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My dinner with Paul McKenna: The hidden thermostat of wealth

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Vishen with Paul McKenna
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The other night, I had dinner with Paul McKenna—world-renowned hypnotist, bestselling author, and now the creator of a brand-new Mindvalley audio called Hypnotic Trance for Wealth.

We weren’t in a studio. No cameras. Just a dinner table conversation. But what Paul shared that evening has been running through my head ever since. And I think it might rewire how you see money and abundance, too.

From Think and Grow Rich to hypnotic wealth

You’ve probably heard of Think and Grow Rich. It’s the bestselling self-help book of all time, written over 80 years ago. Its core message? You can program your subconscious to “think rich.”

Paul told me he loved that book, but two decades ago, he wondered: with today’s breakthroughs in psychology and hypnosis, could I do something even more powerful?

That one thought set the universe into motion.

Synchronicities start showing up

The very next evening, Paul found himself at a dinner party sitting next to Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop.

Before he could even explain what he was working on, Anita interrupted: “Yes. I’ve got a feeling. I want to study how your mind works.”

Two days later, Richard Branson called him, asking him to lead an event. Paul agreed—but only if Branson allowed him to “model” his thinking. Branson said yes and later even wrote the foreword to Paul’s book.

Not long after, billionaire Sir David Barclay told him: “You’re going to meet many wealthy people who aren’t truly rich. All they have is money. True wealth also means health, love, joy, and deep relationships.”

And so Paul set out not just to decode how the world’s wealthiest create abundance, but how they live rich lives.

The Richard Branson principle

One of the stories Paul shared blew me away.

In the 1970s, Branson was sitting on a miserable flight. Bad food, bad headphones, one small TV for the entire cabin. And he thought: “If I had my own airline, I’d do everything differently.”

In his mind, he began designing Virgin Atlantic—personal TVs, glamorous lounges, good food, the works.

But how could he afford a jet? Buying one would bankrupt him. So he asked Boeing if he could lease instead. They said yes. And Virgin Airlines was born.

Branson explained his strategy:

Upside/Downside Thinking

  • If the downside risk is small but the upside is massive → take bold action.
  • If the downside is catastrophic → rethink.
  • Always mitigate risk (like leasing instead of buying).

And this is how true wealth creators think. They find the upside, reduce the downside, and then leap.

Adding value vs. perceived value

Branson also taught Paul something simple but profound: you’re rewarded for the value—or the perceived value—you bring to others.

That’s why supermodels can earn more than doctors. It’s about the way society perceives and rewards value.

So whether you’re an entrepreneur or working within a company, the wealthiest path is always this: find ways to make people’s lives easier, better, or more beautiful.

The wealth thermostat

But here’s where Paul went deeper.

Most people don’t lose wealth because of a lack of opportunity. They lose it because of their internal wealth thermostat.

  • Lottery winners lose it within a few years.
  • Inheritance often vanishes.
  • Even when new money flows in, the subconscious “resets” it back down.

Paul realized he had the same thermostat. His father was a builder, and money would flow in and then disappear. Paul repeated the same pattern in his early career.

Until he hypnotically changed it.

And when he did, everything changed. His finances grew. His health improved. He stopped burning out. He got happily married. And he realized: resetting your wealth thermostat isn’t just about money—it rewires your entire life.

My own wealth thermostat test

I confessed something to Paul that night.

I’d been searching for a new home. My initial budget was $8–12K a month. But nothing fit: no space for the kids when they visit, no studio for Kristina and me to record podcasts.

So I stretched to $15K. Still nothing that felt right.

Then I found the perfect place. Spacious. Beautiful energy. Enough room for courses, podcasts, even dinners for 20 guests. But it was $17K—$60,000 a year more than I’d budgeted.

My fear: was I being irresponsible?

Paul’s answer was simple:

“Will this space allow you to generate more than the extra $60K?”

Yes. Absolutely. I could record a new course in that space and make that in weeks.

Paul reframed it through Branson’s principle:

  • Downside = $60K.
  • Upside = Creativity, abundance, community, new income.
  • Risk = None (I wasn’t going into debt).

That wasn’t poor thinking. That was rich thinking.

And it made me realize: expanding your environment is also expanding your signal to yourself. You’re telling your subconscious: “I deserve this. I can hold more.”

Rich kids vs. ordinary kids

Paul also pointed out another insight: children of wealthy families rarely struggle with money blocks.

Why? Because they grow up assuming abundance is natural.

At elite schools like Eton, math problems aren’t about apples and oranges. They’re about running companies or managing resources. The assumption baked into their education is that they will lead, they will create wealth, and they will shape the world.

Paul smiled and said: “It’s never too late to have a wealthy childhood.”

That’s exactly what Hypnotic Trance for Wealth does: it gives your subconscious an alternative history. 

One where you grew up surrounded by love, support, and abundance. And from that past, your mind naturally generates a new, abundant future.

