In the investment industry we use the term financial wellness often. We assign wellness scores to clients. Fiduciaries emphasize how they will assist their clients in obtaining financial wellness. Also, clients often view financial wellness as being able to successfully pay their bills and live comfortably in retirement.
I have a question to my industry peers. Is there more we could do in this category? Should we be thinking of wellness in a more holistic way? I introduced you to a friend of mine Dr. Roy Vongtama in a previous blog. In his book, “Healing Before Your Cured”, he discusses the importance of nurturing four houses that encompass physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellness.
I now have a better understanding of Roy’s four houses as I walk through my disease and I begin to heal. I also realize that his concepts can be applied to the financial services industry.
I applaud the movement we have seen in helping individuals take responsibility for their own financial wellness. I simply think we could do more to assist them in having a more satisfying and complete retirement.
Do you know someone who reaches the age of 65 with substantial wealth and they find themselves weak in other areas? How would you feel if you reached retirement and you are sound financially but weak physically, mentally and spiritually?
Also, as advisors, is it our objective for clients to have enough money to fill their coffins with $100 bills? I know this is extreme, but I want to challenge our thinking. We live in a fiduciary industry. It is all about the clients we serve and building TRUST. If we are aware of a more holistic approach to benefit them, aren’t we obligated to share it with them? I would argue, yes.
If we think about wellness from a complete perspective it should include physical wealth, mental wealth and spiritual wealth. I think there is an enormous opportunity to build into seminars,meetings or even individual consultations an element of wellness beyond just financial wellness. We can educate clients on ways to attain wellness in a more holistic way. I challenge our industry to think beyond financial worth. While I feel we have done the proper things needed from an investment perspective, my cancer diagnosis has motivated me to think outside the financial world “box”. I have worked in the financial services business for over 25 years and I feel very blessed for the opportunities it has provided me. However, that said, I challenge us to consider a way to provide more holistic information to our loyal clients who seek our advice.
Where I sit today, I am compelled to challenge our industry to expand our worth into broader wellness. If you think like I do, we as FIDUCIARIES need to act. Let’s think outside the box and make an impact. Thanks for reading and continuing with me on this journey.
God Speed.