The
deliberate edge
The wealthy aren't addicted to wealth. They're addicted to security.
A new behavioural science study into the UK’s HNWIs with Professor Paul Dolan, LSE. Find out what really drives the most committed self-optimisers in the country.
What the report reveals
84%
of Britain’s wealthy actively self-optimise across multiple domains of their lives.
2/3
say that self-optimisation is a personal priority.
>50%
invest significant time and money in the pursuit of self-optimisation.
The shelves are full of books on how the wealthy made their money. This new behavioural-science study unpacks the motivations behind the wealth. Three traits differentiate Britain’s wealthy from the rest of the population. One of them is not what you’d expect.
The report
The first academic study of how the wealthy self-optimise in their life.
What makes Britain's self-optimisers tick?
200 HNWIs surveyed. Seven findings. Three kinds of self-optimiser. One surprising conclusion.
Authored by Professor Paul Dolan, LSE. Professor Dolan is a world-renowned expert on behavioural economics and a best-selling author
Existing studies measure personality. This is the first UK HNWI study at scale to measure self-optimisation as a deliberate, multi-domain practice. It is not a niche behaviour. It is the default and spans not just career and money but health and hobbies.
What the report covers:
Three types of self-optimiser and which one is thriving.
The real drivers behind what motivates the wealthy.
Risk-appetite amongst HNWIs.
Which traits set HNWIs apart from the wider population.
Work, health, relationships, leisure, finance and how our sample actually scores.
The podcast series
Vicky Reynal, financial psychotherapist, in conversation with the high performers who choose to self-optimise their lives their way.
Four episodes; Professor Paul Dolan on what the research found. Emily Roux on running a Michelin-starred kitchen and a family business. Dan Biggar on elite performance at the highest level of professional rugby. Stuart Cash on what it all means for how we manage wealth.
Who’s behind it.
Four voices. Four networks.
Professor Paul Dolan
Behavioural Science, LSE. Designed the ONS national wellbeing questions. Author of Happiness by Design and Happy Ever After.
NewtonX
Quantitative fieldwork.
200 UK adults with £1m+ in investable assets, verified.
Y TREE
A wealthtech advisory business bringing transparency to wealth management.
Why we commissioned this
Y TREE central intelligence for money and life
Our vision is to build a world where wealth is defined by how we live, not what we own. True wealth, we believe, isn’t measured in absolute terms, but in how it enables a more fulfilling life. Data, analytics and performance all matter enormously. But their real value lies in helping our clients make better decisions, not just about money, but about how they want to live. We commissioned this research to understand the people we serve more deeply: not just what they own, but what drives them.