Your Money Journey: Lisa Sakai
The old saying: “Things tend to work themselves out.” is not a financial strategy!
We’ve all heard it before. Maybe from our parents or even in the sports world. Legendary college football coach Lou Holtz, a Hall of Famer, is often quoted saying something along those lines, suggesting that as long as we remain positive, life will sort itself out.
And while there might be some truth to that, have you ever stopped to ask yourself, do things really work out the way you want them to? When it comes to your finances, can you afford to leave your future up to chance?
“Let’s take an uncomfortable topic: life insurance.”
The Silent Decision: Ignoring Your Finances:
Here’s a hard fact: Even when you choose not to make a decision, you’re still making a decision.
Let’s take an uncomfortable topic: life insurance. No one wants to talk about it, because—let’s face it—at the heart of it, life insurance is about death. While there are other uses for life insurance, its primary purpose is to provide a death benefit for a loved one. The reality is, by not talking about it, or not analyzing if you need it, you’re still making a decision. A decision is being made for you, but it might not be the one you want.
Maybe, without realizing it, you’ve chosen not to have enough coverage. Or maybe your group coverage isn’t pure life insurance but accidental death insurance. Ignoring the issue could leave your family in a bind when they need it most. Sure, things might “work themselves out,” but do you want to risk it?
Think of it like this: if you ignore a leaky pipe in your home, eventually, yes, something will “work itself out”—but it’s probably going to be in the form of costly water damage.
Comparing Your Financial Situation to Others:
We all have that one friend. The one who’s always jetting off on weekend getaways, eating at the trendiest restaurants, and somehow always splurging on new shoes. It’s hard not to wonder: How do they afford all this?
It’s easy to assume they have their finances under control and that they’ve got it all figured out. But you really don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. They might just be one of those “things work out” people, coasting from one decision to the next without a plan.
Just because everything looks great on the surface doesn’t mean their financial picture is stable. Living for the moment feels great—until the bill comes due. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying life now, but if there’s no financial plan for the future, you’re playing a risky game.
” Living for the moment feels great—until the bill comes due.”
When it comes to finances, letting life “work itself out” is essentially handing control over to fate, and fate doesn’t always play nice.
Taking Risks Without Seeing Them:
Here’s the truth. If you believe things will just magically figure themselves out with your money, you’re taking risks. Maybe those risks will pay off, or maybe they won’t.
Think about the unexpected twists life throws at us: job loss, unexpected medical bills, market crashes. If you don’t have a plan, these hits can wreak havoc on your financial life—and your timeline for retirement or financial independence may be pushed back by years, or even decades.
The point is, ignoring your finances doesn’t mean you’re not making decisions. It just means that your decisions are being made for you. By staying passive, you’re letting fate, circumstances, and outside forces shape your future, whether you like it or not.
Step Into Your Financial Driver’s Seat:
What if you took control of your financial decisions instead of leaving them to fate? What if this time, you made the choices, with a clear mind, and with an eye on the present and future?
If your goal is to one day achieve financial independence, you’ll need to intentionally step into the driver’s seat. It’s not something that’ll just happen because you “hope for the best.”
And if you’re feeling a little lost or overwhelmed, that’s okay. No one has this all figured out perfectly.
It’s all about making sure that, when it comes to your money, you are the one making the decisions.
Take Control of Your Financial Strategy:
One thing you can do for your financial future is to take action today. Don’t sit back, hoping that everything will just work out eventually. Take control, make educated decisions, and protect what you’re building for yourself and your family. You don’t need to do it all today. Take baby steps and pretty soon, you will have made educated decisions on so many areas of your life.
Note: Investment advice offered through Integrated Financial Partners, doing business as One Vision Retirement, a registered investment advisor. The information in this material is for general information only and is not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. Integrated Financial Partners does not provide legal/tax advice or services. Please consult a qualified legal/tax advisor regarding your specific situation.
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About the Author:
Lisa Sakai is a Financial Consultant who works with clients on Bucket List Acceleration and getting to live the life they want now. As the co-founder of One Vision Retirement, she has been working with clients across the country for over 12 years. Lisa’s advice provides easy to understand, logical steps and exercises that people can take action on right away. Learn more about Lisa Sakai here at One Vision Retirement.
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