Painting Your Picture

I read a loosely translated Japanese Proverb from the Zappos Twitter feed. It made me think about issues faced by many when it comes to financial planning.

“Vision with execution is a daydream. Execution without vision is a nightmare.”

This quote brings back memories of the international program I didn’t pursue in college, and the cavalier money I spent too quickly on “great ideas.” It highlights the struggle we all face connecting our impassioned vision with proper execution.

Unfortunately, modern financial planning theory teeters on the edge of a nightmare for many. Execution is how the financial factory gets paid and they use stories to convince us their vision is ours.

In my upcoming book, You Should Only Have to Get Rich Once, we discuss a technique called the Painted Picture. It’s a process to help you develop your vision. You imagine your life three years from today, but you write it down in the present tense. This forces a powerful reflection. Only by creating such reflection will you do the hard work needed to connect properly with your vision.

Vision must be in place before execution. Without a proper grasp on what you want from life, you risk funding somebody else’s vision with your money.

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