Immediate Concerns vs Big Picture

Immediate concerns vs big picture vs eternal reality. I wonder what you would tell me if I just said those 8 words to you? What does it make you think about? Please text or call me sometime and let me know what those 8 words make you think about.

This is true: They are all completely relevant to your financial decisions. Here’s a few comments on each.

I don’t know all of your immediate concerns. You may be enduring some personal conflict that trumps all else. Beyond that, it’s a safe bet you have concerns about the US and global economies, particularly inflation, supply chains, and labor issues. I certainly do!

To be clear, I’m not worried about it! And I don’t believe you should be either. These things matter, they do force changes upon us that at times are uncomfortable, but they are beyond our control, so worry is not welcome here.

Do I have an answer to those economic issues? Probably not, but I do have some preferences I hope our government implements. Primarily, policies that get people moving, working, and creating value for others. To me, it solves all 3 of those economic challenges.

And what do you know, that's the same advice I’m giving to my clients! If you find yourself worried, then the one thing you need to strive to do is this: go create value for others. This might be in your family, your church, your community, for your employer, for your business, for a client, for a neighbor, for a child….the possibilities are numerous.

If your time and attention is full serving others then 2 things happen. First, you don’t have time to saturate yourself in the media’s apocalypse du jor. Secondly, if the apocalypse du jor actually has teeth, then the antidote against it will be to create value for others.

Every economy is built upon people creating value for others, and in exchange people will be eager to create value for you. That is the basis of a healthy economy (whether is a $1,000 economy or a $1 trillion economy).

If we have a healthy paradigm for the immediate concerns, then we can free up our hearts and minds to focus on the big picture concerns. In the 3rd quarter of 2022, we’d like to put two big picture concerns on your radar. How you spend your time (career, organizations, recreationally, etc.) and what will happen to your resources when you die.

Before you tune me out on death, please keep in mind these timeless words:

'A wise person thinks a lot about death, while a fool thinks only about having a good time. '* Ecclesiastes 7:4

Ecclesiastes recommends frequently enjoying your work while alive, and eating and drinking and soaking in the good gifts our Creator has given. However, we are fools to not account for where this ship is inevitably headed.

And you already know your heart’s concerns will outlive you, because you have people you love that will still be here on this earth, trying to make good decisions, after you have passed on.

If you were to pass on today, what kind of experience would your loved ones have with your estate?

If you cannot confidently answer that question, then we of course have work to do. And even if you are confident, it’s worthwhile to double check, because a well designed estate plan can still have holes, and can quickly become outdated.

Regarding your time, I just have one simple question for you: why are you spending your time the way you are?

Of course, however you answer that, I’d really like to ask you a few more follow up questions (there are always more questions). But the basis of the question is actually another question: are you bold enough to consider if it is time to make some meaningful changes to your time?

I hope you are bold enough, because in the “big picture” time is very valuable. However, in another picture, that of eternity, time is infinite. That thought may be comforting to some, and terrifying to others. But unless you are clear on the most realistic timeline, which I believe is eternity, then it changes every other decision you make, including in your financial plans.

If you are a Greater Than Financial client, that makes you one who commits to not be afraid to examine the questions many are afraid of, and in doing so, reach levels of satisfaction with your money that many can only dream about!