On our website, we state that we enable clients to enjoy a life well-lived in the years ahead, but you may be wondering, what exactly does that mean and how do we achieve it?
A ‘life well-lived’ can mean very different things to different people. We’re not here to tell our clients what we think a life well-lived is; instead, we’re here to help you explore your own answers to some very pertinent questions and then help you to arrange your affairs to be more congruent with your core goals and objectives.
For some, it can be about finding ways to work less and seek a better work/life balance. For others, it can be about ticking things off their Bucket List or perhaps some charitable work. For most, it’s about finding ways to spend more time with the people who matter.
You may be wondering what all of this has to do with Financial Advice. Simply put, it has everything to do with Financial Advice, and here’s why…
Life Planning
In case you didn’t know, money is an Enabler. Harness it in the right way and it can provide sustainable income, cashflow, flexibility, growth and tax-efficiency. Alternatively, money can be tied-up, inflexible and taxing, preventing people from living the life they would like. Importantly, it all starts with understanding what you want from your life and then working backwards to put in place a strategy that can help achieve it.
Renowned Life Planner, George Kinder describes Life Planning as follows:
“Life Planning focuses on the human side of Financial Planning. In Life Planning, we discover a client’s deepest and most profound goals through a process of structured and non-judgmental inquiry.
“Then, using a mix of professional and advanced relationship skills, we inspire clients to pursue their aspirations, discuss and resolve obstacles, create a concrete Financial Plan, and provide ongoing guidance as clients accomplish their objectives.”
For example, take some time to consider your own answers to Kinder’s pertinent questions:
- Imagine you are financially secure, that you have enough money to take care of your needs, now and in the future. How would you live your life? Would you change anything? Let yourself go. Don’t hold back on your dreams. Describe a life that is complete and richly yours.
- Now imagine that you visit your doctor, who tells you that you have only 5-10 years to live. You won’t ever feel sick, but you will have no notice of the moment of your death. What will you do in the time you have remaining? Will you change your life and how will you do it?
- Finally, imagine that your doctor shocks you with the news that you only have 24 hours to live. Notice what feelings arise as you confront your very real mortality. Ask yourself: What did you miss? Who did you not get to be? What did you not get to do?
Once we have explored these types of question with our clients, we begin to truly understand them and we can then begin the in-depth process of Financial Planning.
At Quadrant, we firmly believe in an ongoing strategy that combines Life Planning, Financial Planning and Wealth Management to help our clients organise and evolve their affairs in the years ahead and help them to live a life well-lived.
If you’d like some help exploring, designing and implementing strategies to support the life you want to be living, please get in touch.
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This article does not constitute financial advice. Individuals must not rely on this information to make a financial or investment decision. Before making any decision, we recommend you consult your financial planner to take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situation and individual needs. Past performance is not a guide to future performance. The value of an investment and the income from it may go down as well as up and investors may not get back the amount originally invested. This document may include forward-looking statements that are based upon our current opinions, expectations and projections.
