Carl Richards, director of investor education for the BAM ALLIANCE, explains in his book The Behavior Gap on the difference between financial planning and life planning:
“I spend a lot of time talking and writing about worst-case scenarios: investors behaving badly, people losing their retirement, and so on.
But let’s not forget why we’re so focused on our financial security. We want to be happy, and to provide a good life for our loved ones.
This sketch is one of my favorites, even though it doesn’t say a word about money. When I get up in the morning, I try to remember what really makes me happy — great experiences with the people I love. When I use that goal as the baseline for my decision-making, it becomes a lot easier to focus on the things that really matter when it comes to investing: things like working hard, saving a lot, and behaving wisely.”