I knew I was throwing a curve ball when, years ago, I started calling myself a holistic financial advisor. You just don’t see the word holistic in financial services, and I knew some of my clients would look at me sideways. But by now they know I’m not conducting business in a field of Echinacea, surrounded by floating votives and Tarot cards.
Nope, what I have in mind when I call myself holistic is Webster’s dictionary definition of holistic. Essentially, the word means…whole.
Considering the fragmented way in which so many of us look at our finances, with all the information flowing non-stop on the internet and cable TV, it’s too easy to lock onto a single financial obsession, to bite into a hot topic in financial news.
Think about the tennis player who practices his forehand winner, and neglects every other part of the game. Sure, he’s going to win some points, but without any other tools at his disposal, how many matches can he expect to win?
I want to help clients take the whole approach to personal finance. I encourage my clients to step back. The pieces of a financial picture – tax strategy, savings, investment, debt reduction – all deserve our attention, just like the volley, the serve, and the backhand. You’ve heard the phrase “the sum is greater than its parts.” It applies to a healthy financial picture, where all the parts can and should be working together.
As a holistic financial advisor, I want to help you to align the parts of your finances. It is a complex mechanism that requires maintenance and adjustments over time. But the right kind of attention can yield positive results.
Click below to listen to Stu discuss this topic with morning guy Win Damon on wnbp 1450 am or online at wnbp.com. Stu is live talking finances every Tuesday morning at 8:30.
Listen to this episode here if you are an Apple Computer user
31 October 2011