According to Hugh Massie, founder of DNA Behavior International, his research and experience shows that the best means of creating wealth is to understand yourself and behavioral biases and then create a financial and life strategy suited to your complete financial personality-or your Behavioral DNA. Discovering your Behavioral DNA will assist in guiding you to more confidently make committed life and financial choices by improving and enhancing relationships, quality of life and financial performance.
Behavioral DNA is based on the belief your financial advisor should “understand you before numbers.” There are four profiles you complete to gain insight into your learned versus natural behavior, your strengths and struggles based on behavioral biases and your true core drivers that will assist in improving your decision making process.
The four profiles are Communication DNA, Natural Behavior DNA, Quality of Life Discovery and Financial Personality DNA.
Why do some physicians repeatedly lose wealth and others continue to accumulate wealth? When the markets decline, the economy is weak, your practice may be losing patients, your revenues are declining, you naturally become stressed and your decision making process will be driven by your Behavioral DNA and biases. Understanding these biases and the four profiles of your Behavioral DNA will assist you in managing your emotions and improve your decision making process and quality of life.
Behavioral psychologists have long understood that people are not entirely rational. We are influenced by a range of factors, from emotion to cognitive biases, which make a less rational choice seem more appealing. You probably have experienced a patient who is overweight, with high blood pressure, and other potential chronic issues. You provide excellent medical advice with a strategy to lose weight, exercise, and eat healthy. On their next visit to your office, this same patient expresses displeasure because their back constantly hurts, their knees are sore, and they’re having breathing issues when climbing stairs. Sound familiar? The less rational choice seems more appealing.
Discovering your Behavioral DNA will assist in rational choices by helping you discover:
Your natural behavior under stress and how to uniquely respond to life and financial events.
A strategy for wealth creation through managing your emotional responses to events you cannot control.
How to build the quality of life you have always dreamed about through self- awareness and improved confidence.
According to the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University, 93.6% of wealth creation comes from your behavior and personal decision making and 6.4% from investment return.
“Money cannot buy peace of mind. It cannot heal ruptured relationships or build meaning into a life that has none.”
– Richard M. DeVos
My next article will explain how behavioral biases assist in sabotaging your personal and financial decision making process.
Rick O. Helbing, CFP®, ChFC® is a financial life advisor for Suncoast Advisory Group. Recognized by Medical Economics Magazine The 150 Best Financial Advisors for Doctors in 2009-2010-2011-2012-2013*
Suncoast Advisory Group is located in Sarasota, Florida. Mr. Helbing can be reached by email at rick@suncoastadvisorygroup.com or phone at 941-375-7320.
Investment advisory services provided through Partnervest Advisory Services, LLC, Registered Investment Advisor, with Financial Life Planning and Insurance services offered through Suncoast Advisory Group.
*Based on credentials, educational background, experience, size of the firm, minimum portfolio requirements and noteworthy professional achievements. See www.medicaleconomics.com. Third-party recognition from publications does not guarantee future investment success. Working with a highly-rated adviser does not ensure that a client or prospective client will experience a higher level of performance. This recognition should not be construed as an endorsement of the adviser by any client nor is it representative of any one client’s evaluation.
