Being vigilant improves chance of gaining wealth

For those seeking ways to build wealth (or just get rich quick), there’s no shortage of advice out there. Personal finance sites abound, and self-styled radio talk show experts dispense wisdom with varying degrees of accuracy.

But one study found that your attitude about money can be a predictor of your ability to accumulate wealth.

The study, published in the Journal of Financial Planning, looked at the correlation between certain behaviors and four “money scripts” — or, put another way, four money personalities.

And, spoiler alert: Only one of the four money scripts is particularly conducive to getting wealthy.

So which money personality do you have? Here’s how the four break down:

Money avoidance: Money avoiders believe money is morally corrupting — that rich people are greedy and therefore they, themselves, don’t try to amass wealth when they get it.

Money worship: Money worshippers believe money will solve all their problems, and that their happiness and power is tied exclusively to having enough money.

Money status: Those who follow the money-as-status script believe their self-worth is equal only to their money. They tend to believe it’s important to buy new things as a marker of status, rather than because they need them.

Money vigilance: People who are money-vigilant emphasize frugality and saving — and they’re also a little bit secretive about how much money they have.

You can probably guess which one tends to produce the most wealth over time: No. 4, or money vigilance.