Capital Advisory Group - January 2021

Capital Advisory Group - January 2021

THE WEALTH ZONE

JAN 2021

119 Old State Rd., Ellisville, MO 63021

CapitalAdvisoryGrp.com

HERE’S TO AN EXCEPTIONAL 2021

We can finally say 2020 is over! That means it’s time to look to the year ahead (and another tax season)! Right now, a lot of people are thinking about what they want to do this year. If you’re like pretty much everyone, you want 2021 to be a lot better than 2020, but you’re also probably thinking, “How can I accomplish that?” Before you look forward, it’s good to look back. Is there anything you weren’t able to do last year? If you had goals or intentions that fell by the wayside, bring those back into the fold. Are there still things you want to do this year that you couldn’t do last year, for whatever reason? Or maybe you want to start fresh. I know a lot of people want a clean break from last year. They want to look ahead with optimism and to just start over. But with such a volatile 2020, you might not know where to start going forward. You might be wondering, “What if something else happens?” Or you might be concerned that the pandemic will keep on going and you’ll miss out on more things. Well, you should still set goals. Even if things get in the way or you encounter unexpected challenges along the way, you can still adapt or refocus your efforts as the year progresses. One of the biggest enemies of goals is the excuse. If you give yourself an excuse not to do something, chances are you’re going to take yourself up on it.

What can you do to give yourself the best chance of success in accomplishing your goals, whatever they may be? One of the best ways to set goals is to use the SMART method of goal setting. It’s all about setting goals with purpose and giving yourself the resources you need to get things done, whether it’s getting completely caught up on your taxes or setting aside money for that new car you’ve been interested in.

your progress so you can make course corrections along the way.

Achievable. It’s a goal within your reach. It’s not necessarily an easy goal to accomplish, but it’s been thought out and you have the resources, ability, and confidence to see it through. Relevant. Your goal makes sense to you personally or professionally. It’s a goal that has real value and will enrich you, your family, or your career. Why waste time on goals that don’t mean much to you? Time-bound. You know when you want to achieve your goal. There’s a solid date written on the calendar you can reference for motivation or to get yourself into gear. Going into 2021, give SMART goal setting a try. Apply it to what you want to accomplish. If you’re really connected to your goals, and take time to think about what you want to meaningfully achieve, you can make it happen. If you need help with any of your goals, give us a call! We’re happy to help, especially in matters related to your taxes and financial situation. In the meantime, here’s to a happy and productive New Year!

A SMART goal is S pecific, M easurable, A chievable, R elevant, and T ime-bound:

Specific. Your goal is clear and well- defined, yet concise. It’s a goal that can be easily communicated to others — others who can help hold you accountable or help you achieve the goal. Measurable. You give yourself steps to follow as you work toward your goal. At the same time, you can track and evaluate

