Music Mondays - Life is a Highway

Tom Cochrane originally performed this song; however, after seeing it and hearing it in the movie Cars, I fell in love with the Rascal Flatts version. Whenever I speak with a new client about his or her financial goals, I always start out by telling them that our adult lives are like a road trip from New York to California. And my job as a financial planner is to help him or her get to California when they want, live in the house they want to live in when they get there, and make all the stops along the way that they want. This song is a great reminder of that journey that we all make. We all take different paths to retirement, but at the end of the day, that is the end goal for all of us. And it is important to remember that the journey is a long one, and just like we would do when we take a long road trip, we should have a road map or plan for the journey. When we have a plan, we are able to do and see more than people with no plan.Do you have a financial road map for your life? What do you want to see? What do you want to do? We are heading into the end of the year, and this is a great exercise to do at the end of every year. Think about your life journey so far and think about where you want to go next year or the year after. Always remember where you would like to end up and put your plan together. The best way to enforce your plan is setting up a budget. I know that budget seems like a four-letter word, but it really is the best way to keep you on track for your journey. If you have never created or lived by one, start with baby steps and set up a “big picture” budget. The more you practice it, the better you will be and you will be able to work on the “finer” areas of your financial life. Remember that life is a highway and the best way to travel it is with a map and a plan!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvsmRuRp4cM