Why I Love What I Do
April 05, 2013We usually discuss what to do with your money but not how you earned most of it in the first place. Without trying to sound too much like I’m sucking up to my boss…I’m one of the few people I know who really love what they do for a living. I’ve met a lot of people who hate their jobs but “have to” stay for financial reasons, benefits, or something else. I’ve met people who like their jobs but aren’t all that enthusiastic about it. And, occasionally I’ll meet someone who feels like they are doing what they were put on Earth to do. When that happens, I feel like I’ve met a kindred spirit. Why do I enjoy what I do so much?
In the past, I’ve been a part of either sales teams (where our goal was to gather investment assets from prospects and clients and sell them on our investment models) or back office financial planning teams that work in support of sales teams. In either situation, the engine of the job was all about gathering assets to manage. There was always a very subtle (or NOT so subtle) pressure to bring in bigger accounts with higher levels of assets to manage. It was fun. As a competitive person (I played sports my whole life and even get super competitive when playing board games with my kids), there was a certain adrenaline rush that came with the success of our team.
I was usually in the role of providing advice on long term financial planning, estate planning and any other issue that would arise. But there was always something that troubled me. The people to whom I was providing advice were probably going to be fine whether they took our advice or not (let’s be honest about it…). They had enough assets and a significant enough income to live comfortably even if they made a few mistakes along the way. But the people who could most use our help were the people who could least afford it. That always left me a bit unsettled.
That’s one of the things I like the most about my current role. The people I talk to and provide help to come from all walks of life. I do a lot of individual counseling sessions both over the phone and in person. On the same day, I can talk to someone about a very serious credit card debt situation they have, another person about their 401(k) investments, and another about if they are saving enough to fund a comfortable retirement. There can be conversations on any financial topic on any given day. Talk about not being bored!!!
The fact that any topic can be the next one discussed (with ZERO preparation time) is the most fun part of the job but also the most challenging. Having the ability to switch gears quickly was a skill I had to learn. I could have an 8:00 appointment that is emotionally draining because of the particular financial hardship or life story we discuss and at 9:00 I have to be fresh and ready for the next conversation, which can be another draining conversation or a very uplifting, happy conversation or anything in between. It’s definitely a skill that I’ve had to acquire and at the end of the day, I can sometimes be so emotionally drained that all I want to do is take a nap!
Those days tend to be the most rewarding though. I’ve found that when the day is done and I go home (or at least to the hotel where I’m spending a night on the road), I feel like I’ve actually been able to help people and at times maybe even change some lives. I’ve gotten thank you notes and had follow up conversations with people who have been completely transformed financially and it’s showing up in so many other phases of their lives. When they share those stories, I feel the fulfillment that I was lacking in my prior roles.
I hope you’ve found your calling as well or at least a job that you don’t dread having to go to. If so, what is it that you find fulfilling about what you do? Feel free to share your stories in the comments section below.