Despite the pervasive and crippling ‘bad news sells’ syndrome, people the world over do pause to give thanks for all that is good. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving in October. The Koreans celebrate Chusok in August. The Chinese celebrate in August as well, in a festival called August Moon. India celebrates Pongal in January. The Germans normally celebrate Erntedankfest in October. The United States celebrates Thanksgiving in November. We all, in our own way, celebrate the bountiful harvest.
Why we should be profoundly grateful that we are Financial Advisors
As we approach the American holiday, I want to say Happy Thanksgiving not just to my American and Canadian colleagues; but to everyone in the Financial Services industry the world over. Thanksgiving is an expression of gratitude and thanks, normally reserved for the blessing of the preceding year. I thought it might be appropriate to look at some of the reasons why we should be profoundly grateful that we are Financial Advisors.
Some of life’s greatest accomplishments result more from chance than design
If you are lucky enough to have met the right person, you know what I mean. You bumped into your soul mate, possibly when you were least expecting it. Well, we all bumped into this career.
I grew up with the Financial Planning industry, so I can say without reservation that no one from my generation grew up planning to become a Financial Advisor. I think that’s true of most Advisors, regardless of age. We all tried something else and may not have liked it; but got a taste of dealing with the public and liked that part of it. Perhaps we had a knack for sales. We ended up as Financial Advisors. For that we should be forever thankful.
As you go about your day, you don’t just do your job; you change lives.
You shape financial destinies. Your impact is life-altering.
You go to bed when you want, you get up when you want and you choose with whom you do business. It doesn’t get any better than that.
Every newspaper in the world gives you a complete, separate section of free advertising every day. Millions of websites daily discuss the stock markets, the bond markets and world economies. You are in the most talked-about industry in the world.
You have experienced raw rejection firsthand and you are a better, tougher person for it.
You touch complete strangers every year and make their financial pain go away.
You make it possible for children to go to college and not borrow money.
You help older people enjoy their lives without fretting about money.
You not only survive, you prosper, using your wits. Very few people can ever make that claim.
You make more than 98% of all the people on earth. The world’s average annual wage is less than $20,000 per year.
After the family doctor, you are the most important person your client’s family will ever meet.
You have that rare and wonderful opportunity to build your own business.
The power to succeed is vested in you, the individual. You decide your own fate and make your own decisions. You have been given the opportunity to live your life the way you want to live your life. You advance based on your own achievement. You develop your talent into skill and you are rewarded accordingly. The Financial Services industry is a functioning, legitimate meritocracy.
And, perhaps best of all, you make a positive contribution to society.
Thank your lucky stars and then go thank your family and your clients. They made it all possible.
Related:
How to Have That Family Conversation About Wealth
