I found my first gig in February 2020, just weeks before the COVID‑19 pandemic swept through Canada and the world. I was lucky—the job gave me an opportunity to flex my entrepreneurial muscles inside an organization that needed exactly that.
One of my earliest memories from my interactions was a monthly ritual: a colleague would open a letter from his financial institution and either sigh with huge relief or with quiet frustration. It was his registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) statement. He was a few years from retirement and would openly share the ups and downs of his investments, depending on how the market had performed that month.
What struck me most was not the gains or losses, it was how disconnected he was from the process. At some point, he had outsourced his financial future to an advisor. He had taken his foot off the gas, hoping that trust and time would carry him into retirement.
Another conversation I remember vividly was over lunch with a friend. I’d mentioned recently learning about the benefits of maxing out my RRSP. She laughed, not out of humour but disbelief. She was in her 50s and said no one—not her accountant, not her financial advisor—had ever pointed her in that direction. It was only after asking around and realizing how many of her peers were maxing out theirs that she shifted direction.
These two moments, among others, shaped a deeper belief I now hold: you can’t surrender your financial future. Not to a system, and not to a professional advisor, no matter how experienced or well‑intentioned they are.
Demand more from your advisor
Let me be clear: I value financial advisors and I retain one. But, unlike many Canadians, I don’t see them as a proxy. They are a partner and that means I still drive. I check the markets every day—not to make daily decisions, but to orient myself. Akin to checking your mirrors while driving, it gives me perspective and allows me to safety-check my position in the world.
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There are times when I pull back completely. I have made it a habit to sit out the market for 60 days every year—not permanently, not emotionally, but strategically. I divest from my and my spouse’s TFSAs, RRSPs, and even our daughter’s RESP when the noise is too much and the levers are too many. I do it because I’ve learned that sleepless nights are more costly than short‑term gains could be rewarding. And I’ve had to train every new advisor the bank assigns me to understand this. Our first meeting always includes a conversation about my need for peace of mind and the value I place on a good night’s sleep.
Scripted guidance isn’t help
These stories are a backdrop to what has become a recurring frustration: too often, financial advice feels scripted. Many advisors rely on templated language, passed down through training manuals or repeated from investment podcasts. They apply it broadly. It feels like they’re running on autopilot. The intention might be good, but the result is disempowering.
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Instead of taking the time to understand the nuance of someone’s circumstances, many advisors lean on well‑worn phrases. That’s why I’ve started keeping a list of the most common and most frustrating things financial advisors say. Here are five I wish would come with a conversation, not a script.
Five clichés I wish advisors wouldn’t use
Here are five common phrases advisors use that often replace conversation instead of encouraging it.
1. “Time in the market is better than timing the market.”
It’s good advice. But hearing it once is enough.
Clients who want to be active participants in their financial future aren’t necessarily trying to beat the system. Yet the moment they ask deeper questions or express caution, the advisor’s default is to reel them back in with this line. It can feel like a warning, not a dialogue. Often, it shuts down the conversation.
2. “Let’s look at your starting point.”
No, let’s not. Starting points are useful for tracking growth, not for rationalizing losses.
Capital preservation isn’t always the goal. When I opened my RRSP, I had less than $500 in it. Years of contributions later, I’ve built a meaningful nest egg. So, when the market dips, it’s unhelpful to hear, “Well, you’re still ahead of where you started.” That’s like telling a marathon runner who trained for years that a half marathon is still better than sitting at the start line.
3. “It’s ultimately your decision.”
Of course it is—but when this line is used as a fallback, it often comes off as a cop‑out, not a sign of respect.
Sometimes, clients make decisions based on emotional realities or external pressures that don’t fit into the spreadsheet. If you trust your advisor, they should guide you through discomfort, not bow out of the conversation when it gets complicated.
