Our commentaries have always been designed to help you live and give like no one else. That normally means not filling your inbox with financial pornography that only serves to distract you from the things that truly matter. Actually, I have found my role to try and fill your mind with just a few tid-bits that do just the opposite. Counter the pull of culture that says everything is now, and you’re not okay, with – your just fine, keep doing what you’re doing…..the tortoise always seems to win the race in the end. These are 2 articles that are sure to meet that goal and worthy of passing them on to someone you love and respect. Enjoy!

5 Things Facebook Can Teach You About Money

Facebook. You either love it or you hate it. Or you hate it. Or you really hate it. Really, Facebook’s not all that bad, but you have to learn to take it (or your “friends” who are on it) with a grain of salt. Yeah, you might think its one big time-waster—and it can definitely be that—but you can actually learn a lot of lessons from Facebook. Don’t believe us? See if this changes your mind.

1. It’s pointless to compare. 
   Sally just posted about her trip to Cancun. Mark just gloated about his awesome raise at work. Paul just posted a photo of his new BMW (probably leased). Everyone’s life is so perfect, isn’t it? Actually, no, it’s not. When it comes to life and money, remember that everyone’s Facebook version of themselves is always better than their actual life. We all want to show off or exaggerate the “better” part of our lives. On Facebook, that’s where the comparison trap comes into play. Be comfortable in your own skin.

2. You won’t like everything. 
   We’re talking about getting out of debt here or consistently investing each month. Like those annoying over-the-top political posts on Facebook, your experience getting out of debt and socking away a good chunk of change each year won’t always be fun. You might not want to press the “like” button every morning. You’ll have to make sacrifices. You’ll have to spend less. You’ll have to be disciplined. That might not always be exciting, but it’s worth it.

3. Surround yourself with positive people. 
   When you have annoying “friends” on Facebook, what do you do? You either unfriend them or hide them from your feed, right? If you’ve got a bunch of haters in your life and you’re surrounded by a bunch of so-called friends who make fun of you for trying to get out of debt, then you need to dump them like a bad habit. If they can’t respect your decision, then you don’t need to be around their negativity. Take a break from those “friends.”

4. Other people will be happy to spend your money. 
   Look over to the right side of your Facebook page. Ever notice those ads? Those people would love nothing more than for you to click on their link and buy something from them. That’s advertising, and there’s nothing wrong with it. But when it comes to your precious dollars, you have to choose which, if any, marketing voices you will listen to. If you don’t come up with a game plan for your money, those companies will.

5. The buck stops with you. 
   Your Facebook profile is what you make of it. Nothing gets on there without you clicking the Submit or Upload button. If you upload a picture of yourself drunk and passed out, you only have yourself to blame. If you write a mean-spirited status update that ends up going viral, you only have yourself to blame.

With your life and money, you reap what you sow.  If you continue to make bad choices with your money, those decisions will eventually catch up with you. Are you getting the theme here? You are in control. And there’s no better way to control your money than living on a budget. When you name every dollar coming in and going out, you’re in the driver’s seat. And it’s not hard to get started.

Means and Meaning

As most of us know, one’s outlook is the one thing guaranteed to give life meaning, focus, challenge, and joy—no matter what is going on at any given time, and without fail. It has very little to do with where one is, and everything to do with where one is at. If you were to take a survey and ask people, “What do you think it would take to make your life great?” there is a very good chance that folks would list things like:

• Living somewhere else;
• Being able to quit their current job; or
• Having lots of money.

If these are their assumptions for a rewarding life, they may be in for a rude awakening. Other folks might answer the same question with, “I can’t imagine my life being any better.” If you surveyed those people and asked them where they lived, the kind of house they owned, or their net worth, you would find their answers all over the map. Some folks live in the country, some in the city, some in a high-rise, some in a small bungalow, some with a seven-figure net worth, and some with a five-figure net worth.

The only thread connecting the members of this second group is their understanding of true wealth. That understanding is reality number two: outlook trumps position in the game of life. Where they are at (mentally) means more than where they are in terms of location or status or wealth. For example, consider people like these who you might have observed, up close or from a distance—(you may even recognize some of your own clients):

• The grouch on the golf course who can’t enjoy his round—just a few years ago, he would have told you playing golf every day was his lifelong dream.
• The person who has millions of dollars and fame, yet demonstrates little to admire in life.
• The rising corporate star who is so frazzled that she isn’t able to enjoy the fruits of her labors.

Material wealth is constantly in flux. Fortunately, this doesn’t need to be the case for our outlook on life. While our clients’ fiscal fortunes fluctuate, it’s important to remind them that a balance statement is only part of a much larger picture.

…. Warren Buffett once said, “The chains of habit are too light to be noticed until they are too heavy to be broken.” By obsessing over a number, clients are unable to enjoy the journey. A number on a piece of paper shouldn’t have that kind of power. Ultimately we are all defined by our outlook on life: How did we respond to something? Did we make the best of what just happened? Did we strengthen what remained? Did we shift our focus toward what mattered most? We should never allow our wealth or status to define us. The next time you meet with clients, ask questions like these:

• Did you wake up today with your health, surrounded by people you love?
• Are you still challenged by the work you do?
• Do you have plans, dreams, and experiences on the drawing board?

If your clients answer “yes” to all three questions, they are in an enviable position in life simply because they have the proper disposition. Instead of asking, “Where are you at financially?” let’s ask, “Are you getting the best life with the money you have?” If not, why? Invest in your client, and they’ll invest with you. If we (and our clients) are viewing the numbers from the proper perspective, we can cruise through each day (and statement) with the assurance that the one thing that matters inside us cannot be taken or shaken by forces outside. Outlook trumps position. A settled mind trumps unsettled markets.