Experience tells you what to do; confidence allows you to do it. Stan Smith

Stan Smith is a former world No.1 tennis player who, with his partner Bob Lutz, formed one of the most successful doubles teams of all time.

It is surprising to discover that, as a kid, Smith was turned down for the position of ballboy by the Davis Cup officials because they thought he was too clumsy. Clearly he had boldness from a young age, even if he hadn’t yet accumulated the required skills.

We can expand on his quote with one from The Office, “Confidence. It’s the food of the wise man but the liquor of the fool.” Without experiential knowledge to guide you your confidence can become overzealous and misguided.

Unfortunately, much like the entry-level job that requires three years of prior experience, gaining the necessary practical knowledge to guide you can be the hard part. We learn the most from our mistakes. However, when it comes to finances you can’t always afford to make those mistakes yourself.

Smith was able to form a dynamic partnership that gave him more tournament experience which led to a glut of confidence; no doubt enhancing his skills and his mental fortitude for his solo performances.

When it comes to finances we see a lot of people who are financially clumsy at first. They’ve got ambition, but without experience it can be difficult for them to determine whether their confidence is misplaced.

What they need is a partner with experience. As financial advisors we have accumulated years of experience to guide you to a confident financial future.

Experience allows us to build a roadmap. It tells us how you will get there, how long it will take to get there and it informs any changes that we may need to make to our plans along the way.

Let’s create thriving partnerships!

(Influential sneaker sponsorships not included)