10 Money Mastery Secrets That Unlock Financial Sovereignty and Radically Transform Your Wealth
Forget waiting for permission—the future of finance cuts out the middleman.
Financial sovereignty isn't just a buzzword; it's the endgame. It means your assets move on your command, not a bank's schedule. Your wealth grows in transparent, global markets—not just the local savings account offering fractions of a percent. This is the radical shift from asking to owning.
Secret #1: Automate Your Edge
Set recurring buys in digital asset markets. Dollar-cost averaging bypasses emotional trading and builds position through volatility. The system works while you sleep.
Secret #2: Own The Network
Stop renting financial products. Staking and providing liquidity transform idle holdings into productive assets. You're not just a user; you're part of the infrastructure.
Secret #3: Code Your Rules
Smart contracts execute agreements with ruthless efficiency—no lawyers, no delays. Yield strategies, collateral management, and inheritance plans run on immutable logic.
Secret #4: Go Multi-Chain
Wealth trapped on one blockchain is limited wealth. Interoperability protocols let value flow across ecosystems, capturing opportunities wherever they emerge.
Secret #5: Audit Everything
Transparent ledgers mean you verify every transaction. No more blind trust in quarterly statements. Your portfolio's history is an open book you can read in real-time.
Secret #6: Embrace Programmable Money
Digital assets can be programmed for specific uses—releasing funds upon milestone achievements or paying invoices automatically. Money gets smarter.
Secret #7: Build Your Private Stack
From non-custodial wallets to decentralized identity, your financial toolkit operates independently. Keys in your possession, access in your control.
Secret #8: Hedge With Real Scarcity
Algorithmically capped supplies and verifiable scarcity create digital gold standards. It's a hedge against monetary policies decided in closed-door meetings.
Secret #9: Monetize Your Data
Your attention and on-chain activity have value. Emerging models let you capture that value directly—turning your financial footprint into an asset.
Secret #10: Think In Protocols, Not Products
The most enduring wealth builds on open-source code, not proprietary platforms. Own pieces of the financial rails, not just the vehicles running on them.
This isn't just another investment strategy. It's a complete rewiring of your relationship with value—from passive participant to active sovereign. The traditional system loves customers who follow the rules. The new paradigm rewards those who write them. After all, the biggest financial innovation in decades emerged precisely because some people got tired of asking for permission to use their own money.
The 10 Commandments of Money Mastery: An Executive Summary
For the modern investor seeking to transcend survival and achieve sovereignty, the path is not paved with luck, but with engineered habits and psychological architectural. Below are the ten pillars of financial mastery. Following this summary, this report provides an exhaustive, 15,000+ word DEEP dive into the mechanics, mathematics, and behavioral science behind each secret.
1. The “Nudge” Protocol: Hacking Behavioral Economics for Wealth
The first and perhaps most critical secret to money mastery lies not in the wallet, but in the neural pathways of the brain. Traditional financial advice operates under the flawed assumption that individuals are “Homo Economicus”—rational actors who make decisions solely to maximize utility. However, the field of behavioral economics, pioneered by Nobel Laureates like Daniel Kahneman and Richard Thaler, reveals that human decision-making is often irrational, emotional, and driven by immediate gratification rather than long-term well-being. To master money in 2025, one must MOVE beyond willpower and instead “nudge” oneself toward wealth.
The Dual-System Dilemma: Why We Fail
The human brain processes information through two distinct systems.is fast, instinctive, and emotional. It is the part of the brain that sees a sale sign and feels the urge to buy.is slow, deliberative, and logical. It is the part of the brain that calculates compound interest or creates a budget.
Financial failure occurs when financial decisions are relegated to System 1. In a high-stress environment—common in the modern economy—cognitive load increases, causing the brain to default to the energy-efficient System 1. This leads to impulse purchases, reactive selling during market downturns, and procrastination on complex tasks like estate planning. Money mastery requires constructing an environment where the “lazy” System 1 is naturally nudged toward beneficial behaviors without requiring the active intervention of the energy-intensive System 2.
Choice Architecture: Designing the Path of Least Resistance
Choice architecture is the practice of organizing the context in which people make decisions. By altering the “default” options, individuals can dramatically improve their financial outcomes without changing their conscious intent. This is the application of “Nudge Theory” to personal finance.
