Never Ready & Never Enough

Never Ready & Never Enough

Get ready cause here I come

Temptations ‘Get Ready’

            Daily upon awakening after Shema (Jewish prayer), licks, constitutionals etc, Goodie, Simcha and I ‘ready’ for the new day make our daily rounds: open window shades, turn on the Dish downstairs in the office and to check out everything is ok. (Simcha is like an energetic young Dr. Kildare herding and peppering this aging Dr. Gillespie during these Bet Kelev rounds making sure everything is ‘on,’ done, and or ‘ready.’)

            Really there is no ready (save the Everyready™ Bunny) just as there isn’t ‘THE one , THE answer, THE if only.’

            There is always something regardless of planning and preparation (remember ‘man plans, God laughs.’)

            And if there isn’t ‘something’ – we invent something however tangential of miniscule probability

            And conveniently, there can always be an excuse for not being ‘ready.’

            Not ready is a readily excuse.

            There is no state of readiness.

           

            So let’s stipulate there is ‘no ready’ (perfection) and not ready (imperfection) is typically an excuse presented as caution, adorned in vigilance showing the good sense of being prepared. The aforementioned excuses are all good reasons but the real reason for ‘not ready’ are fears of failure, appearing foolish, and being exposed as lacking – being less –incompetent -  in the name of ‘ready.’ A not ready excuse:  reflective wise good sense as opposed to ‘the rush to judgment’s’ adverse consequences of ‘fire, ready, aim.’

            Better to: ready, aim, fire!

            And yet, it was a teenager, who, with but a slingshot prevailed slaying the Giant Goliath. This teenager wasn’t ready in either in stature or weaponry but, in faith – making Hashem BIGGER, yet this teenager, named David triumphed.

           

Shaddai = God, God Almighty, All Sufficient, ‘Enough’

Rabbi Mordecai Twerski

            ‘Not ready’ is a default excuse akin to ‘never enough.’

            Regardless of defining enough, it seems there is never enough – even when there is more than enough – because there is always another fear (solve risk #1, promote risk #2) ‘that we’re not ready for’ in the delusional search for permanence, continuity, certainty (surety).

…ass-urances…

            Yet, how can we be 100% (some preferring 150% ‘just in case’) ready (sure) when we are born deliberately incomplete?

            This ‘ready’ when we will have more – so we will have enough’ (which is never enough) is our chasing our tail with tales of ‘then I’ll be ready.’

            Talk about wagging the tail/tale?

            No “wagger” and no swagger.

            Ready and never enough have a common thread: fear.

            Fearing we may think ourselves as lacking, cowardly, spineless and or gutless, we spin and sanitize fear (the ‘F’ word) (1) typically with 3 other more erudite sounding four letter words connoting cognitive good sense, forethought, discretion & wisdom: risk and its tributaries loss and less.’ Thus, fear (in the name of risk, less and or loss) invokes never ready and never enough. . 

And you shall make Me a sanctuary and I will dwell within them

Exodus 25:8

            We will never be ready (nor was David) and we can’t beat fear. (Actually, fear, in context, is usual and necessary in a ialectic with gain for protection. But when fear is overwhelming (masked as not ready, never enough, and or obstructing with anxiety) – neither Fleets™ nor Phillips can permeate fear’s constipating & a-voiding effects. ((Ready, Willing, but Dis-abled)).

Since fear is necessary and can’t be vanquished, faith, having meaning IN one’s life, and re-membering oneself have to catapult (better doggiepult) the fears of ‘not readiness’ and ‘never enough.’ Doggiepulting faith (making God BIGGER than the fear), finding meaning IN one’s life, and re-membering one’s past adaptability and resourceful (one’s enoughness) leapfrog the not ready, the never enough (MOREon behavior), and the four horsemen of 4 letter words: risk, less, loss and fear. (2)

Having faith, finding meaning IN one’s life, remembering one’s adaptability and resourcefulness (enoughness) now that’s David’s Ready Whip™ (and without artificial flavoring)!

ENOUGH, ALREADY!

           

1.      Another F word denoting ‘fear’ (or you better be fearful) is the ‘fine’ said with a certain tone of voice primarily by the female gender – often accompanied by a stop of the foot and or hands on the hips as well as an askance look.

2.      By and large, self serving professional religioustariat have failed in assisting our finding meaning IN our lives preferring their role as spiritual leaders (rather than spiritual resources) through whom – as whole-salers – we get VICARious redemption (and maybe a plaque sans gingivitis) in the name of faith and deeds (accompanied by dues and large donations) alone

More AND Enough: Torah AND Mae West

More AND Enough(sm): Torah AND Mae West

Too much of a good thing can be wonderful

Mae West

            Exodus 36:7 states, “the work was sufficient for them for all they were to do, and more.” Keudshat Levi then raises the question of the disconnect between enough and more in the aforementioned stating, ‘there are two words here that seem to contradict one another.’     

How then to reconcile the para-orthodox of sufficient (enough) and more?