Hypnotic trance for wealth

So here’s the big takeaway from that dinner with Paul:

True wealth isn’t just about money. It’s about resetting your thermostat so you can hold more joy, more health, more love, and yes—more abundance.

That’s what Paul’s Hypnotic Trance for Wealth is designed to do. 

In just 38 minutes, it:

  • Removes subconscious money blocks
  • Resets your wealth thermostat
  • Rewrites your “wealthy childhood”
  • Trains your subconscious to notice abundance (and attract more of it)
  • Aligns you with the same strategies used by billionaires

Click here to try Paul McKenna’s Hypnotic Trance for Wealth on the Mindvalley App

One more thing…

If you’ve been following our launch of our 2025 Mindvalley Certified Hypnotherapist Program with Paul McKenna—the very path where Paul personally guides you to reset deep subconscious patterns around wealth, health, self-worth, and success over a transformational 4-month journey starting this September…

Here’s something you need to know:

Application deadline for this program is today, Sep 9 at 11:59pm PST.

And as of this writing, 463 seats are already taken out of 800—leaving just 337 spots remaining for this year’s cohort.

Apply here to secure your spot today 

But this is not about a deadline. 

This is your chance to finally remove the subconscious blocks that have quietly shaped your entire life. 

These hidden blocks are often the root of:

  • Financial ceilings you can’t seem to break
  • Repeating toxic patterns in relationships
  • Low self-worth despite success
  • Procrastination or burnout, even when you’re passionate

Most people try to fix these on the surface. But without addressing the subconscious source, the patterns return—just in different forms.

Now here’s the gift of hypnotherapy: It doesn’t just help you understand the problem.

It helps you rewire it at the deepest level—so you naturally begin to act, think, and create from a place of confidence, clarity, and alignment.

This is the only time this year you can join this certification with Paul at the current pricing. The next special intake happens a year later—and it will come at a significantly higher investment.

If you have any questions regarding the program and need someone you can talk to, book a 30-min call with our team, and we will map the best course of action for you.

Final thought

That night, I realized wealth is less about your bank account and more about the questions you dare to ask yourself.

Richard Branson asked, “If I had an airline, how would I design it?”

I asked, “Do I deserve to step into a bigger space?”

Because the truth is this: it’s never too late to have a wealthy childhood. And it’s never too late to reprogram your subconscious for abundance.

What about you? What question could reframe your thermostat? Leave a comment below to let me know (I read every single one!)

With love,

Vishen

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Vishen

Vishen is an award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, New York Times best-selling author, and founder and CEO of Mindvalley: a global education movement with millions of students worldwide. He is the creator of Mindvalley Quests, A-Fest, Mindvalley University, and various other platforms to help shape lives in the field of personal transformation. He has led Mindvalley to enter and train Fortune 500 companies, governments, the UN, and millions of people around the world. Vishen’s work in personal growth also extends to the public sector, as a speaker and activist working to evolve the core systems that influence our lives—including education, work culture, politics, and well-being.

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13 Responses

  1. Can I really make Eco Friendly, organic and healthy lifestyle and living an affordable and realistic way of life for the MASSES? Can I be the reason people, especially the poor and downtrodden, get the help they need to go from survival to thriving and meaningful?

  2. Thanks Vishen,

    I really like Mindvalley, and I hope I can use it more once my PhD is finished in November 🙂 I just have one thing that keeps nagging me. For me, there’s a tension between the inner growth aspect of the classes and courses, and the constant obsession with growing wealth, marketing, and creating demand for something that should be sold. While I’m all for people getting out of debt, money problems, and poverty (which are increasingly many), there is also a problem with material abundance – in terms of consumerism, environmental issues which mean that we are rapidly destroying the planet etc. While I understand that we all need to survive in this messed up system (having a salary etc.), but the super-rich, who are often quoted and referred to at Mindvalley, are really not the rolemodels that we need. Having private jets and several cars is not an ideal that we should strive for. Why would anyone need to spend and consume so much? That kind of abundance is only possible through tax evasion etc. and financial systems that benefit those who already have money, while it slowly undermines the lives of ordinary people – who then struggle to survive, and seek help through self-help programmes etc. Without recognising this, the other, deeper messages of Mindvalley become somewhat hollow. I truly believe in what Mindvalley is doing, there’s so much great stuff here. But I just wish that the spiritual consciousness was matched by a consciousness about how the real world economy functions, and that often means abusing nature and people through intricate connections that we should not encourage, but resist. We cannot escape it, but we also shouldn’t conceal that there is a lot of harm caused by it. For example, AI is great and I love that Mindvalley is encouraging that members learn and benefit from it. But it also consumes ridiculous amounts of fresh water, and that is a problem. It should be talked about, how we can use and promote responsible use of AI, instead of ignoring the problems that it might cause. This is just one example, and it goes deeper that this, but just to make it more concrete.