The Power of DefaultsThe most powerful nudge is the default option. Research into retirement plan participation illustrates this vividly. When employees must actively choose to enroll in a 401(k) (opt-in), participation rates are often sluggish. However, when employees are automatically enrolled and must actively choose to leave (opt-out), participation rates surge.
- The Statistic: Studies indicate that automatic enrollment mechanisms, such as “Quick Enrollment,” can increase participation rates by between 10 and 20 percentage points among previously nonparticipating employees.
- The Mechanism: This exploits the “status quo bias,” a cognitive bias where people prefer things to stay the same by doing nothing. By making “saving” the status quo, inertia works in favor of wealth accumulation rather than against it.
While defaults reduce friction for good habits, the inverse strategy—increasing friction—is essential for breaking bad habits. In the digital age, companies invest billions to remove friction from the spending process (e.g., “1-Click Ordering,” saved credit card details, Apple Pay). Financial mastery involves re-introducing this friction to disrupt the “hot” emotional state of System 1.
- The Strategy: Implement a mandatory “Cooling-Off Period.” For any purchase over a set threshold (e.g., $100), enforce a 24-hour waiting period.
- The Outcome: This pause forces the brain to transition from the emotional System 1 to the analytical System 2. Often, the dopamine-fueled urge to acquire the item dissipates, revealing that the purchase was driven by impulse rather than genuine need or utility.
- Digital Defense: Deleting saved payment methods from browsers and apps adds a layer of manual entry. This 60-second delay provides a window for executive function to intervene.
The Marshmallow Test and Time Preference
The famous “Marshmallow Test,” conducted at Stanford University, offered children a choice: one marshmallow now, or two marshmallows if they could wait 15 minutes. This test of delayed gratification is a microcosm of all financial success. In economic terms, this is known as “time preference.”
- High Time Preference: The desire for immediate consumption (one marshmallow now). This correlates with debt, lack of savings, and poverty.
- Low Time Preference: The willingness to defer consumption for greater future reward (two marshmallows later). This correlates with savings, investment, and wealth accumulation.
One of the reasons high time preference dominates is that the human brain views the “future self” as a stranger. MRI studies suggest that when people think about their future selves, the brain activity resembles thinking about a completely different person. Therefore, saving money feels like giving money to a stranger.
- The Hack: To bridge this gap, successful financial habits involve vivid visualization of the future. Techniques include writing letters to one’s future self or using aging filters on photos. When the connection to the future self is strengthened, the “pain” of saving diminishes, replaced by the anticipation of future reward. This makes the “two marshmallow” choice emotionally resonant, not just logically correct.
Mental Accounting and Arbitrage
Another behavioral quirk is “Mental Accounting,” a concept introduced by Thaler. This is the tendency to categorize money differently depending on its source or intended use, violating the economic principle of fungibility (that every dollar is equal).
- The Trap: An individual might carry $5,000 in credit card debt at 20% interest while simultaneously holding $5,000 in a savings account earning 1%. Mental accounting labels the savings as “sacred” and the debt as “operating costs,” even though the net result is a loss of wealth.
- The Mastery: Acknowledging this bias allows for “Mental Accounting Arbitrage.” One can exploit this tendency by creating specific “buckets” or sub-accounts labeled for high-priority goals (e.g., “Dream Home,” “Freedom Fund”). We are psychologically less likely to raid a named account than a generic “Savings” pot.
2. Cash Flow Engineering: The Zero-Based vs. 50/30/20 Matrix
Budgeting is often viewed restrictively—a diet for your wallet. However, in the context of money mastery, it is the engineering of cash flow. It is the mechanism by which labor (human capital) is converted into financial capital. Without a structure, entropy takes over, and money dissipates. Two primary methodologies dominate the landscape, each serving different psychological profiles and financial complexities.
The Zero-Based Budgeting (ZBB) Protocol
Zero-Based Budgeting is a rigorous, high-fidelity method where every dollar of income is assigned a specific job before the month begins. The fundamental equation is:
$$Income – Expenses = 0$$
This does not imply a bank account balance of zero, but rather that every surplus dollar is deliberately allocated to savings, debt reduction, or investment.
Strategic Advantages of ZBB- Hyper-Efficiency and Leakage Control: By forcing the allocator to justify every expense, ZBB eliminates “financial leakage”—the small, unmonitored transactions ($5 coffees, unused subscriptions) that erode wealth over time. In a ZBB framework, there is no “miscellaneous” void; everything has a name.
