Smart Money Strategy

CHAPTER 2Your Adult Financial Life Starts and Ends with ‘Why?’

Why?

It's the most challenging of all the questions we get in life. It requires us to provide more information and, in some cases, justify ourselves. In that context, being asked ‘Why?’ can sometimes be very confronting.

Let's give some ‘why’ questions a go:

• Why didn't you get up an hour earlier this morning and hit the gym?
• Why were you late to work?
• Why did you eat that second piece of cheesecake?
• Why do I keep asking these annoying questions?

Well, sorry to keep asking, but when it comes to your lifestyle goals and your financial wellbeing, it starts and ends with your ‘why’.

Why is this, you might ask? That's a question that's easier to answer. It's because:

• Only you can answer it
• Only you can hold yourself accountable.

Your ‘why’ really reflects what your own needs, wants and future ambitions are. Sounds simple, right? Well, not really in my experience. We're complicated human beings and our decisions are based on lots of things, not necessarily all of them focused on our financial wellbeing. It's worth the effort to spend some time here on your own ‘why’. Your ‘why’ will help you focus your attention on setting your goals and determining what your financial priorities are.

Figuring out your ‘why’

A financial planner can assist you if you're open to seeking advice, but not even they can tell you what your ‘why’ is.

I have spent hundreds of hours helping my clients to figure out their own ‘why’. I often ...