Every client views risk differently. You should too.
I was walking into Costco this morning and a young dad and his young son passed me. As a matter of fact, they blew past me. The son was in the seat in the cart and the dad was standing on the frame of the cart as they zipped along to their car. The little boy was having a blast and the dad was making every second to the car an adventure.
I walked about 20 feet further and an older couple passed me. I could here 
the man say, "Young and stupid." He was speaking about the fun-loving dad and his son. The contrast between the two families was vivid. One family was grabbing for excitement along the way, and the other family was steering toward safety.
That was a great lesson in looking at clients. Every client is different. Some are the fun loving dad who is willing to take risks to make life an adventure for a 3 year old, and some are looking for the safety and comfort of the familiar and the simple. Neither is right or wrong, they are just different.
Having been one of those dads who did crazy things on a bicycle and motorcycle, I get it. At different places in life, risks seem less risky and can be easier to bear. I did sell my motorcycle when my younger son was about 2 years old because of the chances that something would happen to me while riding it. That was a transition for me. I wanted to make sure I was doing everything possible to be there while he was young.
When working with clients, you can't assume that the next 25 year old is going to have the same view of risk or risk avoidance as the past 25 year old. Many of my younger clients are very risk averse while some of my older clients are taking on levels of risk and responsibility that you would envision a 30 year old taking on. A client who seems to be skittish about a variety of things may be telling you that he has a low tolerance for the unknown as well as risk overall.
Every client views risk differently, and you should too. It doesn't matter if you're buying a home or gliding through a Costco parking lot, every client is truly different and should be viewed differently.
14. Jumpstart Challenge
Comments(7)