Plenty of quantitative measures support the oft-cited analogy between a financial advisor and a football quarterback. Football players view the quarterback as a leader on the field and in the locker room while investors look to their advisor for guidance and reassurance throughout the year. Quarterbacks call a play that fits the situation on the field while advisors help select investments appropriate for the client’s circumstances. 

A study released last year by Morningstar Behavioral Research took this comparison a step further by offering a quantitative rationale. The report sheds light on the significance of understanding behavioral finance, as well as the pivotal role emotional factors play in nurturing the client-advisor relationship.

I want to guide you through key findings from the study and provide insights about how you may be able to utilize this knowledge in your practice.

“So, what do you do?”

“I’m a financial advisor.” (Not true.)

“Oh, so you pick stocks?”

“Yep!” (Also not true.)

As a parent, I try to encourage my daughters to be inquisitive and develop cognitive skills by answering their questions with explanations that encourage conversation. Note that I said, “try,” because I’m certainly guilty of looking at them in the rearview mirror and letting out a, “Because I said so!” from time to time.

Something that unites almost every asset manager that believes it uses a disciplined, repeatable investment process is our annoyance with performance chasing. The root of this frustration is how performance becomes a shiny object that can distract some investors, and even some financial advisors. It can be particularly difficult to look away from the shine during prolonged bull markets, when human nature makes investors feel more invincible.

Here’s an ironic twist: The other day I realized that Blueprint Investment Partners, as a trend follower, actually has plenty in common with performance chasers. Except for one (gigantic) difference.

Well, here we are again.

It’s that time of year when many asset managers like to make predictions about the year ahead, while Blueprint Investment Partners calls attention to the foolishness of that exercise. As evidence, I give you this January  2022 tweet from Bloomberg media personality Jonathan Ferro, who recaps how 14 leading financial firms foresaw the S&P 500 ending 2022. 

Their guesses lend credence to my assertion that one of the only annual market predictions worth making is this: Following a consistent, disciplined investing process will lead to better outcomes than trusting the predictions of financial “experts.”