I want to talk to you today about community because I believe finding and cultivating a community of like-minded people is a great way to help you personally, professionally, and of course financially!
Last week I attended the NAPFA Spring conference for the first time and it was valuable in so many ways! One of the best parts was being able to get to know a number of new people. It reminded me that being around people with similar interests and values is one of the most rewarding and motivating parts of life.
To save money, four California planners; Scott Frank from Stone Steps Financial, Chris Girbés-Pierce from Enlightened Wealth Management, Andrew Davis from SeamlessFP, and myself, decided to pack into a Prius and drive to the NAPFA conference in Phoenix from LA #fourdudesinaprius The 5+ hour drive each way gave us an opportunity to chat about numerous things. On the drive back, we discussed the most important conference takeaways and our priority for the week ahead. It was great for all of us to solidify our intents for the week ahead and keep us accountable. The conference and subsequent drive home got me thinking about how having a good community has so many benefits, so this post almost wrote itself! Thanks Megan, haha!
All of the following are what I feel are the benefits of being part of a good community:
Support
We all need a support group in life and that’s what your community can provide. Surrounding yourself with people that are in similar situation provides you an invested group of people that will commiserate with you during the hardships and frustrations, and also happily celebrate your successes and goals achieved.
Knowledge & Saved Time
Community groups are partnerships that both sides can use to help each other move forward. Groups can leverage the combined knowledge of everyone to fast-forward all members’ insight and expertise. This helps save time which we all value and can’t get back once spent.
Fun
It’s straight up fun to spend time and get to know people that are as excited and enthusiastic about life as you are. You get to have great experiences with people that are similar to you. If you think back through life, what are some of the things that stick out to you most? Are they things you bought? Accomplishments? Experiences you had? For me, it's always the experiences that stuck out to me. So having more experiences with like-minded people means I'll have more fun!
For me, one of the most valuable organizations I've become a part of in the last few years has been the XY Planning Network. Through the network I've met some amazing people, some of whom have become great friends that I otherwise would never have met. I am so grateful for the new friendships and all of the numerous aspects of support and knowledge I’ve gained from being a part of XY Planning Network. So, I recommend finding communities and organizations that align with the visions and goals you have for your life. You won’t be sorry you did.
No matter your motivations in life, being a part of a community is valuable. I’ve found that meetup.com, Facebook, and polling friends are great ways to find events. From there, get involved and keep it regular! Support others in their efforts and together we can all be successful building the lives of our dreams.