-Jeff and John Zufall

(636) 394-5524 1

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Be a Better Leader

How Habit Tracking and Daily Resolutions Could Transform Your Life

4 LEADERSHIP BOOKS YOU NEED TO READ

For leaders at all levels in all types of business, 2020 was a tough year. Those businesses that managed to not only survive but also thrive all have one big factor in common: good leadership. If you want to be a better leader for your team in 2021, here are the latest leadership books you should add to your reading list. ‘FRIDAY FORWARD: INSPIRATION AND MOTIVATION TO END YOUR WEEK STRONGER THAN IT STARTED’ BY ROBERT GLAZER Glazer is an entrepreneur and bestselling author who has taken 52 of the most impactful stories from his inspirational newsletter that goes out to more than 100,000 readers and put them in one convenient book. These stories of struggling entrepreneurs who turned things around can give you the push you need to make an impact in your own circles and end your work weeks stronger than they started. ‘UNLEASHED: THE UNAPOLOGETIC LEADER'S GUIDE TO EMPOWERING EVERYONE AROUND YOU’ BY FRANCES FREI AND ANNE MORRISS Frei is one of the world’s foremost authorities on leadership. In her new book, she’s teamed up with Anne Morriss, a leader in the genomics industry. The book teaches leaders how to empower others. Great leadership takes grit, thick skin, and compassion, and “Unleashed” offers advice from top-performing organizations on how to best achieve all three. ‘PERSONALITY ISN’T PERMANENT: BREAK FREE FROM SELF-LIMITING BELIEFS AND REWRITE YOUR STORY’ BY BENJAMIN HARDY Organizational psychologist Benjamin Hardy makes a fascinating argument for why your current personality isn’t the one that’s most important. His new book pushes readers to consider who they want their future self to be, and his ideas aren’t theoretical — they’re full of proven ways to change your priorities, break habits, and use your environment to make you a better version of yourself. ‘HONEST TO GREATNESS: HOW TODAY'S GREATEST LEADERS USE BRUTAL HONESTY TO ACHIEVE MASSIVE SUCCESS’ BY PETER KOZODOY The turmoil of 2020 has pushed brands to reconsider how they appeal to their customers. Many are walking away from deceitful promises and aiming for radical honesty and authenticity, instead. In his new book, Kozodoy examines how this revolution came to be and why it’s working. His guide teaches leaders how they can embrace these qualities to make their businesses better.

Yearly resolutions are so last year … if they’re your only resolutions, that is.

Having long-term goals isn’t a bad thing, but do you have a daily plan to reach them? The huge boost of motivation in January isn’t always enough to sustain you all year long. That’s why there are major benefits to starting new healthy habits, whether you increase your weekly exercise time, eat healthier foods, or work on getting better or more sleep.

Luckily, sticking with these habits might be as easy as making daily resolutions to complement your yearly goals.

B.J. Fogg, a Stanford University professor and author of “Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything,” notes that tiny habits can make a new habit easy to implement into your daily ritual. For example, taking a short daily walk could lead to an exercise habit, or keeping an apple in your bag every day could encourage healthier snacking. It’s important that you stick with it because habits take a long time to create. One study published by the European Journal of Social Psychology asked people about a simple habit they wanted to form, like drinking water at lunch or taking a walk before dinner. They found that the average amount of time it took before the action became automatic was 66 days! Don’t be too hard on yourself if you miss a day, but know that sticking to a new habit is serious work, so starting small might help you out. Another important aspect of forming new daily habits is rewarding yourself. Bad habits, like smoking, have an inherent reward. However, healthy habits can have rewards, too! Try consuming a bit of dark chocolate after a workout or treating yourself to a fresh beverage or relaxing to a podcast after tackling an important task. Find ways to reward yourself, and you’ll be more likely to stick to your new habit. Certain daily resolutions don’t have to be related to exercise or diet to greatly improve your life. For example, having a gratitude journal might boost your long-term happiness by 10% and improve your blood pressure. Don’t hesitate to improve your quality of life! Just start small, and you’ll be amazed by how far you’ll go.

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Your Next Hobby A POST-RETIREMENT CAREER?

While many people pursue hobbies as a way to stay active and entertained, many hobbies can actually be turned into mini-careers or as a way to put some extra cash in your pocket. In this regard, many hobbies are self-sustaining because they can pay for themselves, while rounding out your bank account. It’s a win-win. Many hobbies are easily transformed into a source of income, while still being a lot of fun. One common example is gardening. While gardening might not turn into a full-blown, post-retirement career (though it could, if you wanted to put a higher level of time and effort into it), it can still put a little extra cash in your pocket. Here’s how: In retirement, people often expand their gardens. They may turn their backyard into a complete garden space or they may invest in a greenhouse or two. Some retirees even go as far as purchasing an additional parcel of land to garden on. And when you have such a large garden, what do you do with all those fruits and vegetables? You can sell them! Sell them at farmers markets or privately. Gardening is just one of many examples of hobbies turned into post- retirement careers. Other examples include photography, writing, baking, carpentry/woodworking, arts and crafts, pet care, antiquing, car restoration, and the list goes on. So, if you’re thinking about starting up a new hobby (or an old one), go for it! Even if you don’t turn it into a post-retirement career, it’s a great way to stay busy.

