From Whimsy to Legacy: Applying Love Does in Your Professional Practice
If you’re looking for a book that flips the traditional idea of love on its head, Love Does by Bob Goff is a must-read. It’s a lighthearted, engaging read with deep insights that can resonate with anyone, especially those in professional advisory roles like financial advisors, CPAs or lawyers.
Why? Because at its core, this book teaches love in action — not just theory — and can reshape how we approach relationships, both personal and professional.
Love is Action, Not Just Talk
One of the book’s key messages is that love isn’t just a feeling or a conversation. It’s action. Goff illustrates this through various anecdotes from his life, showing how love compels him to take risks, reach out to others and pursue extraordinary experiences.
For professional advisors, this idea translates into how we serve clients. It’s easy to have a theoretical knowledge of what’s best for them, but love in action means going the extra mile, providing solutions that truly serve their interests and showing up when it matters most.
The Power of Whimsy and Taking Risks
Goff’s life philosophy includes embracing whimsy — that sense of playful curiosity and creativity. One memorable story is about his spontaneous decision to invite world leaders to dinner, a crazy idea that led to surprising outcomes.
While it’s not something most of us would do, the underlying message is about not letting fear or hesitation hold you back. For advisors, this lesson could be applied to taking calculated risks, whether it’s recommending a bold financial strategy or suggesting a new approach to solving a client’s problem.
Showing Up and Being Present
In the book, Goff often emphasizes the importance of simply showing up. He talks about how being present in people’s lives, especially when things are tough, makes all the difference. For advisors, showing up could mean being there for a client beyond routine check-ins, offering support during difficult life transitions or celebrating key milestones with them.
Seeing People, Not Just Clients
One of the most impactful takeaways is how Goff views people. He doesn’t see them as a means to an end; he genuinely cares about them as individuals. For those of us working with clients, this lesson is particularly important. It’s easy to get caught up in numbers, transactions or processes but the real impact comes when we remember that our clients are people with stories, dreams and goals beyond the financial or legal advice they seek.
Living a Story Worth Telling
Finally, Love Does encourages readers to live a life worth telling stories about. Goff’s anecdotes remind us that we all have the opportunity to write our own stories — and help others write theirs. As advisors, we’re in a unique position to help clients craft their legacy, not just through wealth management or legal structures, but also by encouraging them to live out their values.
A Few Key Takeaways for Professional Advisors:
- Take action: Don’t just give advice — act on it with love and care for your clients’ well-being.
- Embrace creativity: Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and offer bold, innovative solutions.
- Be present: Showing up consistently for your clients can build trust and long-lasting relationships.
- Care deeply: View your clients as people, not just transactions, and foster authentic relationships.
- Help create legacies: Encourage clients to live their values and craft a story worth telling.
In the end, Love Does serves as a reminder that love, when put into action, has the power to transform not only our personal lives but also our professional relationships. As advisors, we can take these lessons and apply them to create deeper, more meaningful connections with the people we serve.