Book Outline
The following is a brief outline of the Introduction and first three chapters of Client-Centred Life Planning
Chapter 1 – Why Life Plan?
- Clients have an unfavourable perception about financial planning because they are motivated to plan based on the negative consequences of mismanaging their finances.
- Life plans overcome this unfavourable perception because clients are positively motivated to plan. They create a vision of life that is based on specific wants that are vivid and compelling for them.
- Your goal in the life-planning process is to become your clients’ chief financial counselor. To achieve this role, you must help clients learn how to act effectively so that they achieve their wants. Also, you must build deep relationships with them.
Chapter 2 – The Action Equation
- Planning is based on closing the “gap” between where clients are and where they want to be. To close the gap, clients must shift their behaviour. But clients resist change because they must step outside of their comfort zone.
- However, if clients are to close the gap (achieve their wants), they must shift their behaviour so that their actions are effective.
- Effective action has five main ingredients: intention, learning, belief, preferences, and confidence.
- Intention, motivated by positive emotions, is the critical ingredient.
Chapter 3 – The Relationship Equation
- Deep relationships with clients have four main ingredients: understanding, dependability, expertise, and self-orientation.
- Self-orientation is the critical ingredient. As the divisor in the Relationship Equation, there is a powerful inverse relationship between the ingredient of self-orientation and deep client relationships. As your self-orientation increases, your relationship with clients rapidly decreases.
Chapter 4 – Values
Chapter 5 – Vision
Chapter 6 – Quantifying Wants
Chapter 7 – Current Reality
Chapter 8 – Financial Attitudes
Chapter 9 – Solutions
Chapter 10 – Estate and Legacy Planning
Chapter 11 – Insurance
Chapter 12 – The To Do List and Summary Report
Chapter 13 – Implementation and Reviews
Chapter 14 – Life Planning and Your Practice
Chapter 15 – Marketing
Chapter 16 – Best Practices
Appendix A – Values
Appendix B – Neurobiology
Appendix C – Brain Tasks and Dominance
Appendix D – Financial Attitudes
Bibliography