Money Quotient

Life Transitions and Rush's Wisdom Rush fans will appreciate this - Rush haters, you might too! Tom Sawyer has a line that I love: "Changes aren't permanent, but change is." It’s a reminder of life’s impermanence - things are always evolving, and transitions are constant. They are normal. As financial professionals, we know most life transitions have financial implications. So, how are we helping clients navigate these changes? - Supporting them through transitions. - Preparing them for the ones ahead. Because while changes aren’t permanent, change is.

Join Us in Tucson for Financial Life Planning Training! Are you ready to dive into the fundamentals of financial life planning? Join us for the Fundamentals of True Wealth Planning live training in Tucson! This in-person experience is $900 off and packed with value: - Learn Money Quotient’s True Wealth process. - Master effective communication and build trust with clients. - Align your clients’ money with their values. - Gain deep insights into your clients' stories and what truly drives them. There’s nothing quite like the energy of an in-person training, and we’d love for you to be part of it. Location: Tucson, AZ Date: January 21-23, 2025 I hope to see you there!

Lessons from Pets: The Power of Just Being There I’ve been battling pneumonia lately. It’s been rough, but life (and dog walks) go on. The other night, after a particularly bad bout of coughing, I moved to the spare room to avoid waking my wife. Bingo, my dog, followed me and lay right next to me. Not long after, my cat Whiskers joined us. They didn’t try to fix me. They didn’t tell me to hydrate or rest. They were just there. And honestly, it was really nice! It got me thinking: we don’t always need to solve problems—for our loved ones or our clients. Sometimes, just being there is enough. It’s a powerful reminder that support isn’t always about action—it’s about connection. Whether it’s a personal moment or helping clients through a life transition, let’s remember: - Listening is as important as solving. - Presence can speak louder than advice.

Learn the Fundamentals of Life-Centered Financial Planning in Tucson! Deepen your understanding of the principles behind financial life planning by joining us for the Fundamentals of True Wealth™ Planning training. You'll learn: ✅ A comprehensive introduction to MQ's unique model of True Wealth™ Planning ✅ Essential principles for enhancing client relationships and financial well-being ✅ Key skills for aligning financial advice with clients’ values and priorities ✅ Tools to multiply the effectiveness of your discovery process ✅ Strategies to empower clients to take meaningful action for their financial future This is a discounted training, and seats are limited. Sign up today!

Billy Joel Teaches Us About of True Wealth The chorus to Billy Joel’s Movin’ Out shines a spotlight on True Wealth: "It seems such a waste of time. If that's what it's all about, if that's moving up, then I'm moving out." Isn’t that exactly what we do as financial life planners? We help clients step away from the pressure to keep up with the Joneses and instead: - Define their own version of success - Craft a vision of the life they truly want - Focus on their True Wealth (not someone else’s idea of it) It’s not about what society says they “should” do. It’s about living authentically and meaningfully. What’s your definition of True Wealth?

The Life Glass: An Uncomfortable Truth Let’s talk about the uncomfortable truth: we won’t be here forever. Life is like an hourglass—or what I call a life glass. Here’s how it works: The bottom chamber holds the sand of our past: memories, lessons, experiences. The middle, where sand flows, is the present moment...the only thing we truly experience. As soon as it’s here, it’s gone. The top chamber? That’s our future. The sand we hope is left. But here’s the catch: there’s an uncertainty curtain over the top chamber. We don’t know how much time is left: ours or our loved ones. This truth isn’t meant to scare us but to help us appreciate the present. Every moment matters. Every moment is fleeting. For us and our clients, the goal isn’t JUST about planning for the future; it’s living now. Let’s stop waiting for “someday.” What does your life glass teach you?

The MQ Gathering is coming to Minnesota! I hope to see you for meaningful, fun conversations! Save the Date: September 22-24, 2025 Save $400 by signing up by the end of the year.

Lessons From Failing Every CFA Exam I recently saw someone on LinkedIn share that they passed the CFA exams but failed every level once. It inspired me to share my own story: I failed every level of the CFA exam - twice. Nearly a decade of taking these damn tests! Am I incredibly resilient or incredibly stupid? Maybe both; I don't know. But here’s what I know: I didn’t see failure as failure. I saw it as experience. Sometimes, I didn’t have the time to fully prepare but took the exam anyway, just to gain familiarity for the next exam. The potential takeaway here? Reframe mistakes. Every failure is data. Every misstep is a lesson. How have you reframed failure in your journey? I think we can normalize failure!

One of my favorite Steve Jobs quotes is: "You cannot connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward." This speaks to the narratives we create about our lives - the stories we tell ourselves based on the events we’ve experienced. Think about it: I could spin you a story about my life and make myself seem brilliant, irresponsible, resilient, or foolish—all based on actual events. The person I identify as today is shaped by the experiences I’ve chosen to highlight and the meaning I’ve assigned to them. The same is true for our clients. Their perspectives, beliefs, and decisions about money and life are deeply influenced by their past. By helping them explore their biography—where they’ve come from and what they’ve seen—we can: ✅ Help them better understand themselves. ✅ Illuminate how their past shapes their current frame of reference. ✅ Empower them to reshape their stories and create a new path forward. Understanding the past isn’t about being stuck in it—it’s about using it as a foundation to grow and evolve. How do you help clients (or yourself!) connect the dots?