I was recently talking to my fourteen-year-old nephew about sports, and he was telling me about shoe inserts he wanted to get that were supposed to make you jump higher. He asked my opinion, and I chuckled. I immediately recalled being his age, buying training shoes that forced you to stand on your toes (think of high heels without a heel), and being convinced I’d add 12 inches to my vertical in a month. They sat in my garage unused after a month and eventually found their way to the garbage during one of my dad’s garage deep cleans. I asked my nephew what he thought of the insoles he brought up. Being a wise young man, he said, “They probably don’t work.”
I’ve fallen for my fair share of “secrets to success,” hook, line, and sinker. These secrets often require you to open your wallet. Yet, despite this caveat, it seems almost hardwired into the human psyche to be tempted by the promise of an easy, fast solution– especially one that feels just within reach.
Over the last decade, social media has only amplified this temptation. Who hasn’t scrolled past the Greek God or Goddess promoting their “fountain of youth” formula? Or the globe-trotting millionaire claiming they’ve cracked the code to making millions while working just 10 hours a week? If any of that feels familiar, you’re not alone—and there’s probably a chance you’re reading this article in search of those elusive secrets you haven’t heard yet.
I’ve come to realize that there are no truly “new” secrets to success. However, I do believe there are three key components that, when prioritized, can significantly increase your chances of achieving your financial, health, or other personal goals. Let’s break them down
3 Key Components
- Qualified Advice from a Specialist: The value of professional advice is priceless. You can’t be an expert in everything, so finding someone who’s put in the time and work to be an expert in their field is going to save you time and prevent taking advice from the wrong source. You need to vet who you’re taking advice from. Ask questions and do your research. Let your inner skeptic come out. When you find the right person, you’ll quickly know and be able to move forward, knowing it’s the right advice. Trust your gut on this.
- Accountability: This starts off by putting your goals down on paper and sharing them with someone besides yourself. There’s something almost magical about this process—it makes your goals feel real and tangible. Be sure to set both short-term and long-term goals. The second part of accountability is finding someone who will actively hold you accountable for making progress. Your goals can’t live in isolation. This could be the supportive community at your gym, a personal trainer, or even a close friend who’s willing to check in and encourage you along the way.
- Consistent Execution: In a world that wants immediate results with no effort, this one might be the hardest to achieve. This makes it the most important in my opinion. It doesn’t matter if it’s putting the extra 2% of your salary into a 401k when you’d rather have it immediately in your paycheck, or going to the gym when you just want to binge Netflix. None of these things give you results immediately and they’re not exciting. You have to remember that the timeline for results is usually measured in years, not days, weeks, or months. This is where the temptation for the quick and easy solution trips people up, so come back to your accountability in step 2 when you find yourself slipping in this area.
How does this all tie into your financial goals?
Our approach to financial independence focuses on these three components, tied together in what we call The True North Method.
- Qualified Advice from a Specialist: We surround our clients with a team of experienced and credentialed professionals in their respective fields. We hold ourselves to a fiduciary standard, meaning we’re committed to acting in your best interest—always. This includes being upfront about any potential conflicts of interest and helping you make decisions with a clear understanding of your options. Our focus is on building a partnership where you feel informed and confident every step of the way.
- Accountability: We work with you to establish your goals and build a plan aimed at accomplishing them. Your financial plan will be reviewed on a regular basis to gauge progress and modify the plan for any changes in your goals. We also know that your financial goals often support your dreams in other areas of life, so we want to hear about all of it, and then support you along the journey.
- Consistent Execution: We’ll have regular touchpoints throughout the year on specific areas of the plan to make sure you’re doing all the small things that will drive you toward achieving your goals. These small and often simple steps accumulate over the years and can be the difference between potentially achieving your long-term goals or not.
Success isn’t about discovering some elusive secret—it’s about building a solid understanding built on reliable advice, having someone to hold you accountable, and consistently taking small steps toward your goals. Whether it’s your finances, health, or personal aspirations, the principles remain the same. With the right focus and commitment, you can navigate your path to success with confidence and clarity. But if you’re still after those quick fixes and secrets to success, you might be searching forever. At North Point, we don’t do secrets. We have the True North Method, and that’s just the way we do business.
Note: All investing involves risk including loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss.
