Here’s what you probably know: I am slightly obsessed with getting you to embrace the idea that financial success isn’t just about the dollars and cents. It’s a message that is imbued in everything I do!
What you probably don’t know is the back-story of my obsession.
On October 19, 1987, the stock market crashed. I was still a newbie and green behind the ears, just a year out of undergrad working at an investment bank. I can still vividly recall the frenzy of that day as if it were yesterday. Some people were absolutely beside themselves, freaking out. While others were moving about in a rattled, but calm, way. I was completely fascinated by this disparity…
This is when I really fell in love with Wall Street. This is the day that planted the seed for my ongoing quest to discover the dynamic relationship you and I have with money. Questions like – What role do emotions and psychology play in how you make financial decisions? and How do the consequences of your past money decisions impact your future decisions? – became an integral part of my working parlance and framework.
Clearly, I’m not the only beset with this fascination of human behavior and money. There’s an entire academic field of study (behaviorial economics or behaviorial finance) dedicated it; there’s even an index for measuring how you feel about your money and the economy – The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index.
If that isn’t enough, there’s a study by the Carnegie Institute of Technology, which found that “85% of your financial success is due to your personality and ability to communicate, negotiate, and lead. Shockingly, only 15% is due to technical knowledge.”
And yet, when it comes to meeting your money goals and addressing your financial challenges, what’s the first thing you typically do?
If you’re like most people, you aim to increase your technical knowledge – rationalizing that if you learn a particular how-to all will be fine.
The problem with most how-tos is that they tend to be far too generic to be of much value.
Create a budget. Spend less than you earn. Get out of debt. In other words, blah, blah, blah…
When a how-to doesn’t work the way you envisioned (or how it promised), you don’t question the how-to or your approach, you search for another one – hoping that THAT will be the answer you sorely seek.
Aren’t you tired of the roller coaster?
I know I am tired of it for you because I know there’s a better way.
I SO want you to be in the 85% club. I want you to value your personality, distinct way of communicating, negotiating and leading; I want you to see what makes you you as an asset to the way in which you manage your money – not as a liability.
Can you imagine what it would look and feel like for you if you framed each and every financial choice through the lens of your money strengths, money style, and money personality?
I think it’d be pretty hot!
And, I believe if you made the choice to focus on being in the 85% club, you’d have more control over how money impacted your life. You’d meet your money goals with more ease than ever before. How you experience money would be drastically different…and it certainly wouldn’t be boring!
You can work on being in the 85% club on your own. Or, we can chat and explore the possibility of working together. You can tap into my insight and get my directed but unbiased advice tailored to you and your money. Click here to schedule a complimentary Office Hour meeting.
p.s. If you are in Brooklyn, NY, come to the Brooklyn Public Library (at Grand Army Plaza) tomorrow – Saturday, April 18th. I’m the keynote speaker kicking off the library’s Financial Empowerment Fair. I speak at 11:30am and would be oh so thrilled to see/meet you!! Open to all; no RSVP required.
