#EnhanceAptitude

March Madness is full of surprises and 2022 backed the truck up on almost everyone’s bracket. The tense emotion of any team surprising in any game is the unique quality of the NCAA tournament that brings people from all walks of life together to watch, agonize, and celebrate with teams and fans that they often have no connection to. In the 20 years I’ve lived this hoop dreams experience, I’ve picked up several lessons that can also be found in at the heart of our planning philosophy.

| COACHING AND PROCESS MATTERS

While it might be disappointing to some, it should not come as a shock that the Final Four is usually composed of 2-3 schools from the same pool of perennial powerhouses. Great people (coaches) in a great process (program) consistently run the March gauntlet and come out on top. You might occasionally have a great player or coach shine through the first four rounds, or a great program that consistently makes the field, but it is only when you have a great process paired with great people that you will see consistent top performance.

The same is true with your personal financial plan. The path to achieving your goals is anchored in the process you put in place to achieve them. That process needs to be flexible to the changing landscape of your life and your personal values. Just like good coaches adapt their process to magnify the qualities of their players, your Embark Wealth Advisor will create distinct strategies that play to the strengths of your financial position and values.

| CREATE SITUATIONS THAT RAISE THE PROBABILITY OF YOUR SHOTS

There was a new dynamic to some of the game broadcasts this year where you could see the percentage chance of making a shot from that player’s position (adjusted for floor position and defensive positioning) in real time under the player on the screen. While the added element was a little distracting, it was interesting to see how the plans and actions of each team were designed to create a higher probability of success and a more favorable outcome.

Far too many people are not playing the financial game in ways that increase the chance of meeting their goals. Most will adjust to the reality of the results they get from their actions instead of acting on opportunities presented in the past or opportunities they might never have known existed. Seizing opportunities is a core value of our process, and we deliver on that through understanding your situation. We have years of experience pivoting toward windows of opportunity to accelerate progress towards your goals.

| TURNOVERS ARE A RESULT OF OVER & UNDER CONFIDENCE

Many tournament dreams are dashed on the rocks of turnovers. Players that are too confident will force the ball and players that lack confidence will hesitate and miss the opportunity. Bringing the right level of confidence to the game is something trained into these athletes through years of experience. But pride and immense pressure can push that confidence out of balance.

Confidence in your financial plan is one of the most empowering results we seek. That confidence infuses all aspects of your life and helps you bravely move forward month after month and year after year. Many of the situations you face once a decade or once in a lifetime are situations that we assist with daily. Leveraging our combined experience will put you in the right position to enjoy the most life has to offer and avoid unnecessary losses of opportunity.

Whether you’re a sports fan or not, strategic and smart financial planning is a game we can all play. You can be confident you’re on a winning team with Embark Financial Partners in your court.