Within the Star Trek franchise there is a race by the name of Vulcan. Apart from their pointed ears, Vulcans are noted for their attempt to live by reason and logic, with no interference from emotion.
These characteristics would make them exceptional financial advisors.
Sarek: "Emotions run deep within our race. In many ways more deeply than in humans. Logic offers a serenity humans seldom experience. The control of feelings so that they do not control you."
Vulcans have many attributes that financial advisors can learn from. These range from long-term investment conviction to overcoming short-term behavioral finance biases.
Soval: We don't know what to do about Humans. Of all the species we've made contact with, yours is the only one we can't define. You have the arrogance of Andorians, the stubborn pride of Tellarites. One moment, you're as driven by your emotions as Klingons, and the next, you confound us by suddenly embracing logic.
Forrest: I'm sure those qualities are found in every species.
Soval: Not in such confusing abundance.
Soval, in this case, could be referring to the tendency of investors to believe they are better than others at choosing the best stocks and the best times to enter/exit a position. This belief persists regardless of the fact that professional fund managers, who have access to some of the best investment/industry reports and resources, still struggle on achieving market-beating returns.
This arrogance and stubborn pride persists, while in some cases rational behavior is simultaneously embraced. This rational behavior does not necessarily involve the most monetary or material benefit, quite frequently the satisfaction is purely emotional. For example, an investor holding a security that was gifted to them by a loved one long ago, or an executive choosing to retire early rather than stay at a financially lucrative position due to time with family taking precedent.
In the following scene the Vulcan Spock had just attempted to sacrifice his life in an attempt to save an alien planet. His romantic partner, Uhura, becomes very angry with him as she felt that he was abandoning her.
Uhura: At that Volcano you didn't give a thought to us, what it would do to me if you died, Spock. You didn't feel anything, you didn't care.
Spock: Your suggestion that I do not care about dying is incorrect. A sentient being's optimal chance at maximizing their utility is a long and prosperous life…It is true that I chose not to feel anything upon realizing that my own life was ending. As Admiral Pike was dying I joined with his consciousness and experienced what he felt at the moment of his passing — anger, confusion, loneliness, fear. I had experienced those feelings before, multiplied exponentially on the day my planet was destroyed. Such a feeling is something I choose never to experience again. Nayota, you mistake my choice not to feel as a reflection of my not caring. Well I assure you the truth is precisely the opposite.
In the above passage one might apply Spock’s reasoning to the emotions that are produced during periods of extreme market volatility. Clients feel anger towards their financial advisors, confusion as to how no one saw the market downturn coming, loneliness as they may know others who are getting rich off of the correction (or those who had gotten out), and the fear that this is the beginning of something bigger.
We must be like Spock and choose not to experience those emotions. This is not based on a reflection of us not caring, but precisely the opposite. In the world of investing emotions cloud our judgement, they prevent us from providing objective analysis and maximizing the advantage that objective, long-term data provides.