by Mitch Anthony At this time of the year, it's important to take an inventory of what you are thankful for. While it's fine to be thankful for a job, money in the bank, or a nice house to live in, the following seven intangibles can truly make a difference in your life, and the [...]
by Mitch Anthony For many of us, October is a transitional month. The trees are shifting from green to gold to blazing-red, and there's a special crispness in the air. For most of us, fall is a welcome change of seasons. In many ways, it feels more like a beginning than an end. This is [...]
by Mitch Anthony The Return on Life™ (ROL) advisor understands that his or her purpose is to help clients get the most life they can with the money they have. The ROL vocation is the raison d'être for the ROI vocation. ROI is how we invest—ROL is the reason. ROL represents the difference between financial [...]
by Mitch Anthony Where can you provide the most value for your clients? While the answers to this question will be as varied as the number of clients you have, typically you can provide the greatest value by helping them get through a period of unexpected and often unwelcome change. During times of economic crisis, [...]
by Mitch Anthony I remember when I was about eight years old, and the ice cream-bicycle guy came down the street ringing his bell. The gaggle of neighborhood kids scattered like desperate cockroaches into their respective homes to find a dime—the cost of all the treats. Frantically I asked my dad, "Can I have a [...]
by Mitch Anthony Many of you have clients who want to help their parents—perhaps mom and/or dad are getting by on a combination of Social Security, a pension (if they're really fortunate), savings, a part-time job, or some combination thereof. These same parents have helped their children by providing support that may have included a [...]
It takes more than money to solve life’s deeper dilemmas. Money can give the appearance of success, but it cannot purchase significance. For example, money can buy a degree of freedom, but what if we were to turn around and use that freedom to support a less fruitful life? This was always my thought as [...]
by Mitch Anthony Many people have told me about going through life with a haunting, eerie feeling about their financial lives. They are afraid of those aching questions that never quite make it to the surface of a conversation: Am I walking a financial tightrope with my debt and spending? If my income took a [...]
by Mitch Anthony If you hear any of your clients speaking apologetically about their age, tell them to stop! I mean it. Who brainwashed our culture into believing that age correlates to insignificance, to exhaustion of personal resources, to irrelevance? Certainly corporate cultures and retirement policies have exerted some influence on these ageist opinions. Our [...]
by Mitch Anthony Advisors who embrace financial life planning understand that their purpose is to help clients get the most life they can with the money they have. ROI is critical, but it has little meaning without ROL (Return on Life™). In this article, we will explore the philosophical framework that will help you help [...]
by Mitch Anthony If your most important client was asked to rate your listening skills, how well do you think you would score? As you start off the New Year by connecting with prospects and reconnecting with clients, you may need to take a hard look at your ability to listen to what they're really [...]
by Mitch Anthony Jack McConnell, M.D. used to be a retired doctor until he started remembering the question his father repeated each night around the dinner table. Each day when he and his brothers and sisters arrived home, they would sit around the dining room table and take turns answering their father's question, "And what [...]
by Mitch Anthony Last month, we discussed the five critical levels of emotional intelligence (EQ), or A.R.R.O.W.: Awareness Restraint Resilience Others (empathy) Working with others (building rapport) This month, we'll continue the conversation as we move from "me" to "we". Understanding the inherent challenges in our own personality and making necessary adjustments is a giant [...]
by Mitch Anthony Doors open and close in our lives because of emotional intelligence—or its absence. Think of any doors that have been slammed in your face and assess the approach you used. Was your approach emotionally intelligent? Probably not. More than likely, someone took offense at your approach, took a hold of the door [...]
by Mitch Anthony Several years ago, during a meeting with my insurance specialist, I noticed a slight reticence in his eyes. When I asked him about it, he responded, "When I was being trained, the guy who trained me would sit down with a client and show him the fund choices for a particular product. [...]
by Mitch Anthony Whether you or your clients observe Christmas, Hanukah, or another holiday, gift giving can play an important role, and make a lasting difference. Giving gifts is a way to express thanks and gratitude to the people we care about. Gifts shouldn't be about standing in line all night to be the first [...]
by Mitch Anthony The greatest investment challenge facing us is not about how much to save for retirement or how to obtain material resources, but rather how to invest our lives. The bucket of time carried by most of us has a noticeable leak. Many of us feel that we are constantly under stress—having more [...]
by Mitch Anthony Independence has as many meanings as you have clients, but my assumption is that for most of them it means being able to live their lives on their own terms. As a financial life planner, your goal is to help clients achieve independence, however they define it. Unfortunately, some advisors still equate [...]
by Mitch Anthony To make the leap to a better, more satisfying conversation with your clients, you need to start seeing what you do through their eyes. This will not be possible until you begin to see the financial services industry from their point of view. Only then, can you begin to reshape the premise for your [...]
by Mitch Anthony I was once traveling with a friend in a city that we were both somewhat familiar with. As he mapped out our route, I told him that I knew of a shorter route. He said, "Oh, I don't know. If we get lost, we'll really be late. I'll just stick with what [...]