One reason why TV shows such as HBO’s Succession and Showtime’s Billions, are so appealing is because they deal with an issue which is important to all of us, through a particularly distorting lens.

The lens is that of the billionaire mindset. Billions focuse on hedge fund founder, Bobby Axelrod, played by Damian Lewis and Succession follows the media dynasty founded by Logan Roy, played by Brian Cox.

And the universal human theme is that of trust.

There is nothing sadder than a human being who is unable to trust. Without trust, there is no companionship, no friendship, no love, agreement, relaxation or comfort.

Many of us struggle with trusting others. Those who have been systematically abused understandably struggle with it the most.

Welcome to the world of Billionaires. Just imagine how cynical and self-protective you could easily become if everyone you met, sooner or later asked you for money? You might hope it was something about your personality that drew friends and family to you. You might believe it was your talent, your life-experience, or your talent that made people like you. But then, often when you least expect it, they hit you for money.

Because it is in such short supply, trust becomes what billionaires want more than anything, and as you can see so clearly in Succession and Billions, they end up testing it to the point where they themselves are responsible for breaking trust or preventing any chance of it being built.

When Bobby Axelrod, as the most powerful person in his firm, or Logan Roy as the head of his family, test their family members’ trust to beyond breaking point, as Bobby does with Taylor Mason and Logan does with pretty much everyone, it is because Bobby and Logan are subconsciously seeking to control and break trust, before they can be hurt by someone else breaking it first.

I’ve worked as a life coach to billionaires and their families, and I can confirm that Succession and Billions have got it absolutely right.

Read my piece for Forbes about what you can learn from the billionaire mindset

Remy Blumenfeld is a creative life coach living in London. He empowers leaders to play the game of life with purpose, grace and ease. Before training as coach, he launched a TV Production company which created  dozens of ground breaking, TV shows.