We want it all. We want that house on the rolling hill behind the white picket fence. Or maybe some of us want the penthouse on or around Park Avenue. How about that fast, sporty car? Frequent vacations to foreign lands? More time to relax and spend time with family and friends, and the list goes on, right? We also want to retire in comfort and style. Simply put, we want to live the best lives. And, you know what? We deserve it!
Many of you are already living that dream, financially secure in your professional and personal world. Even so, we bet there are areas of your life you could improve, because no matter how much we have in this world, there is always room for improvement.
So, our question to you this new year is: What’s your plan? And we aren’t just talking about a retirement plan (although that is key to retire in style). We are talking about a vision and a plan that details how you’ll achieve your dreams now and later in life.
And, getting started is not that complicated. We’ll even give you a few ideas…
Stop, or at least slow down. Take the time to enjoy what you have, from your family and friends to your profession. Be grateful for where you are in life, but also commit to taking the time to be involved—really involved—in your world. Sometimes with the hectic pace of work and home and life, we find ourselves simply going through the motions, completing one task after another, checking those items off our to-do lists and moving straight to the next. Which is great, because you’re getting things done. But life is so much more.
So, stop and take some time to evaluate. Slow down and have a quiet cup coffee every morning with your spouse before the day gets crazy. Let your co-workers know you appreciate them—every day. Take 20 and go toss the football in the back yard with your kids when you get home from work. Make time to simply be in the moment and enjoy every minute. You’ll find that this doesn’t just benefit those around you. When you learn to embrace and be grateful for all you have in this world, it can be a tremendous game-changer your happiness and your health.
Develop goals that inspire and motivate you. Goals can help you produce the desired results in your life. Think about what and why something is important to you. Your goals should have a sense of urgency to them. For example, it can be as simple as wanting to save X amount each month. The reason you want to save that amount can be to take your dream vacation, because you want to retire early, or just to have some fun money for a rainy day.
Hire a wealth planner. A wealth planner helps you see the bigger picture of your life as a whole, planning in the now and plotting your future. They analyze your personal and financial situation and help you devise a plan to protect your hard-earned wealth. Wealth planners also guide you in retirement planning, investing, estate planning, and much more. Having this professional in your corner to help you navigate the finer financial details relieves that burden from your shoulders a bit. You won’t have as much stress as you might if you’re trying to figure it all out on your own.
Dream big. Too many times, we are stuck in a rut of day to day living. One day we’ll look up, 20 years will have passed in the blink of an eye. Will you be happy with what you’ve done? Will you have reached your goals and realized your dreams? So many people regret the chances they didn’t take. Don’t let that be you! Decide what you want, imagine yourself already there—and get it done.
Without a clear vision that you think of every day, life ends up passing you by. The path doesn’t have to be crystal clear, because it may take you many paths and dead ends and new paths to reach your goal. But the vision should be crystal clear. Those who reach their goals start with a vision of what they want, picture themselves there, and actually imagine they feel what it’s like to be there. What do YOU want? Close your eyes and picture yourself there. Now…open your eyes and commit to doing what it takes to get you there. If you want it bad enough, you can make it happen.
It’s a new year! The best time to make new plans, change things, start fresh. It’s not about making resolutions so much as it is about changing your way of thinking and making it happen. So, we challenge you to seize the moment, and make this year the year that helps you become the best you can be and realize those dreams…