In adulthood, the brain's only option for plasticity (save for an injury) comes when you master something new. The more plastic your brain, the better you can work through problems. That makes you not only more creative and dynamic in solving the problems, but also less stressed in doing so.
Think hobbies are only important for work life balance? Think again. Research shows that learning new skills can help you advance your career. Aside from the networking opportunities and potential referral sources, having a passion outside your job can make you better at it. Here's how.
When you started your career in finance and in financial advising, the number and kind of challenges you faced each day was probably higher than it is now, as a more seasoned advisor. It isn't that your clients have changed, or the work you do with them, it's that you've achieved a level of mastery of the tasks involved with your position. That mastery is your calling card and helps clients trust you and the work your team does. However, it means you can easily fall into a rut of using the same approaches to problems. Having time tested approaches and systems to solving your client's problems and helping them achieve their goals is necessary for a successful career. But it might impact your job satisfaction and performance. So how do you get the novelty back? It's just a question of perspective. By having a fresh approach to your job you might add a little novelty back into it. Hobbies help add that perspective.
The best way to get that new perspectiveis to opt for a hobby that does something different than you do through out the day. For advisors, this usually means doing something active or something physical. An advisor's work usually involves computers, phone calls, and people. So opting for a hobby where you move your body, like running, skiing, or other physical sports can be a change. For the less fitness oriented, using your hands to create something, like art or crafts like woodworking. An in between option, for those with access to outdoor space, may be to take up gardening.
How does doing something totally different help you be better at a job you've worked years to master? It comes down to brain plasticity. Neuroplasticity (also known as brain plasticity) is the brain’s ability to form new connections between brain cells throughout your life. While genetic factors may play the highest role in the ability of the brain to build new pathways, the actions you take each day play a big role in the plasticity of your brain. Your brain's neuroplasticity is highest when you are young and navigating the world. In adulthood, the brain's only option for plasticity (save for an injury) comes when you master something new. The more plastic your brain, the better you can work through problems. That makes you not only more creative and dynamic in solving the problems, but also less stressed in doing so.
The learning process involved with starting a new hobby also decreases your stressin your job by reminding you that small failures aren't fatal. Any new skill has a learning curve, whether its learning new equipment or even just learning new lingo involved in your new hobby's community. If you are new at something, its natural to have a few bumps and bruises as you navigate your way through the process. Small mistakes or failures may be less common for the experienced career financial advisor in their day job. That means when they happen, they may feel bigger than when they happened earlier in your career. If your stress goes up with the failures, you are less likely to see how you can change your process or approach to ensure success the next time. Experiencing failure in your hobby help you have the appropriate response to failure in your career. That new response can help you solve more problems for your clients and spot where staff may be overwhelmed or overworked. All in all, that approach to failure can make it a positive thing.
And don't underestimate the power of that newly learned lingo to help you communicate better with clients. Your frustration, confusion or even amusement at learning a new hobby's code words, abbreviations and jargon can help you get insight into how your client feels learning the sometimes strange sounding vocabulary associated with finance and investing.
Before leaping into the unknown, we recommend a thorough examination of your plan. Because we are experts in the field, we know the marketplace and know what your existing vendor is capable of offering. Through this examination, we can help you optimize the service you receive.
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