  3. Awesome article and great concept… has huge potential if we can harness our mind using hypnotic trance to think rich and gradually erase the subconscious childhood memories of scarcity mindset which have been dragging us down from the pillars of success. Have been working on holistic wellness for close to 4 years now after 28 years of leadership roles in corporate life. The key question is – after this training and if I become adept at it, will I get the chance to join the Mindvalley team?

  4. Ohhh that was lovely!!!

    Thank you all for such inspirations!!!

    Unconditional love overflowing…

    It is done 🥹✨💖

    ありがとう

    COSMIC PURE LOVE

  5. This article completely resonated with me.

    The last week or so I’ve been asking myself: “What if I had an office space? A studio for my art? A small retail space for a boutique?”

    I’ve always denied myself these thoughts. I’ve always said: “One day, one day when x, y, z…then maybe…”

    But lately I’ve been allowing myself to dream: “If I had an office and/or art studio outside of my home, what more could I get done? How much less stressed would I be? Would it be easier to balance work and home? And if I had a boutique could I reach more people and sell more work?”

    It’s been a wonderful feeling.
    And I’ve been quite surprised at the prices I’ve found!—even though it would still be an investment.

  6. Hi Vishen, A bit off topic but need to share with you. A long time ago, your target market was the younger generations and you wanted to open doors where they chose their journey, not their parents. The message one of my teenage sons is hearing, “mainstream education is a waist of time”. Your personal example of study and higher education gave you the tools to reach out to the world today with your passion, Brilliant.
    As a serious influencer, please continually revisit your message and tell people, particularly the young that learning institutions have their place and give you the very foundation tools and experiences to pursue your passions.

  7. Hi Vishen
    Thank you for your post and Mindvalley programs. I notice though that as I grow in some areas of my life, the problems that I need to solve in these areas also grow. I read somewhere that if a kid drop his one scoop ice cream cone the parent should not buy him a three scoops cone until he can manage the one scoop without dropping it. How does the Wealth thermostat helps in handling bigger problems? I also read somewhere that the value one brings to the world is usually corrolated to the size of the problems one can solved. Unless one works on his ability to increase his resistance to pain it may be very difficult to solve bigger problems and create wealth.

  8. It would be wonderful to offer this to people who are truly struggling financially, as they are not the ones who can afford a $4,500 fee.

  9. I just started following Mind Valley but I am using it as the next step on my journey which started three years ago by reading Rhonda Byrnes “The Secret”. This was a great start. The more I work on myself, the better I feel, but, what is amazing is that the right information and support always presents itself exactly when I need it. The more I work on myself the more it happens. Mind Valley appeared at a critical time in my life. I was reading The Code of the Extraordinary Mind and a suggestion for the App appeared on my ‘phone. Just starting to get into it, but the above phrase “it’s never too late to have a wealthy childhood” really resonated with me tonight. Thank you!

  10. Thanks to you, I’ve learned so much, thank you so much. I’ve acquired many books on Wealth, Charisma, Success, Hypnosis, and Energy, but I can’t put my knowledge to use because the same Computer Hacker Magicians who previously made me sick keep bothering me. They’ve ensnared me in Voodoo spells and sorcerers, and I can’t get rid of those spells.

    1. Don’t give your power away to others by having that type of mindset. Their spells can only be effective against you through the power of your own belief systems. If you are currently unable to break free on your own then just look on youtube. Plenty of videos on there that have been created to break curses, spells, hex, etc.
      Pay attention to the words you speak and type about your situation because in your own comment you are giving control of your reality away. Start speaking positive affirmations with conviction. Use I am statements that define and benefit who you are meant to be. If you are a Mindvalley member then use the tools and resources that are readily available.

  11. Is it ever too late to have a secure childhood? An abundance of certainty, safety and self belief?
    As an accredited life coach, NLP practitioner and life long student of personal development, I have learnt so much about human psychology, quantum healing, spiral dynamics, personality styles, inner critic, inner child work, basic human needs etc and yet I sit here as an intelligent, empathic 54 year old woman still struggling with episodes of crippling anxiety. I go from being extremely motivated, driven and enthusiastic about achieving my goals and showing up as my best self, to having panic attacks, low self esteem and wanting to hide my light to stay safe. I feel mentally unhinged, but know that this is just the opinion of the inner critic. Reading your post gives me hope that maybe it is possible to undo the childhood traumas and experiences that led to these patterns. I’d love to learn how to have a strong centre, grounded and still in a consistent way and to be able to regulate my emotions easily.
    I wonder- after so much research, could it really be as simple as a specific type of hypnosis?
    My inner child is jumping for joy at the concept. I think it’s time she was allowed to shine. X

  12. I have no access to my program. Getting all your weekly emails but app states I have no active acct. I do have receipt of my payment in August

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