One of the things I do with my course and other writing is offer moving stories and ideas for people to see retirement in a fresh light and is something you can do as well. For example, when it comes to retirement, I have found one of the biggest issues that people have during this transition is the idea of needing to redefine who they are and what’s important to them.
On the surface, it doesn’t sound hard or difficult, but once most people leave work, it strips them of everything they knew and were. Furthermore, the first couple of months, or honeymoon phase, can exacerbate things because some people tend to do very little. In other words, they put their life on cruise control, which can put distance between former co-workers, skills, and staying mentally and physically active.
Therefore, instead of letting clients suffer as they try to figure all of these things out, I use my newsletter to add fun, engaging and heartwarming stories. Here is a recent one:
I recently heard about this young man who started working for his father at a young age. During that time, one of the main staff members was a custodian who had a ring full or keys to access the different work areas and offices.
The young man went off to college and returned to an official role in his dad’s business. But when he started, he was disappointed that his dad only gave him one key to his office. He figured his dad didn’t trust him yet and that he would have to do more and be more to get full access.
For years, he asked the custodian to open the various areas for things he needed to complete projects, fulfill customer orders and help manage employees. Then one day, he needed immediate access to a room but the custodian nor his dad were not around, and they would not be back any time soon. He was desperate and did not know what to do so he reached for his key and was surprised to learn that he was not just given a single key for his office but the master key to the entire building.
The moral of the story for clients is simple: They already have everything they need to be successful in retirement. They just need to be encouraged to insert the master key and open up the different areas of their life and skills, and put them to work in new ways.
What’s powerful about that story is it reduces the burden and anxiety that can be associated with change. Too often people think they have to be someone different and since they aren’t sure how to do it, they freeze. Therefore, by adding fresh perspective, you become an agent for change and can help them take those next crucial steps.
No matter if it’s a client or you as the financial professional, now is the time to make sure our collective hopes and dreams don’t end up in a box at a copy center or buried in the graveyard. It’s the perfect time to change the narrative, add to your story, passion and purpose, and do it in a way that has a positive impact on your clients and our industry.
Robert Laura is a best-selling author, nationally syndicated columnist and president of Wealth & Wellness Group. He is a seasoned conference speaker, corporate trainer and pioneer in “The New Era Of Retirement,” which focuses on the non-financial aspects of life after work. He can be reached at [email protected].