The Myth of the Silver Spoon - by Kristin Keffeler (Hardcover)

About the Book

"The next generation within wealthy families know they have won the "birth lottery." Nevertheless, they have many hidden tripwires and challenges in their lives. Common are reoccurring fears of failure, feelings of isolation and disconnection from their peers, a lack of motivation, and the heavy burden of worry that they'll never measure up--or worse, that they can't be sure who they are or what they want from life beyond the weighty identity of being a member of an affluent family. Great wealth casts a long shadow. Aware of the abundant benefits affluence brings, these next gens worry it's selfish, frivolous, or too privileged to admit their struggles. With few outlets or means for them to put voice to these issues, their challenges easily turn into debilitating self-narratives. This keeps them from experiencing the freedom of their own identity and the power of their ideas. As individuals, they flounder and slowly lose their chance at a happy, meaningful life; and we--as families, friends, and society--lose the benefits of their contribution to the common good"--

Book Synopsis

The next generation within wealthy families are often said to be born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Perceived as free from life's toughest challenges. "Having it all." But being raised in affluence brings a unique set of pressures and hidden tripwires. Great wealth casts a long shadow. Inheritors commonly face intense familial expectations, public scrutiny and judgment, and confusing or debilitating self-narratives, under which many flounder. And we--as family, friends, and society--slowly lose their contribution to our lives and the common good.

The Myth of the Silver Spoon helps guide the next gen of the affluent, their families, and the ecosystem of professionals who influence them--wealth advisors, estate attorneys, tax attorneys, philanthropic advisors, family office professionals, and career coaches--to identify and confront negative thinking and behaviors related to wealth.

Through new research, meaningful storytelling, and actionable concepts, Kristin Keffeler--an expert advisor, consultant, and certified professional coach to high-net-worth families--helps readers clear the internal and external clutter from their paths that accumulates from growing up with wealth. She shows readers how to:

• Put words to their difficulties and dismantle the hidden tripwires of affluence
• Address challenges at their root, including when raising children of their own, instilling guardrails against entitlement and feelings of helplessness
• Identify structures for finding and sustaining one's own vision of a fulfilling, impactful life

Privately held wealth has great potential to benefit society. But only if it is held by people able and willing to do good with it. Whether you're a rising gen yourself or gifting this to a client, The Myth of Silver Spoon offers a compassionate discussion and a seven-step process for connecting a rising gen's innate strengths to the embers of their hopes, so that they can move forward creating thriving and impactful lives.

From the Back Cover

LEARN THE HIDDEN TRIPWIRES OF INHERITED WEALTH AND CLEAR A PATH TO THRIVING

"Kristin Keffeler's book has, simply put, so much wisdom. The Myth of the Silver Spoon acknowledges the challenges of wealth without succumbing to the fears and negativity of many similar resources. She methodically examines the lives and experiences of inheritors of wealth, offering new understanding about the underlying issues and strategies for building strengths and skills. From every page, her encouraging voice and solid advice speak clearly to this often-disdained population. You will be more than inspired--you will be energized."

-- James Grubman, PhD, consultant to families of wealth, family offices, and their advisors; and author of Strangers in Paradise: How Families Adapt to Wealth across Generations

"Kristin's wonderful book takes the proper meaning of wealth and applies it, using the tools of positive psychology, to enable the journeys of the rising generation members of financially significant families to achieve their individual well beings."

-- James (Jay) E. Hughes, Jr., Esq., innovator and thought leader in the field of intergenerational family wealth, author of Family Wealth: Keeping it in the Family

"Wealth and inheritance are a challenge for a lucky minority, but their path in life is complex and challenging even with their privilege. The Myth of the Silver Spoon is a refreshing journey for inheritors and their family about how to unravel, nurture, and pursue one's life purpose when your choices are infinite."

-- Dennis T. Jaffe, PhD, an early architect of the field of family enterprise consulting, clinical psychologist, and author of Borrowed from Your Grandchildren: The Evolution of 100-Year Family Enterprises

"As an inheritor and parent of two rising gen, with twenty years of professional experience working with families of wealth... it was so healing to see my own feelings compassionately reflected in these narratives. I appreciated that this book is grounded in positive psychology research, offering actionable steps towards mindset and behavior change...[and its] call to action for advisors to 'pivot from a fear-based approach to a strengths-&-capacity based approach' in working with families of wealth."

-- Jamie Traeger-Muney, PhD, family wealth consultant, founder of Wealth Legacy Group, and second-generation family business owner

Drawn from the author's life as the daughter of wealth-creating parents and her years advising the next generation within high-net-worth families, The Myth of the Silver Spoon is a compassionate yet practical guide to clearing the forms of "clutter"--negative narratives and behaviors around money, relationships, self-identity, and contribution to others--that typically accumulate from growing up in affluence ... and discerning where your sincere ambitions lie on the path to a joyful, impactful life.

About the Author

KRISTIN KEFFELER, MSM, MAPP, is a thought leader at the forefront of a global shift in family wealth advising, known as Wealth 3.0. As a consultant, she guides affluent and enterprising families, rising gen, and the professionals who support them in embracing the positive power of wealth and doing the "inner work" of money. In 2006 she founded her advisory firm, Illumination360. She lives in Boulder County, Colorado.