More cheese, fewer cats

Seeking pleasure and avoiding pain in your financial planning

Photo by Waldemar on Unsplash

Happy Wednesday!

If you consider the common mouse and not only their capacity, but also their motivation, for making decisions, we might describe them as wanting to pursue pleasure and avoid danger.

Or eat cheese 🧀, avoid cats 🐈.

I heard this idea from a dude who used this “eat cheese, avoid cats” concept to frame a discussion around how you and I make decisions and why.

Much like a mouse, we’re all about seeking pleasure and avoiding danger.

Naturally I was thinking about how this idea translates to your financial planning and your money decisions.

For some, “seeking pleasure” could be:

• More money

• More time

• More freedom

• Less stress

• Less anxiety

• Less uncertainty

Likewise, “avoiding danger” might include:

• Less risk (investment or otherwise)

• Financial independence

• Less or no debt

• A bigger emergency fund

• Better health insurance

• Having an up-to-date estate plan

I’m sure your versions of “pleasure” and “danger” will be different. And that’s OK.

It’s personal, as it should be…

But regardless of how you might classify or describe your fundamental motivations, I think there’s a lot of value in keeping things simple.

However, the examples above are all just generalities.

While they may offer some insight into broad financial concepts and decisions, I’d ask you to remember that personal finance is “more personal than finance.” (thanks yet again to Tim Maurer for that quote)

So, rather than look down upon the world – and your finances – from the window seat of a Delta 757 cruising at 30,000 feet, I encourage you to apply some more “up close and personal” to your finances.

Rather than saying you want “less stress” in your life, why not define the steps that will actually reduce or remove stress from your life.

You want “more freedom”?

What does more freedom look like, smell like, sound like, to you? Be specific.

Details, folks.

I want details.

Want a bigger emergency fund? How much bigger? Why do you want a bigger emergency fund?

Want more money? How much? By when? Why?

Of course, these are a just a few examples of the virtually unlimited variables, choices, goals, and trade-offs available to you. And many of them are available to you right now whether you realize it or not.

But I find many people I speak with often talk and think in generalities until someone pushes them (gently, of course) to be more specific and outline the steps, timelines, factors, and risks involved in bringing clarity to their money decisions.

I’m not sure there’s anything wrong with 30,000-foot thinking, but that lack of clarity, that lack of specificity can lead to outcomes that, while generally on target, could ultimately miss the mark in the context of the people and things that are most important to you.

Sure, you might be on track for a good life, but what about living your GREAT life?

Whether you’re a woman dealing with divorce, a married couple approaching retirement, or anyone else in any other circumstance, it’s OK to take a macro view of your life and your finances.

In fact, that’s a perfect place to start.

But the challenge, and what often stops well-meaning people like you in their tracks, is getting into the details, making plans and taking steps to live your life purposefully every day while also planning for a comfortable and confident tomorrow.

I’m not too concerned with what you call it . . . pursue pleasure and avoid danger, or eat cheese and avoid cats, or whatever you prefer.

My concern lies in working with a select group of clients to help them balance their strategy (from 30,000 feet) with the detailed tactics and steps to help put them on a path to living their best lives.

This all starts with what I refer to as a discovery meeting.

This isn’t an interrogation but is instead an in-depth exploratory conversation where we quickly get to the specifics of who and what is important to you in the context of living your ideal life.

But at the end of the day, I’m really about trying to give you more “cheese” while helping you avoid “cats” along the way.

If you’re ready to start clarifying and quantifying what your cheese is while allowing me to inform and educate you about the potential threats and uncertainties (cats) you may encounter along the way, let me know.

I’d love to start that conversation with you.

For now, hit reply or leave a comment below with one personal, specific thing you’re going to do today. Doesn’t matter what it is or if it’s related to your finances.

Just be specific 🎯

Thoughts? Feedback?

I love hearing from readers, and I’m always looking for feedback.

How am I doing with these weekly articles?

Is there anything you’d like to see more or less of?

Which aspects of my writing do you enjoy the most?

Hit reply and say hello - I’d love to hear from you.

And as always, thanks for reading.

Until next Wednesday,

Russ

Retirement Planning for Women

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Disclosures