Live with COURAGE anyway!
By BRUCE SCHLAPPI
Oh, the wise decisions we would make if only we had a crystal ball to see the future. Now that would be eye-opening.
Knowing the future might alleviate pain, but -- wait a minute -- what about the thrill of discovering new opportunities. And where would the fun be in learning from our mistakes?
“Your best teacher is your last mistake.”
What are some things we would do or would not do because we could see the consequences of our decisions and choices? That's a loaded question! Hindsight is always 20/20.
As convenient as it would be, a crystal ball is not an option so we must navigate through life doing the best we can to make wise decisions with the knowledge we have and insight we gain.
Although, we can't see into the future we can PLAN for it. Question is, are you a planner or procrastinator? (When it comes to finances and family I am a planner. Cleaning the garage, not so much - procrastinator!)
Let's look at finances for a second. Here's an insider secret for you. Having a plan is not as challenging as it seems!
It is much easier to take an hour once a year to make or review a financial outline than it is to spend hours and hours worrying about it. Not convinced yet?
Here is the simplest thing to do right now. WRITE out one of the following statements on a piece of paper or in the note section of your mobile device, 'Prepare a budget' or 'Consistently add to my nest egg' or 'Start a financial plan!'
That's your homework for today! That's it. How easy was that? Congratulations. You just took a simple action to protect your financial future. It cost nothing and only took a second.
Now the fun begins. Look at that written statement over the next few weeks. Let the idea simmer in your mind. The big picture/the end result is a financial plan specifically designed for you. No boilerplate plan. YOUR plan.
Write down one thing you can do to get the ball rolling. Make a phone call, download an app to track your budget and expenses, talk with a trusted friend who is satisfied with results from their own plan to find out what they are doing. (You can read some of our client comments a few clicks over on the page "What Others Say.")
Helping people set up permanent benefits and a savings plan they can count on both today and in retirement is what we do. It may surprise you how painless it is. If you like the idea of saving both time and money you will not want to put this off another day.
A hundred mile journey starts with a single step.
