CBR Jan-Feb 2014 - page 5

Editorial
commonwealth.com
For Advisor Use Only
5
Perspectives from the Chairman:
Exploring Purpose and Passion
JOSEPH DEITCH
Yet, even with these advances, I’d swear that I’m busier
than ever! It’s not that I’m complaining; rather, I’m trying
to understand this new normal so that I can make the
necessary course adjustments. Or perhaps it’s the head
adjustments that I need to consider. . . .
Today, we have instant access to pretty much any and
everything. Search engines not only provide immediate
answers, but literally anticipate our wants and needs. Plus,
there are more apps than we can conceive of, opening up
the world to us like never before. No, the real issue—for
us and for our clients—is how to make sense of what is
available to us, how to make the most of it, and, let us not
forget, how to enjoy the process. The funny thing is that
this has always been the essence of our quest. But it’s so easy
to get sidetracked and caught up in arbitrary scoreboards
and other
stuff
!
“Money Is Merely a Medium of Exchange.”
I was surprised and delighted to hear the words come out
of the speaker’s mouth. It was the same thing that I have
been telling my son (and trying to remind myself) his whole
life, and now the keynote speaker at our recent National
Conference was sharing the same advice: “Money is merely
a medium of exchange.”
It’s so easy to lose track and forget our primary purpose in
life. And we do so regularly. Obviously, we use money to
purchase the things we need, but along the way, we tend
to lose perspective. Since we are constantly using money
to measure our position and progress, we get in the habit
of thinking in terms of money instead of what we need it
for. We get captivated, we get confused, and, ultimately,
we get addicted.
In a related sense, have you ever considered how life is
the ultimate amusement park or casino experience? There
are tantalizing games and temptations everywhere we
look. We might begin each year (or each new day, as the
case may be) with one agenda, but along the way, our
curiosity and desires get captured and activated by an
endless succession of “opportunities.”
Purpose and Passion: Avoiding the Trap
Although our purpose and our passion define us, fuel us,
and nourish us, it’s periodically wise to take stock of where
we are, where we want to be, and what life is really all
about. This applies not only to our own professional and
personal lives, but to those of our clients as well. I submit
to you that we do our greatest good—for ourselves and
others—by keeping our assets and our activities in perspective.
And what better time than the first
CBR
of the New Year
to take a step back before we take a leap forward!
In looking at the venerable philosophical and spiritual
traditions of our ancestors—both Eastern and Western—it’s
clear that we have always aspired to higher levels of being.
Whether you prefer to call it higher consciousness, or
love, or self-actualization, or whatever, life is much more
than just money. It’s also about much more than just us
as individuals. The fact is that we are integral parts of
families and communities upon whom we all depend for
our sustenance, no matter how you define it. And, yes,
I know that some of this might be seen as an unusual
statement for the chairman of an investment firm to
make, but if we’re going to improve our lot in life, then
we need to see life for what it really is. And, frankly, the
best business plans always start with identifying and then
fulfilling powerful needs.
But the trap that we are all susceptible to is the addiction
to the material and/or egoistic scoreboard. While this may
not be anything new, I suspect the reason that many of us
feel increasingly burdened in a world where we ironically
Is it just me, or have you noticed that life is becoming increasingly complicated?
How can that be? Shouldn’t it be easier because of all the amazing technology that
now exists, not to mention the improved financial situation that many of us enjoy?
The real issue—for us and for our
clients—is how to make sense of
what is available to us, how to make
the most of it, and, let us not forget,
how to enjoy the process.
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