Moving to Tibet: The Power of Analogy to Convey the Differences Between Living in the Land of Accumulation vs. Distribution
In early 2004 Wealth2k was beginning to define its role in the Boomer retirement income opportunity. While we had learned a lot about the demographic shift and financial impact of the phenomenon, we realized that we needed to educate people on the magnitude of the challenge that’s faced when ordinary folks convert accumulated retirement assets into distributed retirement income. As successful storytellers we understood the power of analogy in helping crystallize unfamiliar concepts.
I felt that an effective analogy might be based upon the notion of a retiree moving to an exotic locale on the first day of retirement. The most exotic locale I could think of was Tibet. I then wrote the script for what became the narration of the movie I called Life in Tibet™.
The movie was showed many times in group settings and elicited generally enthusiastic responses. Most people though that it effectively demonstrated the economic contrast we wanted to explain. Some, however, didn’t like the intentionally dark ending- an elderly woman forced to seek financial assistance from her children (you’ve been warned).
In recent weeks a number of people have commented on the movie which we have kept continually available for viewing on the web. I thought you might like to watch Living in Tibet™ as the presentation retains its desired impact three years later. To view the movie click here.
As financial organizations seek to convey their own unique retirement income “value”, analogy can be very powerful tactic in creating necessary understanding and confidence.
©Copyright 2007 David A. Macchia. All rights reserved.