Especially over the last decade, we’ve witnessed the direction of the financial planning industry shift. Financial planning is no longer product centric. It is very much process driven, without regard to platform or product. From the standpoint of process, let me offer this example.

Think of me as being a travel agent. You come to me and say that we need to plan a trip to Chicago from Birmingham. Off the top of my head, I can think of five modes of transportation.

Managing Investor Emotions and Behavioral Responses

Over the previous two decades, there have been a number of research studies that have explored the human behavioral response patterns when confronted with painful, or pleasurable stimulus. It’s interesting that across a number of these studies, it was concluded that humans will be, in some cases, ten times more likely to avoid pain than to gravitate toward pleasure.

I’m sure you’ve asked yourself that question a lot lately.  Well, to some degree we live in a new normal paradigm.  It’s hard to believe that the first iPhone was introduced on the 29th of June in 2007.  The emergence of such technology however has facilitated a world where information is instantly available, and from any number of sources.  As technology has evolved, so too have programs that allow professional money managers to instantly trade large blocks of securities through what we know as high frequency trading.

Algorithms are also employed by institutional managers. 

The S&P 500 Index established a new all time record high on the 26th of July, by closing above 3,000 for the first time, at 3,025.86.

This is the second of a four part series on the parallels I’ve observed as a basketball coach, between the life lessons of sports, and successful objective driven investing.

One uncompromisable tenant of every team that I coach is that my players will give everything 100% of their best effort.  If it’s worth doing, then it’s worth nothing less.  All or nothing.  Said another way, if you’re gonna do it, DO IT!.

There are plenty of places in life where something less than 100% is not only acceptable, its fantastic. 

Years ago, when my son was young, I had a revelation as we were playing with a simple toy.  Do you remember playing the labyrinth game, or possibly better known as the “guide the BB through the maze to the hole” game?  We’ve all been frustrated by the precision required in moving the bearing from the start to the finish while avoiding the traps of the maze.

It occurred to me that navigating challenging events and markets, while trying to generate durable retirement income for clients, can be a lot like playing this game. 

You Will Play Like You Practice

I’ve coached park and recreation basketball for fifteen years.  Over that time, I’ve come to appreciate the parallels that exist between playing basketball, and successful objective driven investing.

This article will be the first of a four part series over the coming months, where we’ll explore four tenants that govern every team that I coach.  Today, we’ll explore “You will play like you practice”.  Next month, we’ll discuss “If you’re going to do it, do it”.