5 minute read
As many Investment Advisors and Professionals know, we are in an industry where lifestyle is abundant. Many of us can, and do, drive the nicest cars, wear the finest clothes, and live in the best neighborhoods. These are the results of succeeding in an industry that demands the most and rewards the best. However, we are not immune to and have not forgotten the eighteen-hour workday. We have worked long and hard to build our Professional Practices and are proud of the quality of service we deliver to our clients. The problem is in our “life,” not our “lifestyle.”
Though we have money, possessions and are members of the best clubs, we have forgotten the essential things in Life. Things like: health, family, friends, quiet time alone, a great meal with a loved one, or investing time in the Life of someone else. We can’t remember the last time we walked alone along the beach at sunset. Or spent a whole day with a child talking and having fun. Or had an intimate dinner with a loved one and stayed around to listen to the music. Or looked at ourselves in the mirror and said, “not bad.”
No matter your profession, four major areas of concern encompass our lives: Self, Relationships, Business, and Finances. As Professionals, we have focused on two of these areas: business and finance, and have exceeded our wildest expectations: a successful business and abundant finances. Most of us would agree that if we looked back to when we were in high school, we never would have imagined our lives today. This focus is natural because, as we leave college to make our mark in the world, we have to provide for those we love. Therefore, business and finances occupy our minds and energy. But now that we have achieved a greater degree of success than we ever imagined; we need to focus on the other areas of greatest concern.
Once we have risen to Professional Practice, we have the resources to give back to society and others, but if we do not focus on ourselves, we will not live long enough to impact their lives. For this reason, before we can help others, we have to take an honest assessment of our body, our mind, and our legacy. Then we can look to the meaningful relationships around us: family, friends, employees, associates, and society.
Professionals Understand The Need To Take Care of the Body
Without significant physical and mental energy, we are unable to impact the lives of others. As a society, we need to reduce our body fat and get healthy. Notice I did not say lose weight. Remember, weight is not the problem, muscle and lean body mass have weight, but body fat is the killer.
When I was an active Professional, I found Bill Phillip’s book Body for LIFE to be the best program for transforming your body. Body for Life guides you through a 12-week program to mental and physical strength. More recently, the team at Lloyd Williams uses programs like Noom and Gravity Yoga and good old-fashioned bike riding, walking, and running to improve our health. One of the best tools we use is the Whoop Strap. Whoop monitors your strain, recovery, and sleep to see how well your body is ready for the day’s activity.
While you are getting healthier, please take a moment to appreciate life’s small pleasures, read Philippe Delerm’s book We Could Almost Eat Outside: An Appreciation of Life’s Small Pleasures.
Professionals Understand The Need To Take Care of the Mind
In our Trade Like A Pro Self-Study Course, we speak about the importance of becoming and remaining a “lifetime learner.” If we allow ourselves to go “brain dead,” our body will follow soon after. Time and time again, we see examples of this in our Professional Practice; in the experience of many retirees, who for decades were active and healthy, then in retirement, their mind goes stagnate, and the body follows.
As a team, we at Lloyd Williams dedicate ourselves to reading two books every month. Each month, first read a book that improves your business or your physical and mental health; secondly, alternate monthly between books (on any topic, fact or fiction) written over a hundred years ago with ones written more recently. In doing so, your mind is kept alive and is given perspective at the same time.
Professionals Understand The Importance of Creating a Legacy
Steve Covey asks, “What do you want people to say over your grave? What will be their eulogy?” In other words, what will be the legacy you leave? Every year, we guide our Mastermind Members and Coaching Clients to take time, determine how they want to be remembered by those most important to them, and start doing things to bring about that result.
We live on through the impact we have had upon others. Identify the legacy you want to leave.
Professionals Nurture Their Relationships
From this week forward, I suggest that for the remainder of your life, you take off Friday afternoons at noon to spend time on those most important relationships. Remember, no one on their deathbed wishes they had spent more time at the office. These four plus hours are not very productive business time anyway, so why not turn them into highly effective relationship time? Take a loved one on a date, starting with visiting the local museum or art gallery and ending with a fine meal and music. Take your child out of school for half a day to do something special that you can’t do on Saturday. They will understand the value you place on this time because you took them out of school. Write a personal letter to your best friend with a fine fountain pen on handmade paper and seal the letter with a wax seal.
We can add Life to our lifestyle, starting with a few simple changes and giving ourselves time to change. What good does it do to have had all the toys in the world, and never to have had a life?
Finish well.
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