This was posted by me on LinkedIn in 2016. Since then, I have gone on to get my brown belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and my black belt in Taekwondo. I firmly believe that discipline and culture of martial arts helps with our business. Enjoy!
I played tennis and practiced martial arts growing up. I was not particularly good at tennis, but I worked at the club and I met some great people. Martial arts was fun, but not something you would do the rest of your life, or so I thought.
Many years later, during my tenure at Merrill, I was asked to represent my office at the regional Advisory Council to Management. Awesome! Except we were meeting at a country club and playing golf. I would be exposed! Barely 30 years old, an advisor for 5 years and I couldn’t play golf! I went over to Sea Island and took a crash course from Mike Taylor (who went on to have way more successful pupils than me). It didn’t take very well, but I made it through the very embarrassing round of golf.
Fast forward 15 years. I have been an investment advisor now for over 20 years. I have gotten better at golf, but I am still terrible. It seems business golf was just not suited for me.
I revisited martial arts a few years back and the competitive bug bit me. In 2015, I started competing and earned the National Champion title for forms and came in second in fighting. I am not doing it for business, but because it is something I really love. It helps me be a better advisor and really helps me be a better husband and father.
So, I guess while other 45 year old advisors are hitting the links, I’m hitting willing combatants. It isn’t your stereotypical financial advisor behavior, but I am not typical.