Life Planning and Goal Setting
Time to get excited, this may change your life
This may seem an odd thing to say on a financial advice website, but life is much more than money. Yes, money is important because it enables us to live the life that we want and money provides us with choices, but everything has to be in balance in order for you to lead a successful life.
Sadly, I have met people who have spent so much time on building and accumulating their wealth that they have had no time to actually enjoy doing those things that light their fire and as a result they have been left feeling unhappy and unfulfilled.
We have developed a facility where you can register and give some thought to these vitally important questions in your own time and come back to them and review them and update them whenever you want.
The first of our life planning exercises start with the Kinder Three questions.
I have been privileged to work with George Kinder and I am proud to have become a Registered Life Planner with the Kinder Institute of Life Planning in 2010. This has not only helped me to improve my clients’ lives it has also made a huge difference to my own life and I continually consider and review my personal answers to these questions.
“Life planning hinges on our individual responses to profound and provocative questions challenging us to look at how close we are living to what would be most meaningful, passionate and exciting for us.” – George Kinder
If you would like to know more about George Kinder and the Kinder Institute of Life Planning I strongly recommend your read Lighting Your Torch.
Before you start I must stress that it is important to take your time and consider your answers carefully. Complete your answer to question one before even reading question two and finish question two before you look at question three.
Question 1: Design your ideal life
The purpose of this first question is to get you to express what matters to you in life, it enables you to expand your life goals.
Imagine that you are financially secure and that you have all the money you need for the rest of your life. How would you live your life? Would you change anything? What would you do? Let yourself go. Don’t hold back your dreams. Will you change your life and how will you do it?
When answering this question, you have unlimited funds which enables you to consider what you would do if money was no object.
Question 2: Time is running out
Whereas question one is quite fun to answer question two requires some deeper thinking because it asks you to consider your own mortality.
This time, you visit your doctor who tells you that you have five to ten years left to live. The good part is that you won’t ever feel sick. The bad news is that 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?
This question will help you build your unique ‘bucket list’, a list of those things that you want to do, before you kick your bucket. In addition, it will help you to clarity your deeply held values which will help you to establish your priorities.
Question 3: Today is the day
This is the big one and for many clients it can be quite emotional.
This time, your doctor shocks you with the news that you have only one day left to live. Notice what feelings arise as you confront your very real mortality. Reflecting on your life, on all your accomplishments, as well as on all the things that will remain undone, ask yourself: What did I miss? Who did I not get to be? What did I not get to do?
From experience when clients answer this question, they never express a wish that they had earned more money, or took a job which meant that they spent less time with their family. They always think about family and friends and who they will miss, or leaving a meaningful positive legacy.
I would like to share what my dear client Gwen wrote in 2010, sadly she is no longer with us but I know that getting her to consider these questions enhanced her life, she certainly enhanced mine.
“Since I passed my 70th birthday I’ve sometimes said, I’ve led a good life so If I dropped dead tomorrow there’d be no regrets. I don’t think I’d spend my last 24 hours spending time worrying about what I might have missed or achieved or done. I’d ring as many family and friends as possible, write and post a few cheques. Appreciate the beauty of the natural world. Sit quietly in the church or cathedral for ½ an hour. Have a good meal and a glass of wine.” – Gwen 2010
Completing these questions is a very emotional experience and you may have to take time to yourself to reflect. The experience will stir up joy, excitement, and ambition, but also sadness and regret which may cause some tears to flow. Use that emotion positively to drive change and make things happen
Don’t delay create your log in and start today.
The Three Questions were developed by George Kinder and the Kinder Institute of Life Planning. It is part of a program of trainings that leads to the Registered Life Planner® designation. It is used by permission.
