Most people never really live the life they imagined.
For whatever reason, they settle for mediocrity, or they run out of time. As you look down the road and think about your future, what does that look like for you? Five years from now you will be 5 years older, but which life will you be living - the one that happened by chance or by choice?
A life well-lived
Take a few moments and work through this simple exercise below. Take out a blank piece of paper and write down your answers to the following questions.
What does your ideal life look like?
Freedom. Security. Financial independence. Time for family and friends. No deadlines. Not having to worry. No cell phones. Unplugged.
What does your ideal lifestyle sound like?
Waves gently rolling on the beach. Grandkids playing and laughing at the lake. The drop of the golf ball in the cup. The sound of your tires on the pavement. The whoosh of your tennis racket as it hits the ball.
What does it smell like?
The ocean air at the beach in Mexico. The smell of freshly brewed coffee as you enter the coffee shop.
What does your ideal lifestyle feel like?
Relaxed and refreshed. Focused. Not in a hurry. Present. Your mind is here. You can show up to be no place else. Sweaty from a long bike ride.
Who are you with?
Your sweetheart. Your friends. Family around the table. Grandkids.
Who are you being?
Fully engaged. Making a difference. Giving back. Being generous. Healthy and happy. Energized.
Now stop and think, what's stopping you from living your ideal lifestyle now?
What's holding you back from just "getting on with it"?
Not sure you have the money? Not sure what you can afford? Waiting for your stocks to recover or the real estate market to improve? Your financial house is disorganized and you have just too many irons in the fire? Don't know how to get out of the business you started? You and your spouse are not on the same page?
It's impossible to live a life that inspires you if you lack the financial confidence and clarity to do so.
If it's truly your desire to start living your ideal lifestyle then you have to get all of your financial ducks in a row.
Work backwards.
First: Create a vision for your life, like you just did above.
Second: Create a financial roadmap. Identify your values, goals, and current financial reality.
Everyone has deeply held values about life and money. What are yours?
What's most important to you in your life and for your future?
What goals do you want to accomplish?
You have money, but is it enough?
That's what creating a retirement roadmap is all about.
What does it mean to have your total financial house in order?
Coordinated
Most financially successful people have too many advisors - accountants, lawyers, tax professionals, bankers, investment advisors, mortgage brokers, realtors, etc. They typically have 20+ investment accounts and irons in many fires. They rarely even know everything they have. There isn't one advisor that coordinates all of their financial affairs and makes sure that all of these advisors are working in cooperation.
Consolidated
The goal is to merge as many investment accounts and sources of income as possible and deal with as few people and financial institutions as possible. Think of booking an airline ticket - the goal is to get you to your destination with as few stops and layovers as possible. You want the most direct route. What would your life be like if you had fewer people to deal with? More advisors and institutions are not diversification - it's just more complication.
Comprehensive
The reason you are dealing with more people than necessary is that you haven't met the one person that can look after everything for you. Wouldn't you rather deal with one team that looked after all of your financial affairs so that you could have more free time to live your life?
Simplicity
Basically, less is more. Fewer advisors. Less duplication. Less disruption. Fewer accounts. Less mail and paperwork. Less email. Less stress and ultimately more time to enjoy life and do the things that are important to you.
Accountability
You can have the best plan in the world, but if you do not take action it isn't worth the paper it is written on. The results come from execution. You need someone that is going to hold your feet to the fire and move you along. When you have multiple advisors none of them have all of your business, nor do they even know about all of your business and because they don't want to lose your business they just do as little as possible to keep your business. This isn't helping you get to the life you desire.
Before you can start living an ideal lifestyle you have to be able to identify what that looks like to you, determine where you are today and what actions you need to take to get you where you want to be - living a life of purpose that inspires you to be the best you.
We are a husband and wife team and we work exclusively with financially successful individuals over age 55 who want to get their total financial house in order and start living the life they have always dreamed about. We want to help you - 'to get on with it'.
Click Here to learn more about our process for creating your financial roadmap for retirement, getting your total financial house in order, and living a life that inspires you.
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Retirement Income Planning Exclusively for Those 55+
Willis J Langford BA, MA, CFP
Nancy Langford CRS
