NORTON

Is it always the case? No, sometimes those quick or rash decisions work out. I have had a few of those over the years where my instincts took over and I went with my gut, meeting with tremendous success. However, I can share with you that I have also made many bad decisions to take an immediate action, being brave or courageous at the absolute wrong time, and well, those turned out as you would expect, some injury, heartache, and metaphorically a lot of lost golf balls and high scores in life.

I love this quote from Matt Damon’s character in “We Bought a Zoo”: “You know, sometimes all you need is 20 seconds of insane cour-

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— In uences on your nancial behavior

However having these conversations helps boost emotional intelligence. is includes self-awareness of mental triggers, taking responsibility for a situation and helping to facilitate positive change.

Many people become frustrated when they cannot make progress toward their nancial goals or may not even know how to set realistic goals. It is crucial to have the right mindset before you begin your nancial improvement journey. Speak to your advisor about the psychology exercise to help you progress, especially if any of these sound familiar:

• Squandering nancial windfalls

• In denial about spending, lack of saving or investment knowledge

• Enabling others or controlling others with money

• Over or underspending

• Extreme anxiety around nancial matters

• Unrealistic expectations

• Feeling guilty for having or receiving wealth

• Fear of losing money or making the wrong decision

Normalizing irrational behavior age. Just literally 20 seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” helps decrease anxiety and shame. We are not often taught how to handle nancial a airs so when pressed to do so, we lack the con dence and knowledge to make good decisions.

Using Shakespeare’s quotes to temper enthusiasm in the heat of the moment, with the thought that God hates a coward, and all I need is 20 seconds of insane courage, has helped keep my balance. Do you know when and how to choose wisely? I would love to hear your story at gotonorton@gmail.com, and when we nd that balance between discretion and courage, it really will be a better than good life.

Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.

We often quote George Kinder, CFP,* a pioneer in the early 1980s in nancial planning, by asking three main questions:

1. Imagine you are nancially secure, and you do not need to worry about money. How would you live your life?

2. Imagine your doctor tells you that you only have ve more years to live, but you will not feel ill or be in pain. What will you do with your remaining time?

3. You only have one day left to live. Ask yourself, “What did I miss?” “Who did I not get to be?” “What did I not get to do?” e idea of these questions is to help prioritize what is most important so you have no regrets, don’t waste any more time getting started, and are able to enjoy your passions.

Kinder states that these answers don’t reveal the desire to make more money, work harder or receive a promotion. ey typically relate to one of these ve categories:

1. Family or relationships

2. Authenticity or spirituality

3. Ful lling creative goals

4. Giving back and leaving a positive legacy

5. A sense of place such as travel to special places or living in a certain environment.

All of these exercises are designed to help you create a more meaningful thought process around your nancial goals and challenges. While it may be uncomfortable, few things in life bring immediate gain without a little pain. You can think about these questions before your next planning meeting and even discuss them with your family to gain perspective. en let your wealth advisor help you discover what is important and how to create a plan that is e ective for you. You will be less worried about things out of your control, such as the stock market or interest rates, and more concerned about your nancial impact on your family and other passions you have.

* George Kinder, CFP, e Kinder Institute of Life Planning.

Patricia Kummer has been a Certied Financial Planner professional and a duciary for over 35 years and is managing director for Mariner Wealth Advisors.

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BY MCKENNA HARFORD MHARFORD@COLORADOCOMMUNITYMEDIA.COM

Af ter more than 20 years of collecting pinball machines, Dan Nikolich’s basement had run out of space to store them all. So Nikolich opened the Colorado Pinball Pub in Littleton to share his collection.

“Pinball is a unique thing because it doesn’t matter what your background or walk of life is, pinball will draw you in,” he said. “It’s a great equalizer because it only takes one ball.”

While the concept of offering drinks and games at one location is nothing new, the Denver area is host to a number of unique takes on the Dave and Buster’s business model.

Colorado Pinball Pub is one of the newer additions to the barcade scene, having opened in 2020. The pub offers 22 pinball machines, plus a few classic arcade games like PacMan and Centipede, for unlimited play for $15 per hour.

Nikolich’s love for games started young, when he was growing up in Las Vegas and working for the MGM Arcade, so he was happy to see the recent rise in pinball’s popularity.

“Pinball is having a great resurgence right now. The last few years it’s been really hot,” he said. “We have parents who will bring their kids who have never played pinball and, at night, we get a lot of adults and date nights, stuff like that. All people seem to like pinball.”

Like the pub’s patrons, the pinball machines available range in age and theme, with Nikolich’s oldest machine being from 1981. The walls of the pub also pay homage to the history of the game, including its prohibition from 1940s to the 1970s, with pictures and news clippings.

In addition to pinball, the pub features over 150 kinds of whiskey, craft cocktails and Colorado brewed beer.

Nikolich said the goal is to have something for everyone and to make it approachable, whether that’s pinball or whiskey.

“We want you to come and learn about it and not be intimidated to ask if you don’t know something, we want to teach you, so that you can enjoy something new,” he said.

On the opposite side of the metro area, another