The Disciplined Pursuit of Enough

The word enough gets a bad rap.  Teachers will yell “That’s enough!” at their unruly students, or we might declare “Enough is enough!” when dealing with a loved one who has just pushed the limits too far.  But I am here to espouse the benefits of enough.

We live in a world that emphasizes the concept of more, especially when it comes to money.  Our society tends to celebrate bigger, better, faster, stronger, but a fundamental problem with that approach is that it can never be satisfied.  Somebody else will always have a better house, a faster car, or a bigger bank account.  Chasing after more is a tiring journey that ends with the realization that you can’t take the excess with you after all.

So, it is not my job to help you get as much money as possible.  If that is your singular goal, then I am probably not the right advisor for you.  It is my job to help you to achieve enough money.  Enough money to have the home you want.  Enough money to travel where you want.  Enough money to live the life you want.  Enough money to not have to worry about money.  Ask yourself – why would you or anyone need more than that?

I recognize that pursuing enough sounds a bit lazy and passive.  That is why I added in the word disciplined to our pursuit of enough.  The pursuit does not need to be lazy and passive, but instead planned, focused, and targeted.    I work with my clients on a comprehensive financial plan that will attempt to optimize investment allocations, insurance protection, and tax planning, but also factors in job satisfaction, health issues, family circumstances, and retirement goals.  This allows me to customize a unique plan for each client with the right level of risk to try to achieve their version of enough.

I find that the clients who pursue enough have more peace of mind, are more content, and are just happier people.  Money cannot buy you happiness but feeling like you have enough of it relieves a lot of stress and frees up your mind to focus on more important things like the loved ones in your life.  And helping my clients to achieve this peace of mind is my main value added as an advisor.  In my next blog, I will present a case study hoping to convince you of the benefits of enough.