A common challenge in financial planning is getting clients to actually implement the recommendations they've been given to help themselves progress towards their financial planning goals. While in theory, rational human beings should easily be able to take the necessary steps to improve their situation - especially once an expert has provided a list of recommendations and required action items to do so - the reality is that we're far less rational in practice. External influences that "shouldn't" be relevant can often impact our decisions and actions anyway, and in turn this means it's possible to influence decisions, or "nudge" people in certain directions, by paying attention to how the choices are presented.
This concept of "choice architecture" - acknowledging that the way choices are presented can influence their outcomes - is relevant not only for those making public policy decisions, but also anyone who is trying to help people make positive behavior changes... such as financial planners. Whether it's helping clients to change their own behaviors, to implement your financial planning recommendations, or even to help them determine whether to hire you in the first place, it may be time to pay a lot more attention to how those decisions are delivered to clients in the first place.