A Personal Credo Guides You To Professionals Who Live By The Same Credo

“Live your life with integrity… Let your credo be this: Let the lie come into the world, let it even triumph. But not through me.” – Alexandr Solzhenitsyn

“With integrity, you have nothing to fear, since you have nothing to hide. With integrity, you will do the right thing, so you will have no guilt.” – Zig Ziglar

In this month’s article I wrote about a ‘fairness principle’ my sister and I adopted early in life. (See: Do The Right Thing) As a registered investment advisor representative (IAR), I am legally bound by a fiduciary code that obligates me to make recommendations that are in my clients’ best interests. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

In my opinion, there is nothing worse than living with a sense of guilt lurking under the surface all the time. I agree with the quotes from Solzhenitsyn and Zig Ziglar above. I can’t control the behavior of others, whether they live by a credo or not. I can only be responsible for my own behavior and that is always motivated by my dearly held fairness principal in my personal life and the fiduciary code in my professional life.

Consider Financial Planning

Now, I know there are those of you out there reading this who have been thinking about, maybe even talking about hiring a financial planner to help guide you to a comfortable retirement. Yet, you still haven’t done it. I urge you to take the step as soon as possible. And, when you go about looking for someone to work with you, allow your own personal credo to guide you to someone who is on the same moral and ethical page. Moral and ethical strength are the values you want most in the person you are trusting to help you protect your financial health and well-being.

Do you know what your personal credo is? If not, perhaps as you look toward the New Year, you can develop one. Most people live by their deeply held beliefs without actually putting them into words. As you make your New Year’s intentions, perhaps you’ll put your credo in writing.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy and healthy holiday season and a prosperous New Year.