02/24/2023
Have you ever been given advice that is technically true, but useless advice?
I'll start. Our culture celebrates what I call "will power warriors". I won't mention names, but essentially the messaging goes something like "we all have the same 24 hours in a day, you just need to make IT a priority." IT in this example, could be anything. It could be trying to make it to the gym, improve your relationship with your spouse, eat healthier, prioritize your finances, etc.
Just try harder...
While the phrase above is true, it's not helpful. When I was a new financial advisor, I'm ashamed to say that I was guilty of making comments like this in an attempt to influence client decisions while delivering advice. In hindsight, I bet this came across as patronizing at worst and unskillful at best.
After almost a decade of being paid for financial advice, what have I learned is more helpful? Understanding and leveraging keystone habits builds compounding success. A keystone habit is something that when executed, causes a ripple effect across other habits. Many of these keystone habits are unconscious to us.
For example, sleep is a common keystone for most people. A night of great or poor sleep causes a ripple effect. Most people's Monday morning starts Sunday night. It's easier to wake up earlier in the morning and workout, pray, journal, be present with your kids, etc. if you sleep well the night before. Yet most of the energy I observe with New Year’s Resolutions, etc. is not focused there.
What's a good financial keystone? Obviously, it depends. Our team has observed that the greater the wealth and blessings there are to steward, the more existential the keystone becomes. Common praise we receive from our higher net worth and business owner clients is that they see tremendous benefit in clarifying their values and how those align with their financial decisions to be made. God didn't design most of us to self-activate our self-actualization; we need and want relationship to do this.
This is not the typical what's your number conversation? Pencil math isn't enough. Instead, you need to understand your heart math equation and the variables that define successful stewardship beyond the financial provision conversation.
Our team has learned that great advice is delivered by clarifying through questions before responding with recommendations.
So, how about it? What's your favorite piece of advice that is technically true, but practically useless?
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