The Certior Group - Strengthening Families Through Informed Decisions and Exceptional Stewardship
  • About
    • Why the Certior Group
    • Your Team
    • Blog
  • People
  • Process
  • Structure
    • Wyoming Advantages
    • What is a PSFTC?
    • How a PSFTC Operates?
  • Contact

Responsive Menu

  • About
    ▼
    • Why the Certior Group
    • Your Team
    • Blog
  • People
  • Process
  • Structure
    ▼
    • Wyoming Advantages
    • What is a PSFTC?
    • How a PSFTC Operates?
  • Contact

The Under-Appreciated Art of Wise Decision Making

November 23, 2020 by Avi Kantor

It was the kind of problem I had solved routinely in the past.


A couple came into my office seeking advice on whether to sell or keep their lake house (I’ve altered a few of the facts in order to honor the privacy of the family involved). This is the sort of logical, mathematical problem that financial advisors are trained to analyze. Once I understood the reason for the couple’s visit, my mind immediately went into solution-mode. What’s the assumed rate of return? What’s inflation going to be? What are the tax consequences? What’s the discounted present value of future returns from alternative investments? And so on, and so on…


But there was something about this situation that was different from the past. Looking back, I believe that difference was a shift in my perspective brought on by the work and mindset we’ve been cultivating at the Certior Group.


As I began the meeting, instead of telling the couple what my analysis was, I asked them to tell me about the house. At first they just described it: how big it is, how old it is, its features. It was the sort of description you might find on Zillow.com or some other real estate website. Then I asked them what the house meant to them. That did it. They started talking about the memories they had of family gatherings; of sharing the house with friends; and letting others use the house when they weren’t there. They talked about the joyous occasions they had had. On and on they went…and at the end, they looked at each other and said almost simultaneously, “We can’t sell the house. It means too much to us, to everyone.”

Researchers who study intelligence call this kind of thinking crystallized intelligence; the ability to size up what’s relevant in the present, scan the past for clues and possible parallels, and imagine future scenarios playing out. This skill contrasts with what the same researchers call fluid intelligence – what we commonly view as the traits of “smart” people – the ability to think quickly, logically, and remember large amounts of information and data. Crystallized intelligence is the mark of wisdom. It was wisdom, not logic, that swayed this couple’s decision. And it’s wisdom that we can continue to cultivate – especially during these times.


Given the ongoing pandemic, the aftermath of our recent elections continuing to dominate the media and social media and the volatile economy – we will be called upon to make important decisions under ambiguous, uncertain conditions. And with the upcoming holidays, these are stressful times for us all. Stress, anxiety, and perhaps fear or anger, are understandable reactions to the current circumstances. But these reactions make decision making that much more difficult. In my experience and as I’ve written before in this blog, we have the opportunity to face these circumstances by beginning in Gratitude. Gratitude for the everyday goodness that’s still in our lives. Gratitude, and cultivating Wisdom can serve us well in the days ahead.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Filed Under: True Wealth Tagged With: Gratitude, Learning, VUCA

Happy New Year!

January 7, 2019 by Avi Kantor

As we usher in 2019, does it seem as if last year went by quickly? Does time seem to move faster and faster as each year goes by? Psychologists and neuroscientists who study this phenomenon theorize that when we’re very young, we are continuously experiencing and learning new things. Thus, time seems to move more slowly when we’re younger because we’re often fully engaged. As we get older, we take on more responsibilities and intentionally establish routines in order to make our daily lives more efficient and to keep life from becoming too stressful and overwhelming. The feeling that time moves more quickly is a byproduct of this gradual shift to a more routine, less novel way of being.

The research suggests that as adults we can subjectively slow time down by keeping our minds active and by experiencing and learning new things.1 This observation reminds us of several of our core Certior Group ideas. One is that experiences are really assets that add to our sense of wealth and wellbeing. Much of what we and other members of our Jackson community value – for example, travel, adventure, lifelong learning, outdoor activities – is about experiencing the joy of life (“joie de vivre” in French). Additionally, experiences, even negative ones, can add to our understanding and appreciation for the goodness in life. In other words, experiences can be the source of learning and Gratitude. And, as many of you know, Gratitude is a fundamental virtue that we emphasize in our work and personal lives.

So as the new year unfolds, let’s recognize that our sense of time can quickly begin accelerating again if we allow it to. We can be intentional about slowing down the pace of our lives by being present and practicing what psychologist Rick Hanson calls “savoring the good”. 2   We can be creative in imagining and planning new experiences. And, of course, we can practice Gratitude as we go about living.

(1) “Why does time seem to speed up with age?”, Scientific American Mind, July, 2016.

(2) “Hardwiring Happiness”, Rick Hanson, PhD, Harmony Books, 2013.

Filed Under: True Wealth Tagged With: Appreciation, Gratitude, Learning

Growth Through Shared Learning

July 1, 2018 by Avi Kantor

In May, David Quinn and I attended an Empowered Wealth event that featured this experience led by our colleague Erik Gabrielson:

One of the things that we realized from participating in this experience is that we can help people here in Jackson by creating unique, shared, learning experiences. Done thoughtfully, these experiences can become powerful growth and connection opportunities for members of our Wealth and Wellbeing community and their families, friends, and business colleagues.

Filed Under: True Wealth Tagged With: Family, Leadership, Learning, Life Experiences

Growth Through Experiential Learning

June 16, 2018 by Avi Kantor

Discovery consists of seeing what everybody has seen and thinking what nobody has thought.

– Albert Szent-Gyorgyi (Winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine, 1937)

In May, David Quinn and I attended an Empowered Wealth event that featured this experience led by our colleague Erik Gabrielson:

One of the things that we realized from participating in this experience is that we can help people here in Jackson by creating unique, shared, learning experiences. Done thoughtfully, these experiences can become powerful growth and connection opportunities for members of our Wealth and Wellbeing community and their families, friends, and business colleagues.

Filed Under: Leadership Tagged With: Experiential Learning, Leadership, Learning

Recent Posts

  • Tackling New Year’s Resolutions with Atomic Habits
  • Remaining Hopeful in the New Year with Leadership
  • The Under-Appreciated Art of Wise Decision Making
  • Man Plans and God Laughs: Insights from Our Family Road Trip
  • Dr. Barnes and Scenario Planning

Recent Comments

    Archives

    • February 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • August 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016

    Categories

    • Collaboration
    • Estate Planning
    • Experiential Learning
    • Family Enterprise
    • Family Office
    • Leadership
    • New Normal
    • Philanthropy
    • Recent Events
    • True Wealth
    • Your Team

    The CERTIOR Group, LLC

    The Certior Group, LLC.

    • 307.264.0007
    • info@certiorgroup.com
    • EW Connect Login

    The Certior Index

    Discover how much True Wealth is already part of how you live your life. Take the Certior Index today.

    Complete the Certior Index

    Connect with the Certior Group

    LinkedIn Google Plus Twitter Facebook

    Copyright © 2021 · Empowered Wealth Ambassador Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in