Over the past twenty years, I’ve helped hundreds of thousands of people understand themselves through four personality styles I call the Eagle, Parrot, Dove, and Owl. When I examine these four fundamental money behaviors—earning, spending, giving, and saving—I see those styles reflected in them.
Your money habits aren’t just shaped by your financial knowledge or income level. They are influenced by your personality. However, this doesn’t mean that whichever one of these is your primary style, you don’t display other money behaviors. It simply indicates that you are mainly driven by that specific money tendency.
Let’s break it down.
The Eagle Earns
Eagles are driven, competitive, and results-focused. They don’t just work hard, they aim high. To someone embracing their Eagle energy, money represents achievement. It’s not about materialism. It’s about success.
People with a strong Eagle style might pursue promotions, start businesses, or invest boldly. They gauge success through milestones and are fueled by progress. However, if you live solely in Eagle mode, you might spend your life climbing without ever enjoying the view.
The Parrot Spends
Parrots are joyful, spontaneous, and live in the moment. They see money as a tool for fun, freedom, and self-expression. They’ll buy front-row tickets to a concert, book last-minute trips, or treat everyone at the table, because why not?
When you lead with Parrot energy, your spending tends to be spontaneous, experience-driven, and aimed at creating memories. But unchecked, Parrots can overspend or rely too heavily on credit. Living only for today can have long-term consequences.
The Dove Gives
Doves are nurturing, compassionate, and loyal. They value harmony and connection. When a Dove handles money, they often do it with others in mind. They donate to causes they care about, support family members, and quietly help friends in need.
Giving feels good to the Dove, as it aligns with their sense of purpose. But if taken to the extreme, their generosity can come at their own expense. If your instinct is always to give, you may struggle to set boundaries and prioritize your own future needs.
The Owl Saves
Owls are logical, detail-oriented, and cautious. They prefer structure and predictability. Naturally, they’re savers. They budget, plan, and prepare. For an Owl, money equals security.
Owls might have spreadsheets for everything, max out retirement contributions early, and genuinely enjoy watching interest grow. But when Owl energy dominates, life can become stuck in planning mode. You might become so focused on tomorrow that you forget to enjoy today.
Why This Matters
Each of us possesses all four styles. You might feel more aligned with one than the others, but real strength comes from knowing when to engage the right style.
The Eagle helps you build wealth. The Parrot helps you enjoy it. The Dove helps you share it. The Owl helps you protect it.
However, overusing one style or neglecting another can cause issues. If you’re always earning but never spending, saving, or giving, money becomes a scoreboard instead of a tool. That leads to burnout.
If you’re always spending, you might be chasing pleasure at the cost of financial stability. If you give more than you have, you’ll find yourself in need. And if you hoard every dollar, you may wake up someday with a full bank account but an empty calendar.
Finding Your Balance
Think of these styles like gears. You don’t need to have them all engaged at once, but knowing which one to shift into can help you make smarter, more balanced choices.
Before your next financial decision, ask yourself:
- Am I earning to prove something, or to support a meaningful life?
- Am I spending out of joy or impulse?
- Am I giving to make a difference, or because I can’t say no?
- Am I saving for peace of mind, or out of fear of letting go?
There’s no single “right” way to manage your money. But there is a smart way, and it starts with knowing yourself.
The Takeaway
Money is more than a resource. It’s a reflection of your inner values. How you interact with your finances reveals your true motivation. The more you understand yourself, the more intentionally you can choose how to earn, spend, give, and save.
Don’t let only one aspect of your personality dominate. Use all four styles when the situation requires it. Earn with purpose. Spend with joy. Give with heart. Save with wisdom.
About Merrick Rosenberg
Merrick Rosenberg is the creator of the Eagle, Parrot, Dove, and Owl personality framework and author of Personality Intelligence: Master the Art of Being You. As an award-winning speaker and founder of Take Flight Learning, Merrick has helped hundreds of thousands of people unlock the power of personality styles to transform their communication, leadership, and relationships. He’s on a mission to make self-awareness accessible, fun, and unforgettable.
