Take Action: Starting Your Financial Future Today

Thinking about exercising will not make you physically fit! Likewise, thinking about organizing all of your financial documents and coming to grips on why you need to develop a financial plan of action, and considering whether you should do all of this on your own or work with a trusted advisor will not help you to achieve your financial goals and fulfill your values & unless you take action!

Planning your financial future and getting "on the road" could be a very satisfying undertaking. Conversely, putting it off could be cause for regret. Speaking of "On the Road", you might remember Charles Kuralt's television program of the same name. In his book America, Kuralt wrote about his experience sailing off the coast of Maine with friends who had twice sailed around the world.

I suffered a pang of envy. I learned to sail when I was young enough to cross an ocean and promised myself I'd do that someday at the helm of my own boat. But promises postponed have a way of getting broken. Now I was too old, and my ability too rusty, and that particular dream, like so many others, was left on the shelf for good.

These words not only remind us that procrastination indeed is the thief of time, but they also remind us of why we have plans in the first place: so that we can experience those things in life that make living worthwhile. Who among you can look back over your lifetime and wish you had spent some of your time differently? Maybe you have even asked yourself how and why the time goes by so quickly.

Follow These Best Practices To Secure Your Financial Future Today

When you come towards the end of your life on this earth you could very well look back on your financial history and wonder why you hesitated to:

• Clarify your values and identify your goals
• Organize your financial information
• Create your Financial Road Map

If you have already taken care of these issues - nice going. However, you are not finished. Now you have to develop a plan of action and determine what steps must be taken to create the future that you want. Just because you have completed your Financial Road Map doesn't necessarily mean that you will achieve your goals. You are going to have to be very organized and track your progress so that you know you are continuing to do the right things to achieve your goals so that you can enjoy more of what is important to you.

Circumstances do change and it is entirely possible that some adjustments must be made along the way.

1. You can adjust your goals
2. You can change your time horizon for the achievement of your goals
3. You can increase your income
4. You can adjust your expenses
5. You can increase the return on your investments

Typically, the fifth strategy is often the most popular as it appears easier than the other four. It doesn't require any discipline like earning more money or reducing expenses do. And, if the strategy doesn't work, it is much easier to blame the brokers or money managers. However, believing that anyone can control or predict investment returns is pure illusion. There is no wayto wave a magic wand to escape these simple facts about financial planning, unless you win the lottery.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the process? If so, then it is very easy to get stuck. As I have said in previous articles:"Knowledge is not the key to success. The key to success is action." In order to get the results that you want you must take action. The sooner you begin the process,the sooner you will be on your way to achieving your goals for the reasons that are important to you.

Have you ever heard of the life management concept called the Four D's? This concept states that there are only four things that you can do with any activity: do it, delegate it, delay it, or drop it. Most people take care of the financial planning with the third method: delay. Do be someone who adopts method one or two - do it or delegate it. You will feel good. And it's good to feel good.

So, if you are someone who recognizes that hiring a professional is smart delegation and would like to follow the advice of an expert, I'll give you some hints on how to spot a Trusted Advisor in my next article.