4 minute read
Goal Oriented Life
By Michelle Clary AEP® CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, RICP®, CEO & Senior Wealth Advisor for Piton Wealth
In my home state of Montana, the marks made by animals, people, and the creative bounty of God flourish everywhere...
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Both there and in the Tri-Cities, I draw constant inspiration from the aspirations and accomplishments that I witness. “Make your mark” cannot be a static thing, a stamped impression left on a surface. Whether outdoors, in my home with my family, at the Piton Wealth office, or out and about with friends and the community, that mark should be a life, purposely oriented toward a goal. My goals bind together every aspect of my life—from my career as a financial advisor to my charitable work for Habitat for Humanity.
As a financial planner, I manage assets. But a financial planner manages assets in the same way that a carpenter hammers nails. Yes, carpenters hammer nails, but only insofar as it contributes to what they are building, from the simplest joint to a complete structure. Any financial advisor worth the name does the same thing. From budgeting to taxes to complex financial instruments, managing money is one tool in constructing a fulfilling life. When a client meets a goal, it empowers them to be generous. They, in turn, pay this forward with ever growing momentum, facilitating more people to meet more goals.
When I do work for a charitable organization, the process is the same. If our team sorts goods for a food bank, the point is that it actively improves lives through better meals, and those lives, in turn, are empowered to meet their own goals and empower still others to do the same. Different hammers, different nails, but the carpentry is the same.
This desire to improve the lives around me is mirrored by Habitat for Humanity, an organization that occupies a huge portion of my family’s charitable activity.
My husband Andy has been on the board of Habitat for Humanity Tri-County Partners for four years, and currently serves as President. Piton has led an effort to coordinate members from a dozen churches for an “Apostles Build” event. We can say that we have left marks, some with actual nails, but some with checks, photos, or the financial work that I do for clients. Fundamentally all the activity is the same, because it all serves the same purpose — to improve lives. This is why I align so closely with Habitat for Humanity’s ethos; the organization focuses all its resources and energy on the construction of fundamental shelter that families in need use to change or advance their lives.
The mission of Habitat for Humanity TriCounty Partners resonates deeply with me: “Seeking to put God’s love into action, Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope.” While the families that Habitat for Humanity serves are from a low-income socioeconomic status, they are also generous, future-minded, hardworking, and determined. They exemplify exceptionally good neighborly qualities and want to realize a better life for their children, with the drive to contribute to their community.
“Make your mark” is an act of construction. It is anything but coincidence that the people of Habitat, myself included, draw constant nourishment and inspiration from the son of a carpenter. This year the teams at Piton Wealth and Habitat for Humanity are pursuing fresh and expansive avenues to build more homes and better more lives. Our mark is only worth making if it empowers another person to do the same.
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