The key to an extraordinary life in retirement!

One day will come…a day when you’re knackered.

Your hips are gone…your knees are gone…you struggle to get in a car let alone contemplate an overseas holiday!

You’re more concerned about comfort and peace of mind.

And then one day…you die…it’s going to happen to all us…eventually!

We’re all going to have to face our own mortality at some stage.

While sitting on your deathbed you’re going to be reflecting on the life you lived and the life you didn’t.

That European trip you put off because you didn’t think you couldn’t afford it.

Working two more years when you could have been retired and enjoying yourself.

Not helping your kids out financially when they needed it the most.

Living an extraordinary live means doing all the things you want before it’s too late…

Live life on purpose

It’s easy to think money is a means to an end, and not the end itself. It’s great to have an interest in your money. In fact, I encourage you to take an interest.

But don’t let it distract you from what you really want, an extraordinary life. A life well lived!

A fun way of thinking about your money is “play vouchers”. If you can’t enjoy it, what’s the point?

While your money is there to enjoy, it’s also an opportunity to help others. Whether that be your own family, charities or other interests.

Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse conducted research into what the top regrets her patients had.

Money did not feature in the top 5!

The top 5 regrets she uncovered:

#1 I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

#2 I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

#3 I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

#4 I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

#5 I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Lifestyle, Not Numbers

The number one thing we all strive for is, LIFESTYLE!

Money is the fuel to drive our lifestyle. To make it a reality.

The things we’re most likely to regret is the way we lived our lives. Not the money we didn’t make or spend.

On our deathbed, it’s going to be the human connections we desire the most.

There’s no point being the richest person in the cemetery!

While planning for your retirement does require financial inputs and financial calculations. It’s important those numbers are tied to the lifestyle you desire and not a level of wealth.

You may or may not have a “bucket list” but there will be things you want to do with the time you have left on this great planet of ours. You just may not have got around to it yet.

You definitely know what you don’t want…nothing less than what you have today!

My question to you is, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?

It might be travelling with friends…holidaying with grandkids…spending time on your hobbies…helping people in need…dream trip to Europe!

The important thing is to think about the things you want to do and make sure you plan for them.

We’ve seen too many people leave things until it’s too late.

Some suffered serious illnesses which means they’ll never tick those things off.

Others, no longer physically able to undertake long haul travel.

Some retired at 67 when they could have comfortably retired at 63.

On your deathbed, you’ll start reflecting on the things you did…the experiences you had…the relationships you had. Not the money you had!

The Fine Balancing Act

Great planning involves balancing for tomorrow versus living for today.

The pandemic has changed many people’s perspective of what’s important to them.

What’s changed for you?

We don’t know how tomorrow will pan out. While that’s always been true, more now than ever we don’t know how many tomorrow’s we’ll have.

Unfortunately, there are many financial professionals who convince clients that tomorrow is more important than today. This means you ultimately sacrifice your today for tomorrow.

Yes, for some their situation calls for this extreme position. In this case the concept of saving is oversimplified.

Reducing the equation to the money you have to invest while neglecting the life you want to live.

You have other forms of capital to take advantage of. Your time, energy and your talent.

All can be used to achieve a more balanced and comprehensive approach to the life you want to live. If you know how to assemble all the puzzle pieces.

How does your plan account for things which will bring meaning to your current lifestyle? Or are you 100% focused on the future?

Maybe you don’t need to work as long as you thought.

Perhaps you can live more now. While working longer but with less hours.

Or do you have the ability to pack more life in with the money you have? But you don’t know it yet!

What’s Going To Change?

While we accept the world may not get back to “normal” any time soon. Whatever that new “normal” may be. It’s given everybody the opportunity to assess what’s important to them.

What are the activities you’ve missed the most?

Who have you missed the most?

What are the things you’ve put off doing?

Our freedoms taken from underneath our feet have helped highlight what is truly important to you.

The world will open up again. Perhaps not the way it was prior to the pandemic.

But the opportunity for you is here, right now…

We encourage you to consider what plans you now want to take action on. Put in place an action plan to make it happen.

This is what real financial planning is. Financial planning and investment management isn’t what we do but how we do it.

More importantly it’s about helping you get and keep the lifestyle you want.

Before it’s too late.

What are you waiting for?

Hop to it…

Time’s slipping away…life’s not a rehearsal!

We here to help when you are ready!

When you’re ready, book your Retirement Success Session below where we’ll help you create a game plan to go from “pay cheque” to “play cheque” with ease.

Book a Retirement Success Session today!

Glenn Doherty – CFP – Retirement Planning Specialist | Retirement Planning for Over 55’s powered by Life-Centred Financial Planning

We work with people in Adelaide and around Australia via virtual meetings!

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Achieve some clarity and maybe a roadmap on how you can achieve a comfortable retirement.

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Advice Disclaimer: Any reference in this publication to the provision of advice refers to advice of a generic nature, and should not be taken as product or investment recommendations. Before any action is taken based on the information provided, independent financial advice from a licensed financial adviser should be sought. Financial Freedom Project Pty Ltd ATF GA & DC Doherty Family Trust Trading as Jigsaw Private Wealth is a Corporate Authorised Representative of Exelsuper Advice Pty Ltd. The information contained in this publication is of a factual nature only and is not intended to constitute financial product advice. Information is current as at date of publication. This is an online information blog. It does not imply an offering of securities.