A monthly newsletter of the best behavioural resources from around the web. Enter your details below to start receiving our regular updates.

The Gift of Continued Learning

One of the great privileges of being a financial adviser is that our profession is built on learning. At its core, our business is about information, understanding, and wisdom. We are constantly exposed to new ideas from finance, economics, psychology, history, marketing, and beyond. And unlike many industries where training ends once you qualify, in ours the journey of learning never stops.

I often say to clients, “I read all the books so you don’t have to.” That’s not a throwaway line. It’s part of the responsibility and privilege of our role. The more we read, listen, and absorb, the better equipped we are to help clients navigate complexity. And in turn, the more we grow, the more valuable our businesses become.

This is a gift. A gift that too many advisers squander.

It’s easy to think that time spent with a book, a podcast, or a white paper is indulgent or non-essential. But it’s quite the opposite. Every page read, every idea tested, every viewpoint challenged or unlearned, strengthens the foundations of the work we do. Clients don’t just pay for portfolios and tax wrappers. They pay for wisdom. They pay for judgment. And wisdom is only earned through a lifetime of continuous learning.

AI has changed the landscape, yes. It condenses, summarises, and delivers information faster than ever. But shortcuts are rarely the real path. The shortcut is the long road. Skimming summaries is not the same as wrestling with the full depth of an idea, or sitting with a book that changes how you think. There are no hacks for wisdom.

As advisers, our ongoing education benefits everyone:

Our clients – because they receive better guidance, sharper thinking, and broader perspectives.
Our businesses – because better advisers build stronger practices and deeper trust.
Ourselves – because in becoming wiser, we live richer, more examined lives.

So treat your learning as a central part of your craft, not an optional extra. Read widely, beyond finance. Psychology, history, and human behaviour are as vital to your work as the latest investment research. Let yourself be challenged, surprised, even unsettled.

Don’t squander this gift. Many professions don’t offer this ongoing expansion of the mind as part of the job. We’re fortunate that ours does. The wisest advisers are not those who know it all, but rather those who never stop learning.

📰 Articles & Blogs

Whistling Past the Graveyard [5 minutes]. Exploring the myth that retirees can happily live on 70% of pre-retirement spending, showing instead that most spend less only because they must, not because they want to.

Blend AI Into Your Firm By Understanding How Clients Make Financial Decisions [8 minutes]. Embracing AI as a tool to enhance capabilities and client relationships, rather than viewing it as a threat that could replace human advisers.

Morningstar Report: Investors Miss 15% of Fund Returns [4 minutes]. The latest update of this well-known research.

Triumph of the Optimists [5 minutes]. Rational optimism is always rewarded.

50 Facts From 1H 2025 [7 minutes]. A diverse collection of 50 facts from the first half of 2025.

Key Questions To Reframe Client Issues Into Collaboration [10 minutes]. Some meetings require collaboration, not correction.

🎧 Podcasts

TRAP 78 - Summer Reset: Drift or Design? [92 minutes]. The TRAP pack reflect on the Summer break and challenges advisers to stop drifting, recharge with intention, and hit September as hard as January.

Nick Murray: ‘The Investor Is Hardwired to Be His Own Worst Enemy’ [53 minutes]. Nick Murray distils six decades of experience into timeless lessons on managing investor behaviour and strengthening the adviser–client relationship.

At Humans Under Management London 2024, Emily Turgoose presented on the importance of making retirement a fulfilling experience for clients. The talk addresses the challenges many financial advisers face when guiding clients through the transition into retirement. It highlights the emotional and psychological aspects of retirement planning, which are often overlooked.