A short article first published on 1st March 2019 in Dorset Business Focus, the Dorset Chamber’s monthly magazine.
When it comes to planning for the future, most of us don’t think beyond our next holiday.
Why is this? Some find it difficult, some find it boring and some are in denial. Then there is a whole raft of people who don’t know who to turn to for advice and guidance. I’m not just talking about money here, I’m talking about overall planning for the future.
In business we are forced to think about 1, 3 and 5 year plans, often modelling potential outcomes. But, in our personal life, we often leave this to chance hoping that it will all come together somehow! Ironically, business owners are particularly guilty of not planning ahead in their personal lives; not having enough time to focus on themselves as they spend their time looking after everyone else in the company. Sound familiar?
Life’s complicated and seems to be getting more so by the day. The variables are immense and often not of your own volition. “It’s hard enough surviving, never mind planning for the future”, is what a prospective client said to me last year. The same person also said “trying to predict the future is unrealistic”. I agree.
Here at Blue Sky, we are very strong advocates of using modelling tools to help people plan a fulfilling life. We are not here to predict anyone’s future, it’s more to show them what is possible.
It doesn’t have to be complicated. Like many things in life, the genius is in its simplicity. We don’t create exact representations of reality and predict the future. Instead, we use our expertise to deliver peace of mind. Pretty invaluable in this frantic world.
In essence, we create a representation of your master plan – but only once we have sat with you and understood what is important. We’ve found that our cashflow financial planning helps inform clients’ decision making. It empowers them to take control, and more importantly, it gives them confidence to enjoy their money.
