Financial Planning is Clarity

It has often occurred to me that many people are not quite sure what financial planning actually is.  The other day I saw the quote ‘financial planning is clarity’.  It’s about seeing where you are today, where you want to be in the future, and making sure that your money is there to support you.  It’s about feeling confident that your money will be there when you need it.  It’s about taking the practical steps that are needed to live the life that you want to live.

And it’s not just for the ‘wealthy’.  You don’t have to be rich to have a financial plan.

What you do have to have is the motivation to take action.  This is where most of us struggle.  We KNOW that money is something that we haven’t made a priority.  We KNOW that it is something that deserves a spot on list of priorities.  But it just never quite gets addressed.

That’s because although knowledge is an important step, knowing isn’t enough.  We need to feel the emotional investment in what we are doing.

Here are some questions to ponder before the end of the year, that might help you find that motivation.

Vision – If you had all the money you ever needed, how would you live your life?  What would your day look like, hour by hour?

Fear – when you visualize your future, does anything concern you or scare you?

Obstacles – what do you see as the biggest obstacle for you to achieve better results with your money?

Accountability – how will you hold yourself accountable?

Acceptance – Is there anything you need to accept about yourself or your situation before you are able to move forward?

Childhood – What lessons did you learn about money from your parents?  How have those lessons influenced the position you are in today?

Importance – What’s important about money to you?

These are big questions, and the answers may not come easily.  But if you give yourself time to think, perhaps even start a journal, you may just find that thing, that thought, that idea, that spurs you into action.

And remember, you will never regret taking action.  You will never regret starting a conversation that will leave you feeling more clear about your money.

So, in case you were wondering....financial planning is clarity.