January is National Hobby Month, which makes perfect sense! As people set goals or make resolutions for the New Year, some of those goals often include trying out new hobbies or sparking up old ones. Hobbies are healthy — especially in retirement. They give you something to do. They occupy your time and they’re usually a lot of fun (or they

should be!). Going into retirement, you may have had a hobby years ago that you want to get back into. Or you may be ready to try something new. Plenty of studies show that hobbies extend your years. On top of that, picking up new hobbies helps keep your brain active and healthy as you strive to learn new things. When we talk to people who are nearing retirement, or already in retirement, we bring up the subject of hobbies. A common question we ask is, “Can you turn your hobby into a career in retirement?” Or, “Can you, or would you want to, make money from your hobby?”

TAKE A BREAK

Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole

Ingredients • 8 chicken thighs or

Directions

1. In a large frying pan, heat oil and fry salted chicken on high until brown. 2. Transfer chicken to the slow cooker. Add flour and stir. 3. In the frying pan on high heat, fry the onion, celery, carrots, leeks, and potatoes until lightly browned. Add garlic and fry for 30 seconds. 4. Transfer vegetables to the slow cooker and add the stock, rosemary, and lemon zest. 5. Cook on high for 2.5–3 hours or until chicken is tender. 6. Check seasoning and add lemon juice to taste. Top with parsley before serving.

drumsticks, lightly salted

• 1 tbsp olive oil • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour • 1 onion, finely sliced • 2 celery sticks, thickly sliced • 2 carrots, thickly sliced • 1 leek, thickly sliced • 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cut in large chunks • 2 garlic cloves, sliced • 14 oz chicken stock • 1 sprig rosemary • Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

Inspired by GoodHousekeeping.com

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(636) 394-5524

119 Old State Rd. Ellisville, MO 63021 CapitalAdvisoryGrp.com

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page 1

Kicking Off 2021 on the Right Foot

How Habit Tracking and Daily Resolutions Could TransformYour Life

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4 Books You Should Read to Lead

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Would You Turn Your Hobby Into a Career?

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Slow Cooker Chicken Casserole

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Are You Ready for Nothing?

A DAY ABOUT NOTHING A Celebration of Zero Obligations

This National Nothing Day is a good day to do just that. Here are a few ideas on how to spend your own Nothing Day:

If you had a day with zero obligations, how would you want to get the most out of that time? What would you do on a “day of nothing”? Now’s your chance to find out! Jan. 16 is National Nothing Day. According to the National Nothing Foundation, it’s a day “to provide Americans with one national day when they can just sit without celebrating, observing, or honoring anything.” National Nothing Day isn’t an officially recognized day. It’s just a fun “non-observance” that was created in the 1970s. In many ways, it’s a reminder to take a break. We often find ourselves with too little time. Our schedules are full and there’s always something to do or someplace to be. If you’re someone who thrives on keeping busy, being presented with a “day of nothing” can be a challenging proposition. But as we start a new year, it is important to make sure we take breaks and take care of ourselves.

• Start a new book (or finish a book).

• Binge-watch that TV show you’ve been eyeing (a season in a day?).

• Organize a closet or storage room (find things to sell/donate/ toss out).

• Gather financial/tax documents into one place (get ready to do your taxes).

• Take a walk or jog around the neighborhood or at the park (get started on fitness goals).

No matter how you spend a zero-obligation day, just remember to give yourself a Nothing Day every once in a while. It’s important to take a break from your ordinary routine to focus on other things, whether you’re having a little fun, kicking back and relaxing, or catching up on things around the house.

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