If you're a regular reader of this column, you may be familiar with what I emphasize as the four key dimensions of life: financial health, personal health, family health and spiritual health.
Here are some thoughts on each dimension.
Financial health: Chairman of Hallmark Cards Joyce Hall was quoted as saying, “A good man will work much harder for reasons other than money.” If your desire is to build the best 21st century financial practice you can, make money the byproduct, not the goal.
The secret is to keep money your servant, not your master. Live below your means, invest in your business, focus on executing your long-range plan and exceed the expectations of your affluent clients. If you do these things, you will become a magnet for wealth.
Personal health: It's important to have a complete annual physical and follow the advice of your physician. And since personal health also includes mental health, it's essential you eliminate any unnecessary stress in your life. If you have too many accounts, there is a high probability you have unnecessary professional stress. If you are not taking a multidimensional approach to serve a select group of affluent clientele, you probably have unnecessary stress. So, take inventory. Have you done something to improve your personal health today? What do you want to do to better it tomorrow?
Family health: How are the relationships in your family? Can anything be done to make them better? This dimension takes on more relevance as one matures, sends children off to college and begins dreaming of retirement. Before focusing on personal achievement, count your family blessings and take inventory once again. Where are you right now with your family health? What needs improvement?
Spiritual health: What I'm referring to is nondenominational, personal and beyond simply attending weekly religious services. Are you modeling attitudes and behaviors consistent with your beliefs?
Henry David Thoreau said, “Be not simply good — be good for something.” That something is your spiritual focus; it defines your spiritual health. So one last time, take inventory.
Success without balance and ongoing development in all four dimensions of life is not success. Ralph Waldo Emerson may have said it best:
“To laugh often and much;
“To win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children;
“To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
“To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
“To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
“To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.”
Matt Oechsli is president of The Oechsli Institute in Greensboro, N.C., a sales consulting firm, and author of “Winning the Inner Game of Selling.” He can be reached at [email protected].
Developing Your Parabroker
Life is about more than simply amassing large sums of money. If you believe this, then you can develop a valuable relationship with your parabroker that is beyond narrow issues of salary and workload. This requires becoming personally aware of your parabroker's financial health, personal health, family health and spiritual health.
If you dare to focus on examining the four key dimensions together, you and your parabroker will strengthen your working relationship in ways no one can predict. If you disclose your commitments, the blessings you've counted, your progress to date and where you're trying to go, the more likely your parabroker will allow you to help develop greater balance among the four dimensions of his or her life.
