Taking the Road Less Traveled
As a continuation of the Fee-Only Financial Advisor blog sharing group, this month’s post comes to us from Michael Garry, a Financial Advisor in Newtown, PA.
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.”
–Robert Frost, excerpt from the Road Not Taken
Whether you think this poem is about individualism or rationalization, you surely know the poem and how it is commonly construed.
An article was recently published in Financial Advisor Magazine examining the various regrets that people commonly have and one of them was avoiding risks. A quote from the article summarizes this common regret well: “Among the top regrets were: not following their dreams, not taking risks with their careers, not taking risks with their lives in general, and not being gutsy enough in the choices they made.”[i]
Although this could sound depressing, many people that were consumed by these feelings of regret were determined to fix this by taking more risks with the time they have left. It’s a good attitude to have.
The article showed:[ii]
- Ninety-three percent of Americans have a favorable view of an extended life with the feeling it could open new and interesting possibilities
- Nearly half feel a longer life can enable a totally different view of how and when major life choices are made
- A longer life is going to require some different approaches to financial planning.
As a financial advisor one of my main goals is to empower people to take risks in their lives, and lead the lives they imagine, by giving them peace-of-mind with their finances.
It is common for people to feel overwhelmed and uncertain in terms of their financial future and unfortunately, this paralyzes them in other parts of life. People have certain goals/dreams, or simply things they need that they view as unattainable because they feel limited by lack of resources or organization.
Financial plans and investment strategies allow you to determine achievable goals and establish a detailed plan for reaching them. Further, with a clear idea of what resources are available to you and how you can use those resources, you can shift your current financial situation to one that is aligned with your goals and future.
Everyone is unique – simply because one person handled their financial situation one way does not mean that you must do the same. Everyone should accept the challenge of discovering their individuality and embrace it in a way that will aid them in reaching their goals for the future.
Taking the road less traveled, taking risks, living life to the fullest and making your goals a reality may sound like lofty naiveté, but it’s not.
Michael J. Garry, CFP(R), JD/MBA, is the owner of Yardley Wealth Management, LLC, and an independent Financial Advisor who provides Fee-Only financial planning services and investment management in Newtown, PA, and the author of Independent Financial Planning: Your Ultimate Guide to Finding and Choosing the Right Financial Planner
[i] http://www.fa-mag.com/news/regrets-for-the-road-not-traveled-27069.html?section=43&utm_source=FA+Subscribers&utm_campaign=398e4fcd64-FAN_Retirement_Income_Nuveen_CEF_052416&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6bebc79291-398e4fcd64-222555985
[ii] http://www.fa-mag.com/news/regrets-for-the-road-not-traveled-27069.html?section=43&utm_source=FA+Subscribers&utm_campaign=398e4fcd64-FAN_Retirement_Income_Nuveen_CEF_052416&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_6bebc79291-398e4fcd64-222555985
