Beyond Resolutions – How to Improve Your Practice in 2026

“You don’t look like your goals; you look like your habits.”

I don’t know who said that first, but it stopped me cold when I heard it the first time. I think about it every year around this time when I see people trotting out their new year’s resolutions, which tend to be framed as goals like “Lose ten pounds” or “Stop wasting time on social media.” In the back of my mind, I’m thinking, “Nice goals, now show me your habits.”

In my work with financial advisors, I’ve seen the truth of “habits beat goals” materialize more times than I can count. Habits are standards for behavior. Advisors who set and consistently meet high standards are the ones who are successful year in and year out.

Let’s compare a few goals vs. standards to see what a standards-based or habit-based approach might look like as you move into 2026.

Goal: Increase share of wallet with every client.

Standard: My practice delivers comprehensive, holistic financial planning to each household.

Advisors who approach their business as comprehensive financial planning can have a distinct advantage over those who offer primarily investment advice with a few bolt-on ancillary services. This approach puts them in a position to inquire about all aspects of the client’s financial picture, not merely investable assets.

Here's how this translates to capturing more wallet share: During discovery meetings and annual reviews, systematically ask probing questions across all financial domains. Topics like insurance, healthcare planning, estate planning, tax strategies, business succession planning, and more are all on the table for discussion when your standard is comprehensive financial planning.

The evolution of fintech can expand your capabilities beyond core services of financial advice into more complex, investment-adjacent challenges faced by clients. Use planning software that visualizes the interconnections between different financial decisions, demonstrating that you’re addressing the client’s complete financial picture.

Advisors who make this approach a habit with each client—explicitly specifying the full range of help they can provide during onboarding and systematically uncovering the client's financial concerns beyond asset allocation and risk tolerance—find that increasing wallet share can be a natural consequence of how they run their practice.

Goal: Add private markets exposure to client portfolios.

Standard: I make sure all my clients are properly diversified.

Notice how the goal framing presents a task to be completed or a box to be checked. But proper diversification as a standard habit of your practice aligns you with clients’ best interests.

The investment landscape has fundamentally shifted. The universe of public companies has shrunk by nearly half over the past three decades, while the number of substantial private companies while the number of substantial private companies increased dramatically. Meanwhile, private real estate and infrastructure investments can provide sources of return that tend to have low correlation to public market investments.

If your commitment is to proper diversification and asset allocation, and your client knows this because you’ve made it clear in your value proposition from the start of the relationship, then introducing a new asset class should not be a surprise to the client.

Proper diversification to help maximize return at an acceptable level of risk is part of who you are and what your practice is committed to. When it’s a habit rather than a goal, you’ll find achievement of the goal much easier.

Goal: Spend more time with clients and prospects.

Standard: I automate as many non-client-facing tasks as possible.

Here's an important truth about time management: you can't actually manage time itself. What you can control is how you allocate your attention and energy within the time you have.

If you want to spend more time with clients, but your days are consumed by non-client-facing tasks, you have two options: eliminate those tasks or find more efficient ways to handle them. Simply working longer hours might provide a temporary fix, but it's not a sustainable long-term strategy. When you make a habit of automating non-client-facing activities and implementing digital solutions for time-consuming manual work, capacity expands. You're not adding hours to your day. You're reclaiming the hours you already have and redirecting them toward high-value client interactions.

Moving Into 2026 With Standards, Not Just Goals

Consider reframing your resolutions for 2026 in terms of the habitual standards you intend to uphold in your practice. The goals you want to achieve become natural outcomes of disciplined, consistent habits. When your daily actions align with your standards, results can follow without the grind of constantly chasing targets.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

This report is for informational purposes only, it is not an offer, solicitation, or recommendation to buy or sell any particular investment or investment strategy, and should not be considered investment, legal or tax advice. Investors seeking personalized guidance or more information should contact their financial advisor.

Investing in private markets involves significant risks, including the risk of complete loss. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Private markets are often illiquid, meaning an investor's ability to sell will be limited for extended periods of time. Investors with a future need for liquidity, i.e., access to cash, should carefully consider if private markets are appropriate for their financial situation. Investing in private markets is intended for experienced investors who are able to bear and understand the risks of the investments.

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8684794.1 | 01/2026 | EXP 01/06/2028

For financial advisor use only.