By: Jaymon Meikle, Financial Advisor

Having mentors that can help you through life is incredibly important.

It doesn’t even have to be someone that you ever meet.

We have access to what I call “virtual mentors.” These are people we are able to follow and learn from through blogs, social media or podcasts that we might never meet face-to-face but can still have a big impact on our lives.

One of my virtual mentors is retired Navy Seal Lieutenant Commander, Jocko Willink. Jocko served for 20 years in the Seal Teams and fought in the Battle of Ramadi, where he led Task Unit Bruiser. He had several now well-known Seals like Chris Kyle (of “American Sniper”) under his command.

Now, Jocko is an author, owns a leadership consulting company and hosts the Jocko Podcast, which is one of the most listened to podcasts on iTunes, where he talks about leadership in all aspects of life.

As you might expect with a Navy Seal, Jocko has a way of cutting through the nonsense and giving great, straight-to-the-point advice.

Keeping a Positive Mindset

One of Jocko’s favorite sayings is “good.” Let me explain:

Whenever something doesn’t go your way or how you expected, there is always some good that comes from it.

Didn’t get the job promotion you wanted? Good. Now you can get better in your current role.

Your project at work didn’t get approved? Good. Now you can focus on a better one.

Sprained your ankle while running? Good. Now you can learn different ways to exercise.

I think you get the point.

Essentially, Jocko is talking about the importance of keeping a positive mindset in the face of trials and using those trials to push yourself to be better.

Life is not going to go as planned all the time, so it’s important to be able to pivot and adjust and use setbacks as a chance to improve.

The reason I bring all of this up is because of our current situation with COVID-19.

An Upside-Down World

There are a lot of people who have been negatively impacted by the virus without even coming into contact with it – and it can be terrifying. Jobs and wages have been lost. Some opportunities indefinitely postponed. School canceled or moved online.

Our world has been turned upside down. It’s absolutely terrible that people are getting sick and some are dying. It can be difficult to see any upside during this trial.

However, if you look closely – there are opportunities to see good.

In my neighborhood, I have never seen more families together enjoying the outdoors and each other’s company. The sidewalks are covered in chalk from kids who now have time to be creative.

Almost all of the bikes and exercise equipment is nearly sold-out at the local Wal-Mart because people are able to dedicate more time to physical activity.

Local communities and churches are becoming closer than ever as they have the chance to do more service.

I’ve even seen social media posts where people said that they are thankful for the situation they have been put in. They are thankful, because now their families are closer than ever, or they’ve had the chance to step back and take a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Through trials comes the opportunity to grow and to re-examine our priorities. How are you looking to grow through this trial? Are your priorities aligned with your values? What can you improve?

If finances are one of the areas in your life that you would like to improve, we are here to help.

Due to the chaos and uncertainty in the markets, a financial plan can alleviate some stress. With a financial plan, we can make sure your financial priorities match your values and help guide you through the ever-changing landscape of personal finance.

Give us a call and stay safe.