Author: Courtney Pullen
Reviewer: Myra
Conclusion: Worth reading!
In the interest of full disclosure, I know and love this author, so my review cannot be totally objective. You may remember that Courtney Pullen was the subject of one of my periodic newsletters, the Periodic Ponderance, in an edition I wrote exactly two years ago this quarter.
The crux of his new book, Intentional Wealth, is brilliantly summed up in the book’s last paragraph:
“Going from ‘shirt sleeves to success’ is no accident. It doesn’t just happen because some families are luckier than others are; it’s possible for any family. Families that flourish do so because they manage the family’s financial and non-financial resources with attention and intention. This kind of success means much more than maintaining the family’s financial legacy or enjoying prosperity. It means passing on purposeful legacies of value, empowerment, family connection, and stewardship. When families make a commitment to intentional wealth, they create a legacy of wealth that is enhanced by – but not limited to – financial success. They build a heritage that fosters rich and fulfilling lives for generations to come.”
Of course, the goal of the book is to help readers learn how to arrive at fulfillment, and the body of the book describes how to get there. I could stop now and just say that if you are interested in achieving this goal, you should buy and read the book, but I’ll entice you with a few valuable nuggets from the text. Here are a few wisdoms I gleaned:
On parenting – “It isn’t easy to be the hard-hearted parent who deprives a child simply out of choice. Parents unable to fall back on ‘we can’t afford it ‘ may find it hard to justify saying no.” (p. 3)
On defining success – “In many cases, the people that are valued the most in the family are the ones who are in the family business. This is a common source of conflict and pain. Families that thrive, on the other hand, tend to define success and value much more broadly” (p. 29)
On teaching a healthy relationship with money – “Denying that you have wealth is the opposite of believing wealth gives you the right to do whatever you want… Setting limits based on pretended poverty is just as bad as setting no limits…” (p. 55)
The book is filled with examples, stories, and exercises to help develop appreciation skills. It offers guidelines for defining a family’s core values, and it suggests strategies for building a united family system. It also explains how advisors who serve families can contribute to their achievement of these goals.
Your family’s success won’t just happen – not by accident. There is a reason that “Intentional” is the first word in the title of this book!
For more information or to buy the book:
- Available e-books on iBooks and Amazon
- Available paperbacks on Amazon
- Available at www.pullenconsulting.com/book.html
- About the author – www.pullenconsulting.com