One of the things I enjoy most about what I do is helping clients to see things from a different perspective in their financial lives.
Often times, we see situations based on our knowledge and experiences, and unfortunately sometimes, that may be limited. We cannot have experienced everything there is – especially if this is a situation that we do not encounter often, if ever.
In one of my most recent experiences, a client had a decision to make. She shared the way she was thinking of executing. She’s both smart and financially savvy. Once I listened to her, I explained that we needed to look at all the options – and I would not be satisfied if she did it the way she was thinking of it, and explained why.
As we’ve worked together for a while, she knew that I had her best interest at heart, so she was willing to listen to the alternatives I wanted to present.
First, we started by looking at a full picture of where she stood. I recently shared a graphic on social media with the explanation: if you want to know where you are going, you have to know your starting point. So, we took a step back and looked at her starting point. Once we were looking at the full picture, we started looking at the options that would make her comfortable and allow her to save on taxes, but ensuring she got to the results she needed.
I love the attached graphic by Carl Richards. If you are a driver, there is a reason a point is called a blind spot. We simply cannot see them – or we cannot see what’s in that spot without doing something differently. In this case, my client knew to discuss with me, prior to making a move.
Similarly, I know that I have my own financial/life blind spots, so I surround myself with people who have my best interest at heart, and will patiently discuss if they see other options. Even as a professional, I know that we come with different experiences and different perspectives.
Do you need help seeing a different perspective and navigating new financial questions? Let’s have a conversation.