            The construction of the sanctuary (as both an external event and an internal metaphor (the sanctuary within) suggests – placing limits on the work (enough/sufficient) while leaving room for every generation (externally) to continue to build and add  (both externally and internally).

And the old shall dream dreams

And the youth shall see visions

We must live for today

We must build for tomorrow

Debbie Friedman’s lyrical version of Joel 3:1

            I am reminded of the story of the old man (70+) planting a fig tree. A neighbor thought it foolishness as by the time the tree would bare fruit – the old man would be long gone.

            The old man had benefited from the fruit of fig trees planted by others (enough so and sufficient) and thus he planted trees (on land otherwise that could presently yield) for others in the future more so that others would have enough and continue the cycle reconciling enough and more.

           

             Mae West would have countered the old man’s sacrifice of current yield for future generations stating, ‘too much (more) of a good thing is wonderful.’

            However, the reality is ‘more, better, now’ usually becomes ‘less, worse, later’ (wandering on their barren soil by de-fault accompanied by IF ONLYs.   )

            The LESSon

            Enough and more…..

            FIG-uratively speaking

The Top 10 MOREon Moments©

MOREon Moments© The Top 10

By The Maven of Craven ‘Never More’ Schwartz

10.- "I heard on Cramer"

  9. – The Mercedes is a great investment

 8. – As ER doctors we see how close we are to death, so have to spend and need more

 7.-  I know, but

 6.- Yes, but

 5.- What if, but

 4-  A cushion, just in case, but

 3-  (A holding goes down) we should have bought less of, and more of x

 2. –(A holding goes up) we should have bought more of it, and less of y

And the number 1 all time MOREon moment:

       Your fault! You weren’t persuasive enough!!  (even though the professional warned the client against the investment, strategy etc.)

Lack-tose Intolerance, ENOUGH, & THE Invisible

                                      Lack-tose Intolerance, ENOUGH, & THE Invisible

Shaddai means G-d, G-d Almighty, Enough

Rabbi Mordecai Twerski to this writer

            “There is no completeness in matters of this world. We always lack for something in the realm of physical pleasures. If you have everything else, you still may want for the pleasure derived from respect. Or you may want because of sexual desire. We always lack for something,” per Kedushat Levi commentary on Torah by 19^th century Rabbi Levi Yitzchak.

(Without our perceived ‘lacking’ ((failings and evil)) what justification is there for annual after life insurance premiums ((congregational dues)) and special assessments for the eternal new wing on the Church or The SINagogue Fund?)

“The more flesh, the more worms;

The more property, the more anxiety;

The more wives, the more witchcraft;

The more maidservants, the more lewdness;

The more man servants, the more robbery

Hillel Avot 218

            Lack.

            Lacktose intolerance is epidemic.

            And we are lackadaisical about questioning ourselves about the underlying premise of this lack contagion (as we are too busy seeking more to have enough which is never enough and thus the tautological lack pandemic thrives.)

            Thus, we are LACKeys

            And note: this lacktose intolerance is not related to diary products.

            Given ‘never enough’ – lacking is all-ways.

            Solve lack #1, lack #2 is promoted.

            (There’s no picking up the slack when one’s in lack)

            The presentational symptom & effect of this lackadaisical lacktose intolerance is the every increasing futile pursuit of Sisphusian more.

            Further’more’ – more doesn’t complete nor soothe the savage lack. more is adaptive recycling to lack which requires more – in dosage, amount, degrees, etc. (Todays’ 2014 Subaru is better in terms of reliability, safety,  comfort, and affordability  than then 1994 Mercedes – the 2014 Subaru is never enough – a 2014 Mercedes ((more )) is preferred or better yet a Tesla!)

            And while more more more – more, better, now has a way of becoming less, worse, later ©– at the heart of more is the desire for permanence, continuity, certainty – in a word – immortality extinguishing the inevitable extinction.

The word ‘Esther’ (as in the Esther of Purim) is related to the root word ‘hester’ which means ‘I will hide.’ The holiday of Purim itself is a symbol of concealment. And uniquely, the Book of Esther, unlike all the other books of Torah, has not one mention of Hashem. And also note it is in Deuteronomy wherein Hashem states ‘I will hide my face’

            While wanting what one has, knowing what ‘enough’ is monetarily, and realizing one’s own enoughness (adaptability and resourcefulness) – may soothe & manages the savage lack (though seemingly never to be cured), the question becomes: how does one deal and or cope – reversion to the continued habituated acculturated hamster wheel of more, ennui resignation, or faith in the concealed, the invisible, the hiding – the beyond our comprehension but with beneficent intention.

Believe in God but row away from the rocks (and cut the deck twice)

Curmudgeon saying

            Invisibility – concealment (even with infrared glasses) is contrary to materialization’s need for ‘proof’ – ‘show me.’

            Personally, I’ve struggled lack (less effectively than Jacob with the angel) I’ve rowed away from the rocks and cut the deck twice. Professionally,  I’ve seen what lack ‘has shown me,’ I’ve seen the manifestations of never ending material lack  (when clients had more  than enough, but there is always another perceived reef ahead, another feared stacked deck  manifested ad nauseum and it is always about the material.

