways that impact relationships, physical health, and work. A recent Yale analysis finds that untreated mental illness costs the US economy $282 billion annually. $282 billion. On an individual level, unaddressed mental health issues lead to lost wages, medical bills, substance abuse and so on. By addressing underlying issues proactively through therapy, we can prevent some of these costs and improve overall quality of life.
Therapy offers a safe, confidential space where we can openly express what is otherwise difficult to share and gain clarity. It is a process that fosters self-awareness, encouraging reflection in a non-judgmental setting.
Therapy helps us manage daily life stressors and emotional issues that can lead to improved performance at work and career advancement. Many of us find that through therapy, we are better equipped to manage stress, communicate effectively, and navigate workplace challenges. These skills are invaluable in any line of work and can lead to increased job satisfaction, higher productivity, and the potential for promotions or raises. As such, the financial investment in therapy can directly contribute to earning potential, making it not only a personal growth tool but also a strategic career investment.
Therapy also helps us grow in our relationships with others. Healthy relationships are key to overall happiness and healing from the effects of trauma. Unexamined and unresolved issues around interpersonal interaction often strain relationships in our personal and professional lives. It leads to conflict, misunderstanding, and the dissolution of relationships. Often the pattern of these relational issues leads to financial losses, be it job loss, divorce, or strained family dynamic. By investing in therapy we can foster resilience and the ability to cultivate emotionally rewarding relationships that often have financial benefits as well.
Ultimately, therapy is an investment in self and when we prioritize ourselves, we can be better in the other areas of our lives. Investing in therapy not only addresses any immediate concerns but gives us the tools we need for personal growth and a more fulfilling and wealthy life.