Chronicles of Stikks aka “The Tax Guy”: Don't Get Comfortable
I dealt with so many professional disappointments that I thought I couldn't cry about any more letdowns. However, a couple of months ago I was sitting on the couch alone and it just hit me. I realized that I haven't challenged myself professionally since I wrote my e-book back in 2013. I started crying and promised not to get too comfortable again. It is true that I didn't make a profit from the book sales. I still think it is a great book even if only my wife brought it! What makes me so proud of the experience is that I left my comfort zone in the whole process. I learned so much about creating content. My next book will be handled better.
My next statement may get some people mad but I'm not here to make friends. I hate just being an Enrolled Agent. I hate just having a Master's degree in Taxation. I hate just having an degree in Business Management. I feel like I'm doing my family, clients and myself a great disservice by living in the past. If I already reached my professional potential at 36 then I will consider myself a failure. I want to challenge myself to achieve higher goals. I want to be lucky enough to live to 75 years old and still want to learn more to help people. I would be a damn idiot to think my degrees make me an expert. Too many of tax professionals get their degree and license and just stop learning. They go to their annual continuing professional education seminars and just go through the motions. If the seminars don't make you uncomfortable then it is not good enough. I like those seminars that I come out with a headache because the new information I learned was insanely intimidating. I like those seminars that I'm the youngest in the audience by two decades!
My advice to all taxpayers is that if your tax accountant gets too comfortable with you then leave him or her. Don't just stay with an tax accountant because he has a nice personality. You need to get uncomfortable too! Stop being scared to seek out qualified tax planning services. Stop looking for the cheapest accountant instead of most qualified. Stop just visiting your accountant only around April 15th to see if you get a refund. Stop being scared of learning the basics of taxes on your own free time. Take more control of your financial destiny. Don't just rely on someone with a nice suit to give you advice on your situation. How are you going to ask the right questions without being informed first? Read a book about how to make taxes work in your favor. Stop being scared of the IRS because you have rights and options!
Tax professionals need to develop some type of damn proud their craft! Taxpayers need to develop some type of damn proud in their financial situation. Tax professionals and their clients are in a relationship together and it takes two to make a great partnership. If one partner is lazy then nobody reaches their true potential in the partnership. I love when a client ask me a million questions. I'm in the process of challenging myself to achieve three things that most professionals fail in more than they pass. Yeah, I'm losing sleep and dealing with a lot of stress. But don't cry for me because I feel ALIVE! I will defy the odds because winners don't quit on themselves. When I conquer my current challenges, I will add them to the list of things that I hate and go for a bigger challenge.
Until next time…..Jay-Z once said “I move forward – the only direction. Can’t be scared to fail – search and perfection.”
Name: Jamaal Solomon
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