From the Mouths of Babes

Partners

Submitted by: Brian B Smith, CFP® , Bryan M Masten, CFP® & Riley W. Smith

What’s the plan, the written plan? Is there a plan?

As Linda and I load up for some higher elevation and cooler temperatures, packing our GFP (Global Financial Partners) technology, that allows me to work remotely some of this 2021 summer, I got to thinking about several things. What a blessing to enjoy this freedom we celebrated as we honored those before us on the recent Memorial Day just passed. What a blessing to live in a country of opportunity to plan and forge our own path, including the struggle of the journey in doing so, making our appreciation of the blessing so much greater. The blessing of parents that taught love, integrity, work ethic, thrift, investment, and planning. Something reminded me however, of those that didn’t get that education or a life lived by example. I was reminded of several things I’ve read over the years about planning, and particularly a “written” plan, and how goals and plans were much, much more likely to be achieved when they are “written”.

Search your internet for two subjects: 1. stats on people make written plans 2. vs. search for probability of winning the lottery Wow! What info we have at our veritable fingertips! So many simple articles are available with headlines and details such as: • Survey Finds Two-Thirds of Americans Do Not Have a Plan for Their Life • Those With Goals Are 10x More Likely to Succeed: Here Are 15 Tips to Set Yours • This Is the Way You Need to Write Down Your Goals for Faster Success You are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down. • 5 Reasons Why Writing Down Goals Increases The Odds Of Achieving Them VS. an alternative to a “written” plan! • www.webmath.com/lottery.html Calculate Your Chance of Winning the Lottery • Or maybe for you it’s not the lottery, it bit/dodge etc. coin of the day or month. We’ve been managing money a long time, and there’s always a new season of “the future” • If the six numbers on a ticket match the numbers drawn by the lottery, the ticket holder is a jackpot winner—regardless of the order of the numbers. The probability of this happening is 1 in 13,983,816. Boom! I think I’ll spend some time thinking about something other than 1 in 13 Million. As some in our family turn 65 this year, I’m sure glad we had a written plan, consisting of goals, some financial, but mostly just life, dreams, travel, family and others. The financial was just the toolbox to help achieve the goals. What are your goals? Have you shared them with someone who can put a “written” plan together, one that can be flexible, and yet still help keep you on course towards your goals? At GFP, we do that. Call us. We’ll show you how to begin to Live Life on Purpose.

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From the Mouths of Babes...

My son asked at the dinner table, “Mom, are bugs good to eat?” “That is disgusting. Don’t talk about things like that over dinner,” my wife replied. After dinner she asked him, “Now, son, what did you want to ask me?” “Oh, nothing,” our 5 year old says. “There was a bug in your soup, but now it’s gone.”

John Ocalla

While driving on the interstate with our 2.5 year old in the back seat, she said: “Any idiots out today, Dad?”

Holly R.

6 yr old: Mom, I’m not going to school anymore. Mom: Why not? 6 yr old: Because Monday my teacher said 4 plus 4 equals 8. Then the next day she said 5 plus 3 equals 8. Yesterday she said 6 plus 2 equals 8. I’m not going back until she makes up her mind!

One of my wife’s third graders was wearing a Fitbit watch, which prompted my wife to ask, “Are you tracking your steps?” “No,” said the little girl. “I wear this for Mommy so she can show Daddy when he gets home.”

Jimmy Avery

This morning, my wife told my 3-year-old daughter that owls were nocturnal. My daughter responded, “Mom, owls are not turtles.”