So rather than the resignation of ennui, or just coping with more ‘light,’ by material demonstration of lack and it’s more tributary, and yes, by default as a component as well, I choose the hidden, the concealed, the invisible faith in Shaddai.

            The material is an Ecclesiastical ephemeral bet, lack is snake eyes, and more more more is for morticians and tuchass kissing MORE-on financial planner parasites  preying (not praying) on outsourcing lacktose intolerant hosts seeking more.

            As the wily Guirjieff once stated, ‘we attract our own life.’

            Lacktose intolerance MOREon Karma.

The Inherent Conflict of Interest Between Asset Under Management Fin. Planner Compensation & Personal Financial Planning

(A Email To Ms. Joyce Hanson relative to her featured front page story about Merrill Lynch's Wealth Management's "Goals Based Planning" in Investment News - A weekly Crain Publication)


Subject: John Thiel & Merrill Lynch's Wealth Management's Goals Based Planning & AUM An Oxymoron & Inherent Conflict of Interests

Ms. Hanson

                     If all you know is a hammer, everything looks like a nail - Maslow

The monetizing business model of both investment firms with asset management divisions and personal financial planning firms (actually asset managers in personal financial planning clothing i.e. a Trojan Horse) is assets under management (with the emphasis on under in reality). The amount of assets under management monetizes the value of the asset management/personal financial planning Trojan horse firm - way more than fees (be it hourly, bracketed, flat fee etc.)

As the cofounder of NAFPA (from which I resigned though I was their Fee Only Personal Financial Planner of the Year in 1985), author of two editions of ENOUGH(sm), blogster (which updates More vs Enough -- healingfinancialanxiety.blogspot.com) AND RETIRED from planning, assets under management personal financial planning compensation is not only an oxymoron to fee only planning but an inherent conflict of interest.

Personal financial planning is first, second, third about managing goals NOT the primacy of managing assets. (Managing Assets is just a tactic).

When one is compensated for managing assets this has the inherent conflict between managing of goals.

And here a couple of examples.

1) how many planners said - keep the mortgage - don't pay it down - and invest in the market?  (Think 2007). Well the mortgage - even after tax increases the amount of the goal (be it slow down, ed, or retirement). One is playing leverage (for the planner as well) which goes both ways. In the meantime, the planner has more assets under management to get his or her 1% annually on....
2) sometimes - especially with those with 'enough' (even with a cushion 'just in case') they need to take less risk (however you define it) which usually means a lower rate of return - but less volatility and potential for loss. This means less revenue from assets under management lowering the monetized value of the firm.

The 'managing goals' Trojan horse is not new. Yes, now it is for assets under management. But do a little historical investigation - and the first attempt I believe was Connecticut General's Living Planning - which was on the death side of objectives versus assets - a ruse for the sale of 'viola' more insurance needed. (Who woulda thought?)

I have personally seen where 'planners' - being compensation primarily via assets under management constructively make planning 'the second class citizen of the firm'  (the dimini? of the firm). For example, neglecting the potential of long term care needs (when life coverage was available and not even discussing it with these clients) and I could give other examples.

And while many can argue that there are conflicts in all compensation methods - transactional, fee, etc - holding out 'goals based planning' as planning when it in reality (and I wonder compensation formulas for planners) an oxymoron. In perspective, there is a difference in degree between going 65 in a 55 mile per house zone and going 120mph. Goals based planning when the compensation is overwhelmingly from assets under managment is 150mph - qualifying it for Fast and Furious 7. So the (im)moral equivalency argument doesn't hold STP The Racer's Edge.

I realize Investment News' readership is primarily those whose compensation is transaction based or assets under management. That said I hope you, Crain and your editor see it fit to give the same front space to an examination of planner compensation and mutuality of clients' interest. And please, understand, I know there is client amnesia (I wrote a piece by that name.) I also know there is no parasite without a host - wanting 'more, more, more' relative to others seeking external validation by more (more, better, now has a habit of becoming less, worse, later). But as fiduciaries - kicking and screaming - recognized in law or not - but in fact - leadership is by example

In A Nutshell: More vs Enough vs Life After Enough - Cascades (Linear & Non Linear)

ENOUGH(sm)

Not ‘Be’ Beholden

Not Take Shit

FUability

Independent of Independent Business

Choice

Alignment with Life Goals & Values

Heal personal financial anxiety

Pursuit of Meaning

Life After ENOUGH(sm)

What Next

Making A Difference

Confrontation with ‘Why’

Meaning

Completing

After Life Insurance

Re-Connection

Continuation

More

Acculturation

To Get Enough (Which Is Never Enough)

Scorecard vs Others

External Validation of ‘Enoughness’

Get More Assets Under Management

More, Better, Now result typically Less, Worse, Later

Habituation

Avoidance of What Next, Why & Meaning as too busy getting More

The MORE Stampede

The MORE Stampede

More!, Better!!, now!!!

Becomes

Less, Worse, Later

The Less-on of

The MORE-ON Stampede

(manage goals not assets or get trampled in 2014)