When I was a rookie financial advisor in my 20’s, I could have written a blog titled, “The Superpower of Arrogance.” Arrogance as in knowing it all – telling clients, with complete conviction, exactly what they should do. Back then, I aspired to be that kind of advisor.

But with experience and a few grey hairs, I’ve discovered that the best financial advisors - the ones I would hire for myself - are the epitome of humility.

Why would I hire the humble advisor over the know-it-all?

Well, while the know-it-all’s confidence might feel reassuring at first, this person tends to see complex situations in only one way, ask fewer questions, and be less open to hearing the client’s own insights. A humble advisor brings something rarer: what Zen teacher Shunryu Suzuki Roshi called a Beginner’s Mind - one that stays receptive, curious, and attuned to the financial life you’re trying to create. As Suzuki Roshi wrote: 

“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.”

Choosing to work with an advisor first requires acknowledging that we need help — which is itself an act of humility, and one that pays real dividends. I see three key benefits from hiring an advisor versus doing it yourself: 

• Objective perspective. It's nearly impossible to be objective about our own financial decisions—we're too close (and sometimes emotional) to see clearly.
• Accountability. An advisor helps you turn good intentions into action; and
• Experience. You gain access to an advisor's hard-won wisdom from guiding many clients through situations like yours.

It took humility to recognize that these benefits were relevant to me too. 

Years ago, I was so certain about a privately held tech investment that I didn't consult anyone — my spouse, my friends, or even my colleagues. Five years later, I'd lost the entire investment. That's why, despite 35 years in this field, I hired my own financial advisor. Sharing my significant spending and investing intentions with my financial advisor takes humility (especially when you’re a financial advisor by profession), but this has protected me more than any amount of overconfidence ever did.

Look for an advisor who asks you better questions than you'd ask yourself. Someone who’s motivated to understand your most important life, family, and work goals — not just your portfolio targets. Someone who makes you feel heard, not managed. That's what humility looks like in practice.


P.S. I co-founded Abacus Wealth Partners and led the firm as CEO for ten years — it’s a team I trust deeply. If you're looking for an advisor who leads with questions, not answers, their free 15-minute discovery call is a good place to start.