“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”
The First Sip
Hey Sunday Brewers!
What do you get when you mix together a base of kindness with…
One-part smiles…
Two-parts pain…
An ounce of gain…
And a dash of confusion?
Just another edition of the Sunday Brew ☕️
Enjoy…
Natalie and her 5-year-old autistic son Rudy love taking seaside walks together.
It gives them a chance to exercise, enjoy some fresh air, and connect with one another.
However, there’s one small problem…
“My son loves to walk, but he hates to turn around and walk back,” Natalie says.
They’ll typically walk in a circuit to avoid the need to turn around, but sometimes they have no choice but to make a U-turn.
On most days, Natalie is perfectly equipped to handle the boy’s temper tantrums…
But on this particular day there was no calming Rudy down.
As he flailed on the ground, bystanders started to give mom judgmental stairs.
Natalie’s neck turned hot as she tried to get things under control.
Then the most amazing thing happened.
A kind stranger named Ian approached and asked if she was okay.
Natalie explained what was going on…
Before she knew it, Ian lay down on the ground near Rudy and calmly engaged him in conversation.
…and it worked!
Rudy regained his composure and Ian politely walked the mom and son back to their car.
Natalie eventually took to social media to share her heartfelt gratitude for Ian’s sacrificial gesture.
“In a world where you can be anything, be kind,” she wrote.
“Words are easy, these actions are not always so easy. This man is living the words and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
During a time with so much uncertainty, it’s helpful to remember that one small moment of kindness can completely change a stranger’s day.
Here’s to more random acts of kindness this week…
Do your thing, #ShiftNation!
1 Caffeinated Neurohack
Happiness creates physical changes in the body.
Your shoulders relax, circulation improves, blood pressure is reduced to a healthy level, and dozens of tiny facial muscles activate to form a smile.
But did you know this relationship works in reverse, too?
Even if you’re not feeling happy…
You can fake it ‘til you feel it.
In a study published in Experimental Psychology, researchers found smiling…even when fake…has a positive impact on mood.
The simple act of manipulating facial muscles to form a smile tricks your brain into thinking you’re happy.
Brain scans suggest the muscle movements of a smile actually stimulate the amygdala…
(which is the part of the brain that allows you to feel emotions)
…and encourages the release of dopamine.
So if you find yourself in a funk this week…
You know what to do…
Just bump the funk with a big ol’ grin!
☕ TL;DR: Fake a smile – you’ll trick your brain into feeling happier.
Marketing Psychology Quick Hit
People would much rather hold onto something they already have than gain something new.
It’s an almost universal truth.
Countless studies over the years have shown that the pain from loss is much greater than the pleasure that we get from gaining something.
In one of those studies, a group of teachers in the Illinois education system were split into two test groups.
The first half of teachers got their normal bonus at the end of the school year.
The second half of teachers were given their bonus at the start of the year and told they could keep it if student performance increased.
And guess what?
The teachers in the second group saw a 10% increase in scores!
As an advisor, you can use this little nugget of brain science to your advantage.
For older clients especially, focusing on preserving what they’ve worked so hard to earn is much more appealing than the idea of earning 2% more on their portfolio.
If you’re running a webinar, use FOMO to drive people to the registration page.
For tax planning, taking the angle of helping protect assets against future erosion due to potential tax hikes may be more powerful than saving a few bucks today.
The options are endless.
If you have an idea for how to leverage “loss aversion” in your sales or marketing, I’d love to hear from you.
Just hit “reply” and let me know!
☕ TL;DR: People are more motivated to protect what they have (than to gain something new). Use this to your advantage in sales & marketing.
Weekly Industry Catch-Up
Crypto slides…
Covid numbers drop to the lowest point in nearly 12 months…
And markets twist and turn in a crockpot of confusion.
Here’s what else is happening…
🔹 WYD crypto? Quite a week for crypto…and there are enough HOT takes to feed a small village 🔥
- What’s behind Bitcoin’s sudden drop?
- Bitcoin’s year-long rally was worth the risks & twists
- Will crypto traders finally shut it? 🤐
Watch the replay of our Advisor Crypto Fireside Chat for a balanced, no-hype perspective from RIA Jeff Nabers.
🔹 Move over TSLA. Ford just unveiled its first-ever line of ELECTRIC pickup trucks.
In a surprising twist, Elon Musk sent a congratulatory tweet to @Ford for “embracing an electric future.” Ford CEO Jim Farley gave him a ‘tip of the cap’ in return.
Aww… look at that… we’re all friends here! 🤗
🔹 Mixed signals. Does the Fed want to be a hawk or a dove? Should it begin raising rates as early as 2022…or hold steady?
The Fed is sending mixed signals, and many on the trading floor are starting to get antsy for the first time in a while.
Stay tuned…
What’s New In #ShiftNation?
Your LinkedIn profile is leaking prospects. Fix it in 2 minutes flat.
Go get ‘em,
Jeremiah
