Do you feel like life is just a little out of sync? In the crazy world in which we now find ourselves, it is critical to create a safe place to give you hope and optimism. The best method of creating this stability in your life is to create and monitor your activities and emotions with a life plan.
Life planning has become an industry unto itself. There is more to your life than financial matters. You have relationships, hobbies and other activities that can’t be purchased with money. By properly setting your goals and life plan into motion, you have found your “true north”.
When you have properly placed your passions and actions into a formulated methodology that increases your probabilities for success, you are on your way. Think about these three aspects of life when planning your future. First, remember that life is finite. This is not a morbid tale but one that gives you urgency to seek your best life on your terms. If you are granted only twenty-four hours to do what you want to do in life, would you be doing what you are doing now?
Your happiness depends on the framework you have placed around yourself. Friends, community and family, all contribute greatly to the quality of life you lead. It is not all about money. I know several people who are very rich in worldly goods but bankrupt of happiness. On his deathbed, a very successful real estate developer in California told a young Darren Hardy that he made one mistake in life – he is poor. When the confused teenager looked at the dying man, he exclaimed, “You have 7 houses worth millions of dollars, cars worth millions of dollars and other investments that contribute to your overwhelming wealth! How can you say you are poor?” The wise, old man pulled the boy closer to him and, in a raspy voice wrecked by radiation and cancer treatments said, “I am poor because I spent all of my time making money and failed to create true wealth by having relationships with others.”
The second aspect of life is future thinking. Too often we find ourselves mired in the world of today. Thoughts of life in the future seem fleeting and so far out of our realm of thinking that they are irrelevant. By applying a little of your current assets and income to your future, you would be amazed at the potential results. The Chinese proverb comes to mind about our future. It states, “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The next best time is now.” Don’t allow the irreversible passage of time rob you from a lifetime of happiness by merely enjoying today beyond your means.
Lastly, the aspect of life that makes the most impact is choice. Og Mandino, the New York Times Bestselling Author, wrote in his book titled, Choice, “The key is choice. You have options. You need not spend your life wallowing in failure, ignorance, grief, poverty, shame, and self-pity. There is a better way to live!”
Live your life with passion and happiness. Set your future in motion as you define it. The best method of accomplishing these actions is to focus on your future while living for today. A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professional can help you plan for the best outcomes in your life. This choice is a simple one…
