The Third Staffer

Odette

Hello again and welcome to the Bad Coffee Podcast by Money Safe! If you're new here, I'm Odette, and I'm joined by the ever-wise Beatrix. We love sharing digital wealth learning, and of course, a few good stories—just to keep things interesting.

Beatrix

Hi everyone! I'm Beatrix. And yeah, Odette and I try to make these money ideas feel just a little less serious and a lot more practical. We’re still working on the good coffee part though, right?

Odette

We are indeed... Maybe one day, eh? So, today we’re digging into a really old story, but one with a timeless lesson—the Third Staffer, straight from the Parable of the Talents. Oh, and in case you missed last week’s episode about Jim Rohn and his love for little daily habits, I think you’ll see some overlap in what we chat about today.

Beatrix

Definitely. The Parable of the Talents is such an iconic story. Imagine it this way: three staffers, working for a businessman, each get these Talents. Back then, a single Talent was the equivalent of about 20 years’ worth of income. Just let that sink in for a second. It's not pocket change, it's life-changing money. The first two staffers—they invest it, they double what they’re given, and as a result, the business owner rewards them massively. Partnership-level rewards, in fact!

Odette

But then you’ve got this third staffer. Oh, you know the one. He doesn’t invest. He gets scared—or, actually, I’d say he gets caught up in his judgments. Instead of thinking about what he could do with such an opportunity, he’s worrying about the boss’s character. He sees the business owner as “a hard man,” and that just shuts him down, scares him into burying his chance, literally hiding the Talent in the ground. I mean, sometimes I see myself in that—don’t you?

Beatrix

I do, absolutely. It's so, so easy to look at an opportunity and find a hundred reasons not to trust it. Or to talk yourself out of action by judging the person who’s offering it. But what really stands out for me is how the story makes it clear: the third staffer didn’t lose out because of the money or the risk, but because of his judgment. That misjudgment cost him twenty years of income! I've had moments like that. Where I thought, “Who does she think she is?” and suddenly I'm not just doubting her but also closing myself off from a potential lesson. It’s embarrassing, but we’ve all done it.

Odette

Oh, totally. And think about what happens in the end: that one Talent—his 20 years of income—gets taken away and handed to the other staffers who actually made something of their opportunity. It stings a bit, doesn’t it? If you imagine your own boss taking away 20 years of your future income just because you decided you didn’t like them or didn’t trust their ways, I mean, whew. That's brutal. But it gets to the core of things—we end up judging ourselves right out of future blessings when we shut down like that.

Beatrix

And it really, really ties back to what we chatted about with Jim Rohn last episode. It’s not just about the big windfall or the money sitting in your hand, it’s what you choose to see in a situation and how you decide to show up in it. I've met so many women who hesitate because they’ve been burned before, or maybe they just don’t trust the system, but that hesitation—sometimes it’s not wisdom, it's just another version of the third staffer’s judgment. I’m not saying, “jump at every shiny thing,” but wow, sometimes we just need to stop judging and start learning.

Odette

Exactly. And I’ll say, sometimes we underestimate just how powerful our own judgments are. We think we’re only making a small call—“Oh, I wouldn’t partner with her, she’s a bit much…”—but maybe, just maybe, that’s the difference between doubling our investment and staying stuck. I always remind myself, it’s not the idea; it’s how I judge and act on the idea. Or don’t.

Beatrix

That’s bang on. So, take a wee moment today, everyone, and ask yourselves: am I the third staffer in some area of my life? Am I judging myself, judging others, or dismissing opportunities because I’m scared or don’t quite trust? Because, honestly, that perspective might be costing you more than you realize.

Odette

And if that got a bit heavy—don’t worry. It just means you’re growing! That’s all for today’s episode. Thank you so much for spending your valuable time with us. Don't forget, we’ve got more coming up in our Digital Wealth Millionaire Series, so if you need another nudge, stay tuned!

Beatrix

Right, next time we’ll be chatting about the FX Millionaire and, let’s just say, it’s an opportunity you won't want to misjudge. Odette, always a pleasure talking through these things with you—and hopefully our listeners found a nugget or two to walk away with.

Odette

Of course, Beatrix, as always! Thanks everyone for joining us on Bad Coffee Podcasts. Take care, and see you next time. Bye for now!

Beatrix

Bye everyone!