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Too Busy to Do What Matters Most

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Marshall Goldsmith, a highly sought-after executive coach, has written books and articles around the idea that “what got you here, won’t get you there”. In other words, the methods, habits, ideas, etc. that in many instances have led to business and personal success, aren’t necessarily the path to greater success and especially greater happiness, fulfillment, and meaning in life. One of the major obstacles to further progress for many of the people we meet at the Certior Group is our busy lives.

It’s when we’re too busy that we can sometimes lose sight of what matters most. We can spend our time being busy, “putting out fires”, or falling back into habitual patterns of behavior. This is where I’ve found the Empowered Wealth Mindset to be most beneficial. And it begins with Gratitude.

We teach that Gratitude is the optimal response to life’s negative events, to those events and circumstances that aren’t adding to our happiness, fulfillment, or greater meaning. Seth Godin shares a story that highlights how Gratitude can transform the frustrations and anxiety of daily life into a better way of being:

I live fourteen miles from ground zero (the site of the 9-11 disaster in New York City), and there used be a cafe about five miles from here, near the train station. For a long time, there was a handwritten letter on the bulletin board in the café. It said “I was here a few weeks ago and I ordered a decaf coffee with bagel and butter. The idiot behind the counter gave me regular coffee, and put cream cheese on my bagel. As a result, I got all frustrated, and as a result he had to make it again, and as a result I was kicking and screaming, and as a result I missed my train, and because I missed my train, I got to the World Trade Center thirty minutes after the plane crashed into it and I am alive today. Thank you to the person who messed up my coffee order.”

More from Seth Godin on Gratitude

I’ve written previously about the Empowered Wealth tool, the Levels of Gratitude and how it can combat “entitlement”. Let me also reiterate what I’ve said before: we can give our children and others a gift that’s worth more than most of the “things” they think they may want in the moment. We can give them the gift of gratitude.

Please join us for one of our study group meetings or Empowered Wealth workshops where we teach the Levels of Gratitude.

Avi Kantor

A Remarkable Podcast: An Interview with Gail Miller

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The most valuable thing I ever could do would be to continue the legacy that we had begun.

– Gail Miller (speaking about her thought process after the death of her husband Larry Miller)

Gail Miller is the matriarch of the family that owns the NBA basketball team the Utah Jazz as well as many other businesses. She was recently interviewed on the Jonah Keri Podcast.

Gail Miller Interview

In the interview, of the many things Gail Miller mentions that are consistent with the philosophy and the services that The Certior Group delivers, one idea stands out. Whether it’s developing a movie theater complex in Sandy, UT or keeping the Utah Jazz in Salt Lake City or engaging in their numerous philanthropic initiatives, the members of the Miller family consistently express their values through generosity and active contributions of their time, energy, attention, and resources. Gail Miller seems very aware of an idea that we advocate; that is, “mindsets matter”. In sharing a parable about the gift of a valuable stone as well as the real-life stories of her family’s contributions to the state of Utah and their Salt Lake City community, she conveys the notion that one doesn’t leave a legacy; we live our legacies through the gratitude and generosity that permeates our lives.

Our True Wealth Design Process

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“Encouraging rigorous, constructive debate is indispensable to navigating challenges of high uncertainty, from extending the bounds of knowledge to scaling a business. Argument is “how we come to understand things,” observes (David) Krakauer, a tough and contentious critic who sees (Santa Fe Institute’s) role as a crucible, a place where ideas are put to the test. “I believe in freedom and I believe in community. I also believe in rigor and…challenging nonsense.” Many companies, however, develop cultural and procedural barriers to productive debate, valuing organizational harmony over innovation. The challenge is to find the balance: to foster an environment where people feel comfortable sharing — and arguing — the merits of different perspectives.”
– Robert C. Wolcott

The Certior Group True Wealth Design Process is an important difference between our firm and most other wealth management and financial services firms that we’re aware of. It really comes down to the spirit of collaboration among advisers and a true client-first approach to our work. By collaboration, we mean healthy respect for other advisers and intense debate in order to co-create solutions for clients. Leading People Too Smart to Be Led

Before we begin debating and creating solutions, one of the first things we do for clients is to help them get organized. Nothing is more frustrating for a client and their advisers than to have too much data and information scattered in too many places for anyone to keep track of, let alone manage effectively. We take advantage of the excellent technology that’s currently available in order to create a personalized dashboard for our clients. This sets the conditions under which high-level collaboration and planning can occur. Please contact us at info@certiorgroup.com for more detailed information on how we can help you get organized, plan, and succeed with our unique tools and processes. Our True Wealth Design Process

Shift the way you think about wealth

The Impactful and Contagious Role of a Leader

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“I will study and prepare myself and someday my chance will come.”

– Abraham Lincoln

The short article below describes Warren Buffet’s idea that the qualities that make up good character can be learned and, in fact, are the results of choices that people make.

Warren Buffet Article

I’m reminded daily of the choices I make as a leader of my family and of The Certior Group. Whether I’m aware of them or not, the choices I make send messages to others about who I am and what matters to me.

One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from working with Empowered Wealth is that I have to show up every day with my “Leader Hat” on. I have to both lead by example and give others the opportunity to grow into their future roles as leaders themselves. I’m sure the same is true for each of you, especially as stewards of your family’s True Wealth. You too must simultaneously make decisions today, lead by example, and cultivate leadership in those who will one day take on responsibilities. These future leaders – especially the future stewards of your family’s True Wealth – must learn to lead in a world that we likely can’t imagine. Nevertheless, our role is to teach, guide, and help them become the leaders they are capable of becoming.

When we started The Certior Group, we saw an opportunity to support families as they steward their True Wealth. Collaborating with families and their advisors to cultivate family leadership is a challenge we’re prepared to take on. For further information, see our page on Family Stewardship.

Avi Kantor

Our True Wealth Design Process

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Encouraging rigorous, constructive debate is indispensable to navigating challenges of high uncertainty, from extending the bounds of knowledge to scaling a business. Argument is “how we come to understand things,” observes (David) Krakauer, a tough and contentious critic who sees (Santa Fe Institute’s) role as a crucible, a place where ideas are put to the test. “I believe in freedom and I believe in community. I also believe in rigor and…challenging nonsense.” Many companies, however, develop cultural and procedural barriers to productive debate, valuing organizational harmony over innovation. The challenge is to find the balance: to foster an environment where people feel comfortable sharing — and arguing — the merits of different perspectives”.

– Robert C. Wolcott

The Certior Group True Wealth Design Process is an important difference between our firm and most other wealth management and financial services firms that we’re aware of. It really comes down to the spirit of collaboration among advisers and a true client-first approach to our work. By collaboration, we mean healthy respect for other advisers and intense debate in order to co-create solutions for clients.

Collaboration Article

Before we begin debating and creating solutions, one of the first things we do for clients is to help them get organized. Nothing is more frustrating for a client and their advisers than to have too much data and information scattered in too many places for anyone to keep track of, let alone manage effectively. We take advantage of the excellent technology that’s currently available in order to create a personalized dashboard for our clients. This sets the conditions under which high-level collaboration and planning can occur. Please contact us at info@certiorgroup.com for more detailed information on how we can help you get organized, plan, and succeed with our unique tools and processes.

Our True Wealth Design Process

Avi Kantor

The CERTIOR Group, LLC

The Certior Group, LLC.

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