From Broke on a Couch to Self-Worth Millionaire: Lewis Howes on the Money Healing Journey That Changes Everything

“Money doesn’t heal who you are — it reveals who you are.” That’s not just a catchy quote from Lewis Howes. It’s a warning — and a roadmap — for every entrepreneur chasing their first dollar or their first million.

In a revealing interview on The Big Deal Podcast with Cody Sanchez, Lewis Howes — NYT bestselling author and host of The School of Greatness — shares the most intimate blueprint yet on how to shift from scarcity to abundance, both financially and emotionally. This isn’t another tactical crash course. It’s a philosophy-meets-practicality deep dive for anyone who's ever felt broken by money, scared of money, or unsure what to do with it when it finally shows up.

The Four Money Levels: Why Most People Get Stuck at Level 1

Lewis breaks down the four emotional-financial states most of us live in — and why only a few ever reach the top:

1. Broke Financially & Emotionally: Rock bottom. Where Lewis was at 24, living on his sister’s couch with three maxed-out credit cards and a shattered athlete identity.
2. Broke Financially, Rich Internally: Where healing begins. “I started feeling rich inside before I had money,” he says — thanks to mentorship, therapy, and consistent action.
3. Rich Financially, Broke Internally: The trap. The phase where Lewis had millions but was paranoid, exhausted, and emotionally bankrupt.
4. Rich Financially & Emotionally: The goal. Peaceful, generous, abundant — regardless of the balance sheet.

“You can be a net worth millionaire but bankrupt in self-worth. That’s not wealth.”

Why Peace is the New Rich

In an era where hustle culture is slowly collapsing under the weight of burnout, Howes reminds us that the goal isn't just more money — it’s emotional freedom.

He recalls a shocking story of a neighbor — a half-billion-dollar film exec — who died by suicide. “He had all the external wealth,” Lewis says, “but clearly, not the internal peace.”

This moment — and others like it — inspired him to write Make Money Easy, a book that’s part financial roadmap, part emotional reckoning. The central thesis: unless you heal your “money story,” no amount of tactics will stick.

Your Money Story is Your Operating System

What did your parents say about money growing up? What did you learn — explicitly or through osmosis — about abundance, scarcity, generosity, or guilt?

This “money story,” Lewis argues, becomes your default programming — and it’s often deeply subconscious. For Lewis, growing up around fights and fear over money created a nervous system that equated finance with stress.

That subconscious story creates your money style:

• Are you the spender or the saver?
• Do you avoid looking at your bank account?
• Do you hoard because you fear the bottom falling out?

Until you name your money wounds, you’ll build businesses and lives on shaky foundations.

“Money is like a relationship,” he says. “If you constantly ignore it, resent it, or fear it — why would it want to stay?”

3 Habits That Turned a Broke Athlete Into a Multi-Millionaire

Lewis shares three practices that transformed his life — and can do the same for anyone starting from zero:

1. Physical Mastery First

Get your body under control. “If you're not physically confident, you’ll feel disempowered everywhere else,” Lewis insists. Mastering your body is the first act of self-respect and discipline.

2. Find a Spiritual Mentor

When you're lost, don't go it alone. Lean into someone who lives with integrity — a coach, pastor, or mentor — even if you don’t share the same beliefs.

3. Make Money Feel Relaxing

Study money. Talk about money. Heal your fear of it. “Most people talk about sex more openly than money,” he jokes. Yet fear of money repels it. Understanding and engaging with it invites it in.

Your Inner Currency Is Your First Business

You don’t need capital to start earning. You need to learn how to monetize your intangibles: your energy, your network, your storytelling, your curiosity.

That’s exactly how The School of Greatness podcast was born. Lewis started by reaching out to successful people on LinkedIn, asking intentional questions, and learning from their stories. “At first, no one replied,” he recalls. “Then I learned to give first — to praise, connect, and show genuine curiosity.”

That generosity became his brand — and his business.

“When I was broke, I became wealthy by connecting others. That was my currency.”

Want to Make Money? Start Here.

Cody Sanchez asks the golden question: “If someone’s broke and listening right now, where should they begin?”

Lewis offers a clear, powerful response:

1. Get clear: How much do you want to make in the next 90 days?
2. Create a map: What’s your plan to get there?
3. Certify it: Sign your goal, frame it, and look at it daily.
4. Act daily: One small, brave action at a time.

“Whether you’re at zero or seven figures, you’ll always meet higher levels — and higher devils,” Cody says.

Final Takeaway: Heal, Then Build

This isn’t just a story about money — it’s about what money reveals. For wantrepreneurs and entrepreneurs alike, Make Money Easy isn’t about “getting rich quick.” It’s about becoming someone who can handle wealth without being consumed by it.

Because if you don’t heal first, no number will be enough.