The opportunity to examine life is one of the tremendous blessings of crisis, and the last few years have been full of those “blessings.”
Over the last few weeks, I’ve noticed that people finally seem to be getting to the point where it is time to move forward. We have spent time reflecting on the past, but now it seems that the energy is toward moving forward.
It is this moving forward that I find so fascinating.
I have actually been surprised at the powerful sense of relief and energy that comes when you decide that your financial plan starts from where you are now.
But moving forward requires a different conversation than you might have had in the past. It requires that you think deeply about what is truly important about money to you. What do you really value? At the core, what is this all about?
You see, financial planning done right is about aligning your values (what is really important to you) and your use of capital. Until you are clear about that, what’s the point of finding the best investment? In fact, how do you even begin to define the “best” investment without the story of your life to place it in context?
As I have had this conversation about values with clients and new clients, I am finding that what they really value centers around things that are rather simple. Like having the time to spend with family, the freedom to pursue passions, or the security to be present.
Relationships, experiences, and freedom.
The good news is that for many people those things are still possible. Sure, it might require some adjustment, but when things become clear, making those adjustments is much easier.
REAL financial planning is about matching your story with a plan to help you get there.
If you have a financial planner, have them walk you through this process. If you don’t have a planner, either find one or do it yourself because as the old saying goes, “A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”
