A simple approach to help accomplish this is to add a brain teaser to your newsletter or regular form of communication. Here is one I recently used in my Retirement Wellness Report.
Three advisors order some lunch. Their total bill comes to $25. They split it by each paying $10. The waiter takes the $30 and returns with a $5 bill. But they can’t split $5 between them, so they each take $1 and leave $2 as a tip.
Since each advisor has been given back $1, they only paid $9 for their meal, making the total $27, plus the waiter’s tip of $2. If the advisors initially paid $30, why is there only $29 accounted for? What happened to the missing dollar?
Answer: The advisors did pay a total of $27, including $2 of tip. The $2 tip should be taken off $27 not added to it. In other words, the bill was $25 plus $2 tip, allowing each advisor to pocket that dollar.
Additionally, I included a short, personal story to help client’s connect with me and not only reflect on the nonfinancial aspects of retirement but also have something they can relate to and share with others.
Recently, I joined my wife and niece on the couch to watch Disney’s The Little Mermaid. While I had seen the movie several times before, this time was different because I was struck by a powerful message about retirement.
As you may recall, Ariel, the Little Mermaid, falls in love with a handsome captain and decides to give up her beautiful voice for a pair of legs. It’s a seemingly innocent fable that appears touching and sweet as she is willing to give up a piece of herself for the love of another and a desire to belong.
The problem is that when we are asked to give up our voice or other gifts, we silence what makes us unique and special. We barter who we truly are for what others want or expect us to be.
Another harsh reality is found in Ariel’s desire to be loved. Truth be told, no matter how badly we want to love or be loved, if we alter our basic nature to try and accomplish it, a void is created and makes it difficult to survive inside, where it counts the most. For we are born with only one obligation: to be ourselves, not what others want.
Along the way to retirement, we’re taught that it’s important to move on and move up… that our success depends on following along with what others think and believe is the best route to retirement. But then, many get there and find that beautiful voice or that special gift they gave up long ago is what they desire to have the most.
So let me ask you, what have you traded off during your journey towards retirement? How has your love for people, places and things impacted your road to retirement?
Fortunately, fairy tale movies come with a happy ending… and so too can be the case for you and your retirement. Reconnecting with that beautiful inner voice and other things that you may have lost or traded off along the way starts with our belief that the most important part to any retirement plan is YOU!