Just like the plot of a good show, it takes time to truly understand the full story of your client and where they really want to go in life. Like the hero of the show, they may change their minds how they want to live once they actually achieve their goals.

Just like playing Red Light, Green Light, running hard for a big market win can backfire for your clients in the end and cause catastrophic losses for your portfolio. It’s much better to systematically contribute to a 401(k) plan. 

Everybody listens to their neighbor. It's tough to deliver advice that may contradict what the friend says. Yes, just like the glass factory worker, a few friends may have unique insights into specific investment choices. Always remind your client that it's just not smart to roll the dice. Keep them focused on diversifying their retirement savings across asset classes and types so that one misstep doesn’t cause their plan to fail.

Get your clients to always think about their loved ones, or Gganbu, when planning for retirement. Just like playing the marbles game, one spouse will always outlive the other. When taking Social Security, buying an annuity, or applying for life insurance, always encourage your client to lean towards opting for a “spousal continuation benefit.” Their immediate benefits may be lower, but the long-term impact on their loved ones may prove enormous.

Few people would play horrible games with their money in retirement if they had simply managed expenses and lived within their means. Carrying any amount of debt can be horribly expensive over a long period of time. Help your clients stop paying a credit card company interest payments and instead start putting those dollars into an IRA.