“Won’t that couple ever talk to each other?” Judy asked. We were having dinner at a local Pasadena eatery and there was another couple in our line of sight. Young, attractive and definitely not connected. How did we know?

 

1. No talking
2. No eye contact
3. No physical contact

Definitely not connected. They exhibited all the telltale signs of a lack of engagement. They finished eating, split the bill, and headed out to what? A silent ride home … and there went an evening out. It was wasted and provided no basis for a future dialogue—no basis for a future life. They need The Money Couple.

I can remember being introduced by our high school coach as the only 9^th grade member of the Junior Varsity basketball team. It was during an All School assembly and we were back in the locker room when he came up to me and said, “Everyone else seemed excited for you, what’s your problem?” “I am excited,” I protested. “Notify your face!” he retorted.

As Christians we are urged to be Salt and Light in—and to—our world. We are exhorted to “BE ENGAGED.” No hiding that light under a basket.

So, what are the tell-tale signs that a retirement plan participant (and investor) is not engaged? A couple quick examples come to mind when thinking of the Envoy Choice Plan:

1. No Registration
2. No Enrollment
3. No annual review
4. No webinar attendance
5. No reading newsletter

Well let’s not be too tough … most people don’t do anything at all. The sad part is—like our Christian walk and steps to maturity—if we don’t put anything in, we’ll get the same amount out. A big Zero. I often think of the parable of the 10 virgins ... what a bummer to get left out in the cold when the “big” time comes.

It’s kind of like that with planning for the time when the paycheck stops … kind of like not preparing for your Future Funded Ministry Plan. Maybe it is even like letting the coffee cherries rot on the vine, when all we had to do was take action, engage, and pick them at the height of maturity.

All of us involved in creating the Educate Now activities are called to connect … to engage. And our biggest task is to encourage our participants to do the same: Connect, Engage, Turn On and Get Going. Many are, yet many are not.

Envoy will do it’s best to help, but we are better together. I don’t like to motivate with guilt, and yet we know what the right thing to do is! Well, 100,000 Jewish moms might be right at least some of the time.

Here is an inside observation. The material Envoy provides is really good stuff. The resource center, the Personal Retirement Guide, the Website, and maybe, occasionally, this blog. Let’s make it better together.

Bruce

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