Steve from “Blue’s Clues” has more to teach us

Steve Burns became a household name almost overnight from his role on “Blue’s Clues,” the hit children's show from Nickelodeon that he hosted from 1996-2002. In some ways, it was a dream come true for a struggling young actor, but the job also complicated Steve’s relationship to money and work.

In this episode, host Reema Khrais talks with Burns about his money avoidance, the pull of external validation, and what he's come to understand about his relationship with money.

A few takeaways from the episode: 

• Read the contract carefully and advocate for yourself. Early contracts and first jobs can be exciting, especially when you’re just starting out. But they can also shape your financial trajectory for years. “I was a green kid from the middle of nowhere in Pennsylvania,” Burns says. “I signed the world's worst contract against the advice of my manager, and I was stuck.” Getting advice and understanding your leverage can prevent you from underestimating your value.

• Separate your job from your identity. “People knew Steve, the green stripey Steve, and I felt like green stripey Steve sort of ate Steve Burns, and there was no Steve Burns anymore,” Burns recounts. There’s nothing wrong with being passionate about what you do, but when the work becomes your whole sense of self, you risk losing your footing when the role shifts or disappears. Cultivating meaningful relationships and interests outside of work can help you feel more grounded.

• Examine your money beliefs. The messages we absorb about money in our childhood, spoken or not, can quietly shape our financial decisions as adults. Burns says he became money avoidant because growing up, his parents wouldn’t talk about money even though it’s a source of conflict in the household. “Because they were keeping this from us and made it seem like an even worse thing that was happening,” Burns explains. Recognizing those beliefs and being honest with yourself is the first step toward reshaping them.

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