Morgan Housel is an American financial writer and former columnist at The Wall Street Journal and The Motley Fool. His 2020 book The Psychology of Money has sold over 4 million copies and changed how a generation thinks about saving and investing.
Who is Morgan Housel?
Morgan Housel spent years covering finance before realising that most money problems are not mathematical — they are behavioural. He writes about greed, fear, patience and luck, and why smart people still make terrible financial decisions. He is a partner at The Collaborative Fund and writes one of the most widely read finance blogs on the internet.
Morgan Housel’s books
- The Psychology of Money — his best-known book on behaviour, luck and long-term thinking
- Same as Ever — a follow-up on the things about money and life that never change
Where should you start?
Start with The Psychology of Money. It is short, readable and explains his core argument: doing well with money has very little to do with how smart you are.
Key ideas in Morgan Housel’s work
- Money is behaviour — financial success depends more on temperament than intelligence
- Room for error — the most important part of any financial plan is the margin of safety
- Compounding needs time — the biggest returns come from staying invested for decades, not from picking the right moment
- Enough — knowing when you have enough is one of the most valuable financial skills
Frequently asked questions
What is Morgan Housel best known for?
Morgan Housel is best known for The Psychology of Money, which explains why people make irrational financial decisions even when they know better.
Should I read The Psychology of Money first?
Yes. It is the most accessible starting point and covers the ideas that Same as Ever later expands on.