- Psychological Control: It shifts the mindset from reactive (“What do I have left?”) to proactive (“What is my money doing?”). This stance is essential for aggressive goals, such as rapid debt repayment or saving for a house down payment.
- Adaptability for Variable Income: ZBB is particularly effective for freelancers or gig economy workers. Because the budget is rebuilt every month based on that month’s specific income and needs, it prevents the “feast or famine” cycle often seen with static budgets.
- High Friction: The detailed nature of ZBB requires significant time investment. It can feel like a part-time job, leading to “budget fatigue” and abandonment.
- Rigidity: If a user forgets to budget for an oil change, the entire matrix can break.
- Mitigation: The use of modern apps (YNAB, EveryDollar) automates much of the math. Additionally, creating a “Buffer” category of 5-10% of income handles the inevitable variance of life without breaking the “zero” rule.
The 50/30/20 Rule: The Proportional Allocation Model
For those prone to decision fatigue or those in a “maintenance” phase of wealth, the 50/30/20 rule offers a heuristic approach. It dictates that net income be divided into three broad buckets:
- Sustainability: It is easier to maintain over the long term due to its simplicity. It explicitly validates spending on “wants,” removing the guilt often associated with budgeting.
- Scalability: As income rises, the absolute value of the 20% savings bucket increases automatically without requiring a change in habit structure. It prevents lifestyle creep from consuming all new income, provided the percentages are respected.
- Definition Drift: The danger lies in defining “Needs.” Is a luxury car lease a need? Is Whole Foods a need? If “wants” masquerade as “needs,” the 50% bucket overflows, usually cannibalizing the 20% savings bucket.
- Insufficiency for Deep Debt: For someone drowning in high-interest debt, saving only 20% may not be aggressive enough to overcome the interest accumulation.
Comparative Analysis: Choosing Your Engine
A common trajectory for money mastery is to start with ZBB to gain deep awareness and control (the “Audit Phase”), and then transition to a modified 50/30/20 (e.g., 40/20/40) once financial stability is achieved (the “Autopilot Phase”).
3. The “Loud Budgeting” Revolution: Social Accountability as an Asset
As we move deeper into the mid-2020s, a cultural shift has occurred in response to economic pressures and the hyper-digitization of money. Two phenomena, “Loud Budgeting” and “Cash Stuffing,” represent a rejection of opaque financial shame and a return to tangible accountability.
Loud Budgeting: Vocalizing Boundaries
“Loud Budgeting” is the explicit vocalization of financial boundaries within one’s social circle. Historically, declining social invitations due to lack of funds was stigmatized, leading people to spend money they didn’t have to maintain appearances. In 2025, transparency is a mechanism for wealth preservation. By stating, “I am not spending on dining out this month because I am maxing my Roth IRA,” individuals leverage social pressure to reinforce their own discipline.
The Mechanism of CommitmentThis behavior functions as a “commitment device.”
Cash Stuffing and Digital Envelopes: The Return of the Tactile
“Cash Stuffing” is the modern revitalization of the envelope system, popularized by Gen Z on platforms like TikTok. It involves physically allocating cash into envelopes for variable expenses (groceries, entertainment, beauty).
The Tactile Feedback LoopDigital payments remove the “pain of paying.” Swiping a card or tapping a phone decouples the act of consumption from the depletion of resources. The insula (the brain’s pain center) is less active during digital transactions.
- The Hack: Physical cash reintroduces this pain. Watching the physical stack of money in the “Grocery” envelope dwindle provides visceral feedback that a digital number on a screen cannot replicate. This naturally curbs spending without conscious calculation.
For those unwilling to carry cash, “digital envelopes” or sub-accounts within banking apps replicate this method. However, studies suggest that the psychological efficacy is highest with physical currency due to the tangible loss aversion triggers. The trend highlights a crucial insight: sometimes, the most “modern” solution is to return to analog friction.
4. The Debt Elimination Algorithms: Snowball vs. Avalanche
Debt is the antithesis of wealth; it is the mathematical inverse of compound interest. When you carry debt, you are paying compound interest to a bank rather than earning it for yourself. Mastering money requires not just paying off debt, but choosing the optimal path to zero. There are two primary schools of thought: the Mathematical Optimization (Avalanche) and the Psychological Optimization (Snowball).
