What are you doing on January 1st?
As a society, we talk about goals a lot. We talk about “start the New Year off right!”
“Turning the page” and “setting new goals” seem to be national pastimes. And more than ever, it seems everyone wants to “start a new chapter in the New Year.”
We are a nation of goal setters. We talk about goals frequently.
But we begin each new year the same way – by taking the day OFF.
And for many, because the way the calendar falls in 2021, the first “work” day this year is not January 1st, it’s January 4th!
For the last few years, I have worked on January 1st. And I’ll continue to work on New Year’s Day. I’m not a workaholic or anti-social, I just want to start the coming year on the right foot. The stock market is closed on New Year’s Day, so there are no phone calls. It’s a great opportunity to start the year on the right track.
So what do I actually DO on January 1st? I count my blessings.
Let me explain.
One small part of our annual filing requirements with the SEC is reporting an official count of our assets under management. This number needs to be reported once per year, every year. The number needs to be exact, it needs to be accurate. As I discovered, through an SEC examination years back, the SEC wants to see your work and prove your work. You cannot “estimate” or “fudge the numbers.”
So on New Years Day, January 1st, I count our firm’s assets under management. Said another way, I count our blessings. I consider this to be a blessing because YOU have trusted US to manage your assets. And on behalf of all of us, I can say we take that obligation very seriously.
Talking about the future is a waste of time. Doing something about your future is concrete and a positive step in the right direction. For many, 2020 was a year completely thrown off track.
Start the New Year off right. Begin on January 1st doing something positive for yourself. That may be counting your blessings, or working out, or taking one small step to put you closer to a goal. Take that action.
Do it today, January 1st.
Listen to the Podcast 2021 Market Outlook Season – MAM Podcast Episode 225