Leveraging Your Financial Intelligence: At the Intersection of Money, Health, and Happiness

Leveraging Your Financial Intelligence is a research–based guide that offers compelling real–life stories and a proven approach that clearly shows how a change in behavior can enhance financial security while improving physical and emotional wellbeing. Written for anyone who wants to achieve overall satisfaction in life, this vital resource explores a holistic approach that centers on the goals of economic stability, optimum health, and personal happiness.

As the authors explain, while overall happiness may be one′s ultimate goal, the fastest way to achieve happiness is to begin by reducing financial stress using the strategies outlined in this book. Rather than a feel–good, self–help book based on one individual′s personal philosophy, Leveraging Your Financial Intelligence draws on quantitative research by top experts and thought leaders in neuroscience, psychology, health, and cultural anthropology, as well as original case studies.

Clear, concise, and practical, Leveraging Your Financial Intelligence explores a number of approaches for expressing and drawing on your financial intelligence. The wealth of illustrative examples can help pinpoint which method will work for you and the strategies presented will allow you to apply your financial intelligence to create your own intersection of money, health, and happiness.

With Leveraging Your Financial Intelligence as your guide, you will discover how to achieve true financial, emotional, and physical wellbeing by taking the actions needed to live in alignment with your principles, values, and goals.

PREFACE V

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS IX

CHAPTER 1 MONEY, HEALTH, AND HAPPINESS: HOW THEY’RE CONNECTED 1

CHAPTER 2 LIVING IN ALIGNMENT 22

CHAPTER 3 SETTING AND ACHIEVING GOALS 36

CHAPTER 4 MONEY 54

CHAPTER 5 HEALTH 77

CHAPTER 6 HAPPINESS 103

AFTERWORD 130

APPENDIX A: EXERCISE: WHAT ARE YOUR TOP VALUES? 132

APPENDIX B: EXERCISE: VALUES AND BEHAVIOR ALIGNMENT 133

APPENDIX C: EXERCISE: WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE? 136

APPENDIX D: EXERCISE: VISUALIZE YOURSELF LIVING YOUR PURPOSE 138

APPENDIX E: GOAL ACHIEVEMENT PLANNING 140

APPENDIX F: EXERCISE: PLAY THE FREEZE GAME 143

INDEX 145

Doug Lennick is the CEO of think2perform, a company that provides executive coaching, business advisory services and professional development programs. Doug is legendary for his innovative approaches to cultivating high performance in individuals and organizations.

Roy Geer was co–founder of Resource Systems, a management consultancy specializing in corporate strategic planning and employee development. He later focused on coaching individuals and small teams in personal and professional development.

Ryan Goulart is a Business Development and Research Associate, at think2perform. He gathers and assesses data from clients in order to assist think2perform in developing tools and programs that effectively engage audiences to meet client needs.