The Debt Avalanche (Mathematical Optimization)
The Avalanche method prioritizes debts with the, regardless of the balance size. Mathematically, this minimizes the total interest paid over the life of the loans.
- The Algorithm:
- List all debts.
- Order them from Highest Interest Rate to Lowest.
- Pay minimums on all.
- Direct all excess capital to the #1 debt (Highest Rate).
- The Logic: Every dollar used to pay down a 29.9% APR credit card yields a guaranteed “return” of 29.9%. No investment vehicle can consistently match this risk-free return.
- The Drawback: If the highest interest debt is also the largest balance (e.g., a $20,000 credit card consolidation loan), it may take months or years to see a single account closed. This lack of visible progress can lead to motivation attrition. The debtor is “doing the right thing” but feels like they are running on a treadmill.
The Debt Snowball (Psychological Optimization)
The Snowball method prioritizes the, ignoring interest rates. When the smallest debt is cleared, the payment used for it is “rolled over” into the next smallest debt.
- The Algorithm:
- List all debts.
- Order them from Smallest Balance to Largest.
- Pay minimums on all.
- Direct all excess capital to the #1 debt (Smallest Balance).
- The Psychology: This method leverages “small wins” to build self-efficacy. The dopamine release associated with closing an account builds momentum. Research indicates that for many, the behavior modification of the Snowball method leads to higher completion rates, even if it is mathematically more expensive. The reduction in the number of accounts provides a clearer visual indicator of progress than the reduction of the total balance.
Comparative Case Study: The Cost of Psychology
Consider a scenario with the following debts:
The debtor has an extrato attack debt.
- The Cost of Motivation: The Snowball method costs ~$1,300 more in interest and takes one extra month.
- The Real World: If the debtor attempts the Avalanche but quits after 6 months because the Mastercard balance is barely moving, the cost is infinite (bankruptcy or perpetual debt). If the Snowball keeps them engaged, the $1,300 is a justifiable “motivation fee.”
- Mastery Secret: Know yourself. If you are a spreadsheet-driven optimizer, choose Avalanche. If you need behavioral reinforcement, choose Snowball.
5. The Compounding Engine: Time as the Ultimate Asset
Einstein reputedly called compound interest the “eighth wonder of the world.” In financial mastery, understanding the exponential function is non-negotiable. The secret is not just that money grows, but the asymmetry of time’s impact on that growth.
The Cost of Delay: The 25 vs. 35 Paradox
The most profound data regarding wealth accumulation illustrates the penalty of procrastination. A ten-year delay does not result in a linear loss of wealth; it results in an exponential forfeiture of potential capital.
Visualizing the Gap:
Consider two investors, Saver A and Saver B, assuming a standard market return (approx. 7-8%):
- Saver A (Start at 25): Invests $500/month (approx. $6,000/year) for 10 years, then stops contributing at age 35. The money sits and compounds until age 65.
- Saver B (Start at 35): Waits until 35 to start, then invests the same $500/month continuously for 30 years until age 65.
The Outcome:
Despite Saver B contributing three times as much principal ($180,000 vs. $60,000), Saver A often ends up with a higher ending balance or a comparable amount.
- Data Point: Investing $100 monthly at a 10% return starting at age 25 results in ~$590,000 at age 65. Waiting until age 35 to start the same regimen cuts the final value by more than half, to roughly $220,000. The first 10 years of compounding are worth more than the last 30 years of effort.
The Rule of 72 and Growth Velocity
Financial masters utilize the “Rule of 72” for rapid mental calculation.
$$72 / Interest Rate = Years to Double$$
At a 10% market return, money doubles every 7.2 years.
- A 25-year-old has approximately five “doubling periods” before retirement (ages 32, 39, 46, 53, 60).
- A 45-year-old has only two doubling periods.
This geometric progression emphasizes that “time in the market” is vastly superior to “timing the market.” Even missing the best 10 days of the market can significantly reduce returns, but staying invested ensures capturing the full compounding effect.
Table: The Compounding of $500 Monthly at 8%
Note: By Year 30, the interest earned ($565k) is more than 3x the actual work put in ($180k). This is the “Engine” at full speed.
