The definition of ‘success’ is so different for different people. For one person, a banner year in sales would be a reason to quit the industry for others. The owner of a budding $ 10 million company may feel far more successful than the CEO of a multi-billion-dollar firm who just saw their stock falter. A personal best at the gym or on a cycle ride may look way different for you than it does for someone else. And personal fulfillment Since the entire notion of success is so subjective and personal, how can we even measure it? How do […]

Of course, you’ve heard the old fitness adage, “You are what you eat.” Those words certainly ring true if you’re over forty and try to keep up with a subpar diet by hitting the gym extra hard! Well, I believe that you are what you THINK, too. Quite simply, our thoughts become our reality. Of course, this isn’t an original or even new proposition. People have understood this concept intuitively and then in the nascent fields of positive thinking and psychology for a century or more, leading poet Ralph Waldo Emerson to once say, “You are what you think all […]

When you look in the mirror, do you see the person you always wanted to be? For most people, the answer is a resounding “no.” They don’t see a version of themselves that’s even close to reaching their potential. You fall short. You’re imperfect. You have so many flaws. And the more you focus on those perceived negative qualities, the more unhappy and unfulfilled you seem to be. The first thing we see when we inspect the human being in front of us is flaws, imperfections, and shortcomings. But you’re not alone because that’s just human nature. In fact, studies […]

This morning a client fired me. This morning, a client fired me. It wasn’t for anything I did, or anything I didn’t do for that matter. Instead, he told me that he simply wanted to go in a different direction, which is totally fine. At the end of our face-to-face meeting today, he thanked me for my years of commitment and work. He told me that he really values our friendship and wants to keep it that way in the future even. As we discussed the reason for his decision, he said that even though we did not always agree on […]

Two phone calls. Two different people. Two totally different needs. “Hey man, how are things?”  I asked. “Not great right now,” he said. “Why? What’s going on with you? Is everything ok?” My friend paused and sighed before replying, “My dad went in for his normal check-up. But when they did his blood work, they noticed his white blood cells were extremely low. So, they tested him, and he has an aggressive form of leukemia.” I offered what few words of consolation I could. “My mom is a mess. I don’t know what to think.” We talked a while longer. I listened, mostly saying nothing. […]

Ten years ago this year, I launched my firm, One Wealth Management. Ten years ago today, I made decisions that dramatically changed the course of my life, both business and personal. It was ten years ago that I was sitting at Nobu in Malibu with my mother, sister, and pregnant girlfriend (now wife). In the middle of our dinner, I received a call from the doctor at the hospital saying that my father had passed away. We were never close. He was ill for the last five-plus years of his life. We had him in a home that cared for […]

James has been a client for 15 years now. We got together earlier this week (via Zoom) to discuss his investments and his financial plan. After five minutes, I asked him how things were going. To which James replied, “I’m dying. But other than that, things are going pretty well.” I was, of course, completely shocked. I thought I’d heard him wrong. “I’m sorry, but did you just say you were dying?” I asked. “Yes, you heard right. I have lymphoma. I’ve been diagnosed and start treatment next week,” James said. “But the doctors say I have 5 to 10 […]

I was on a flight from Santa Rosa last week and had the opportunity to sit next to an interesting man. And while I learned quite a good deal from him, our encounter had an auspicious beginning. Trying to make best use of my time on the flight to keep up with the usual hectic business day, I went to launch my computer to get some work done. However, I couldn’t log onto the in-flight Wi-Fi, no matter what I tried. After multiple attempts and possibly a little frustration on my part, the man sitting next to me, David, looked […]

More than 20 years ago, I met this post production color correction artist who became a beloved, lifelong client. Our meeting also signaled a golden opportunity that helped further my budding career. I was watching a movie one night, not paying full attention as I thought about how I could prospect in a market that was underserved. (Yes, I even thought about work during my downtime at night.) I had been in the business for a little over three years at that point. I’d had some success but felt unchallenged and unfulfilled calling on the same old list of people: […]