In my decades as a financial life planner, defining “enough” was a tricky calculation. When discussing goals with clients, the question “What is enough?” was rarely met with a straightforward answer. It looked a little like this:
Me: “How much money do you need in order to feel like you have enough?”
Client: “I don’t even know where to begin. I think it’s a big number.”
Me: “A million, five million, ten million, twenty?”
Client: Blank stare
Me: “Ok, let’s start by listing your financial needs and wants. Include everything you can think of.”
Client: “I don’t want to outlive my resources. I want to live comfortably; I don’t need lavish. I’d like to take a couple of nice trips a year. I want to help pay for college for my two grandchildren…..”
The list went on, as the client listed what was important in order to find a number that satisfied “enough.”
In Chapter X, creating a list that includes what is important to you is a great place not only to start, but also to revisit periodically. Once you have your list, match it with an action. For example, if improving physical health is important, what is the matching action? If traveling is at the top of your list, create a target date (when), and start filling in what is needed to make it a reality.
This chapter of our lives demands our willingness to move past intransigence, fear, blocks, obstacles (both real and imagined), and anything else that keeps us from living our best life. It doesn’t have to be grandiose—but it needs to align with your definition of finding satisfaction.