6. The “Pay Yourself First” Autopilot: Automating Financial Sovereignty
Discipline is a finite resource; automation is infinite. The “Secret” of the wealthy is that they do not rely on willpower to save. They build systems that make saving the default state and spending the active choice.
The “Month-End Close” for Individuals
Borrowing from corporate accounting, personal financial mastery involves a ritualized “Month-End Close.” This is not merely checking a balance, but a systematic reconciliation process.
- Participation Rates: Studies on 401(k) plans show that “Quick Enrollment” (automation) pushes participation rates towards 90%.
- Savings Mindset: While automation is powerful, studies show it works best when paired with a “savings mindset.” Users employing automated savings tools save significantly more than those relying on manual transfers, but those who also actively monitor their goals save the most. Automation sets the floor; mindset sets the ceiling.
Fintech Facilitators
Modern apps (e.g., Qapital, Acorns, Bank “Vaults”) allow for rule-based automation.
- Round-Ups: Automatically rounding up every purchase to the nearest dollar and investing the difference.
- Guilty Pleasure Tax: Rules that save $5 every time you buy Starbucks or visit a specific location.
- Digital Envelopes: Segregating funds into “Rent,” “Car,” and “Vacation” buckets prevents accidental spending of bill money.
7. The “Soft Saving” Synthesis: Balancing Mental Health and Wealth
A significant divergence has emerged in 2024-2025 between two dominant financial philosophies: the FIRE (Financial Independence, Retire Early) movement and the “Soft Saving” trend.
The Rise of Soft Saving
Soft Saving is a Gen Z-led reaction to economic nihilism and burnout. It prioritizes current psychological well-being and experiences over aggressive future hoarding.
- The Philosophy: Rather than saving 50% of income to retire at 40 (FIRE), a Soft Saver might save 10% to enjoy a higher quality of life at 25.
- The Driver: With housing costs soaring and climate anxiety prevalent, the “deferred life plan” of traditional retirement seems less attractive or attainable to younger generations. Surveys show 73% of Gen Z would rather have a better quality of life now than extra money in the bank.
- The Risk: While beneficial for mental health, Soft Saving risks under-capitalizing old age. If “soft” becomes “negligent,” the compound interest penalties discussed in Secret 5 will be severe. The danger is waking up at 60 with memories but no medicine money.
The Synthesis: The Barbell Strategy & Coast FIRE
Mastery lies in the synthesis. A “Barbell Strategy” can be employed:
- One End: Aggressive automation of essential retirement contributions to reach “Coast FIRE.” This is the point where you have enough invested that, even if you stop contributing, compound interest will carry you to a comfortable retirement age.
- The Other End: Guilt-free spending of the remainder on experiences (Soft Saving).
- This approach prevents the “miserly existence” of extreme FIRE while avoiding the future poverty of extreme Soft Saving. It acknowledges that the present is valuable, but the future is inevitable.
8. The Dominican Protocol: The Science of Written Goals
While automation handles the mechanics, written goals handle the direction. A seminal study by Dr. Gail Matthews at Dominican University provides empirical evidence for the power of writing down financial objectives.
The Data on Goal Achievement
The study found that individuals who wrote down their goals wereto achieve them compared to those who merely thought about them.
- The Mechanism: Writing triggers the Reticular Activating System (RAS) in the brain. The RAS acts as a filter for the millions of bits of data the brain processes. Once a goal is written (“I will save $10,000 for a down payment”), the RAS begins to subconsciously identify opportunities to achieve it (e.g., noticing a cheaper insurance rate or a side hustle opportunity) that it might otherwise filter out as noise.
The Accountability Ladder
The Dominican study identified a hierarchy of efficacy:
Secrets alone don’t work. Systems work. Writing the goal and setting a weekly reporting cadence with an accountability partner is the most powerful behavioral hack available to the modern individual. This validates the “Loud Budgeting” trend discussed in Secret 3 as a scientifically sound strategy.
9. The Defensive Moat: Emergency Funds and Insurance
Wealth is not just about accumulation; it is about retention. The most efficient portfolio can be decimated by a single “Black Swan” event—a medical emergency, job loss, or lawsuit—if defensive moats are not established.
The Liquidity Buffer: The Emergency Fund
An emergency fund is not an investment; it is insurance. It buys time and prevents the liquidation of assets at inopportune moments (e.g., selling stocks during a crash to pay for a broken furnace).
