The Man of The House… And The “Geyser”
It all happened so fast. I was getting ready to do something that I do every day and in a second I am in a compromising position with no idea of how I am going to get out of it.
Just as I was about to shower, my wife and I realized that our bathroom could use a little facelift. So I set out to fulfill my role as “man of the house.”
After watching a couple of YouTube videos and reading a few blogs, I felt pretty confident that I could handle this project on my own. I was off to the local Home Depot to buy a new bathtub and shower faucet.
And this is where anyone who’s ever fixed a faucet starts to laugh.
Not knowing what I didn’t know, I chose to invest my energy on picking the prettiest fixture. I was looking over my options as if I were curating a piece of art. After an exhaustive search, I finally found the perfect piece, with a detachable shower head and brushed nickel finish.
I went home and got right to work: Boom. First snag.
I didn’t even know how to remove the current fixture. I got back online and Google came to my rescue. In fact, I was lucky I hadn’t started just yet, because I forgot to turn the main water valve off.
I continued that way; making a little progress, hitting a snag, stopping – then checking the internet and finally proceeding.
Still, after several interruptions and a few trips to the store, I was done! It wasn’t easy, but the shower looked great – and I took pride in my own craftsmanship. I brought my wife over for a look, and she was just as happy as I was.
At last, I was able to get my much-needed shower. Of course, I had to go turn the water back on.
I reached over and gave the handle a twist I could hear the water begin to flow through the pipes, and it was music to my ears.
WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!
Without warning there was a geyser shooting out of my bathroom wall.
I was momentarily paralyzed with shock.
It took me a few moments to process what I was looking at, and then it all came into focus. The fixture that I had just attached shot off the wall entirely, and the water was shooting out of the pipe like “Ol’ Faithful!”
My wife came running back in to see what happened, but when I caught a glimpse of her face – any fear she may have had was replaced with laughter as she took in the absurdity of the situation.
I was able to shut the water off and get the help I needed, but this came with additional costs and a lot of extra work due to my misadventure.
What’s This Story Got to Do with Managing Finances?
Well now, I look back on this shower fiasco and without a doubt: I know how I could have avoided those problems.
In financial planning, we find that many clients have a similar story about some seemingly innocent financial decision that turned into a “geyser“ type situation. Many of our clients sought financial advisors as a result of these types of situations, at a time when they realized they needed help getting back on-course.
And as a weight is lifted from their shoulders, we always hear the same thing, “I wish I had done this sooner!”
Why Does Hiring a Professional Give Us Anxiety?
Like my bathroom debacle, it starts with simple choices that gradually escalate and become more difficult. Things get more expensive. Before we know it, we are in way over our heads.
When I thought of hiring a plumber to work on the shower, my first thought was… I can do this! I taught myself online and made the attempt to complete the job on my own.
And that is how I learned there’s a big difference between information and experience.
I had done the research to swap the faucets. I gathered the data, but I didn’t have the experience to really tackle the project – by myself – and efficiently complete it.
I wanted to save a couple of bucks, but in the process, I made the job more expensive because the plumber was not only exchanging faucets, but also fixing the damage our “geyser” had caused.
And then in all honesty, the biggest reason I didn’t hire a plumber to begin with was that I was overwhelmed by the idea of hiring a professional.
I didn’t know who to hire or what to look for, and I was worried that I would be taken advantage of.
This may sound familiar and if it does – that’s only natural. Hiring a financial advisor can be intimidating!
The Big Takeaway
I think the thing to remember is that when you hire a financial advisor, you’re hiring someone to help you better manage your finances.
You’re not removing yourself from the equation; everything you earn is still your personal achievements. The financial advisor is just making sure you make the most of every little bit of your success. And isn’t that the definition a great teammate?
This is why it’s also incredibly important to pick the right financial advisor. They need to resonate with who you are and where you’re at in life. You need a stellar relationship with your advisor.
If you’d like to learn more about how to pick the best financial advisor for your needs, keep an eye out for next week’s blog!
Written by Robert Cortes.
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