Investments and estate planning and tax management can be very boring. I think I’ve got some skill and understanding in many different areas of financial planning and counsel, but it isn’t a passion. But what IS a passion, and what has become a personally-transformative realization is that I am extremely passionate about not missing out on living the way you truly want to live.
Number one on nearly every list of excuses as to why people aren’t happy, or don’t pursue bucket-list experiences, or fight in their marriage, or put off spending time with their kids, or don’t take vacations, or don’t quit jobs that they hate is MONEY. And I can't tell you how much I hate that. No one on their deathbed ever says “I wish I would have worked more”. No one ever says at the end of their life “I wish I was less giving, less adventurous, less caring, less friendly, less compassionate, less loving.” A full life, a happy life requires that you have experiences and relationships that supersede any financial status or position.
So it would seem at first that money is enemy #1 but I don’t believe that. What I think is enemy #1 are our expectations of what money means to us, can do for us, and the order in which we place it in our thinking about how we plan to live our life. Living an intentional life just like you want and managing your money wisely can coexist. In fact, I argue that they are co-dependent.
My “best” clients aren’t wealthy. They occasionally struggle with unexpected expenses. They worry about rising college tuitions. They haven’t bought a new car in 7 years. But they have the best vacation photos of their kids taken over the years. They both love their jobs. They give a substantial amount of money away to their church and non-profits that they like. They have a list of experiences and adventures a mile long. They don’t work late or on the weekends. They have a huge collection of friends. They are active and athletic. They smile a lot.
Not everyone wants a financial advisor who wants to focus first on being happy. Not everyone wants a financial advisor telling them to think about being a nevertiree. Not everyone wants a financial advisor suggesting they find a non-profit who will take more of their money. Not everyone wants a financial advisor who advocates carrying around a bucket list. But I want clients who do and who expect me to help them manage their finances so that they can focus on living more like they intend.