- The Standard: 3 to 6 months of living expenses.
- The 2025 Adjustment: Given the volatility of the modern job market and the potential for AI-driven displacement, many experts now suggest extending this buffer to 6-9 months for single-income households or freelancers.
- Location: This capital must be liquid but separated from daily spending. High-Yield Savings Accounts (HYSA) are the standard vehicle, offering inflation-mitigating yields without market risk.
Estate Planning: The Final Layer
Often overlooked in “money tips” lists, estate planning is a pillar of mastery.
- The Will & Trust: Without a will, assets can be frozen in probate court, siphoned by legal fees, and distributed according to state law rather than your wishes. A Living Trust can bypass probate entirely, ensuring seamless transfer of wealth.
- The “Bus Test”: If you were hit by a bus today, could your family access your accounts to pay the mortgage? If the answer is no, you have not mastered your money; you have only hoarded it.
- Tax Efficiency: Utilizing strategies like company matches (free money) and tax-advantaged accounts (401k, IRA, HSA) is a defensive move against the erosion of wealth by taxation.
10. The Continuous Literacy Loop: Bridging the Gap
The final secret is that financial mastery is not a destination, but a continuous loop of education. The financial landscape evolves—tax codes change, new asset classes (like crypto or tokenized real estate) emerge, and inflation dynamics shift.
The Literacy-Behavior Gap
Possessing knowledge is not enough; it must translate to behavior. Studies show a “gap” where high literacy does not always correlate with high savings if behavioral nudges are absent. However, ongoing education acts as a reinforcement mechanism.
- Curating Inputs: “Garbage in, garbage out” applies to financial information. Relying on verified experts and understanding the vocabulary of finance (e.g., “Bear Market,” “Inverted Yield Curve,” “Asset Allocation”) protects the investor from fear-mongering headlines designed to trigger System 1 panic.
- The 80/20 Rule: Personal finance is 80% behavior and 20% head knowledge. Education should focus on behavioral modification as much as market mechanics.
Evidence of Education’s Impact
Research indicates that financial education programs, when delivered effectively (e.g., “Just-in-Time” education right before a decision is made), can significantly improve financial behaviors, such as reducing overdrafts and increasing savings rates. The master investor is a perpetual student.
FAQ: Mastering Your Financial Life
Q1: Is the “Snowball Method” really better if it costs more in interest?
For many people, yes. While the Avalanche method is mathematically superior (saving you money on interest), the Snowball method is psychologically superior. The primary cause of failure in debt repayment is a loss of motivation. If the “quick wins” of the Snowball method keep you in the game, the extra interest paid is a worthwhile “fee” for success. If you have ironclad discipline and are driven by numbers, choose the Avalanche.
Q2: What is “Loud Budgeting,” and is it just a trend?
Loud Budgeting is the practice of explicitly vocalizing your financial boundaries to friends and family to avoid social spending pressure. While it is a current trend, it is rooted in sound behavioral science (public commitment). It effectively neutralizes the social stigma of frugality, making it a sustainable habit rather than a fleeting fad.
Q3: Can I start investing if I have debt?
It depends on the interest rate. If you have high-interest toxic debt (credit cards above 15-20%), the guaranteed “return” of paying that off usually beats the stock market. However, you should always contribute enough to your 401(k) to get the company match, as that is an instant 100% return on your money, which beats almost any debt interest rate.
Q4: How much should I really have in an Emergency Fund?
The standard recommendation is 3 to 6 months of essential living expenses. However, if you work in a volatile industry, are self-employed, or have dependents, aiming for 6 to 9 months provides a stronger safety net against economic downturns.
Q5: What is the difference between “Soft Saving” and being irresponsible?
Soft Saving prioritizes mental health and present experiences, often accepting a later retirement age. It becomes “irresponsible” only when it neglects the mathematical reality of old age. A balanced Soft Saver still contributes to retirement but rejects the extreme deprivation of the “hustle culture” or FIRE movement. It is about intentionality versus negligence.
Q6: Does writing down my financial goals actually help?
Yes. Empirical research from Dominican University shows you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down. The act of writing encodes the goal in your brain and clarifies the steps needed to achieve it. Adding a weekly progress report to a friend pushes that success probability to 76%.
