Purpose: The reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.
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When I started Walden I had a clear vision for the firm. I want Walden to be more than a Financial Advisory firm. As the mission of the firm states, I want to inspire my clients to live with intention and purpose, and I truly mean that.
Sometimes though, as clear as my vision seems to be, I find myself distracted by other ideas. One of the cons of striving to be open minded and intellectually curious is that it’s easy to become infatuated by other ways of doing things.
Earlier this week I had a conversation that started me down a path of questioning some things I’ve been working on. I spent at least a day thinking about these alternatives, and ultimately concluded that nothing I was considering supported my vision for Walden.
This thought exercise brought with it a bit of an “a-ha” moment; if it weren’t for having a mission for the firm, I likely would've followed this other path. But because the mission of the firm is grounded in a clear purpose, I was able to refocus and get back to the work that will move us closer to our vision.
I share this with you because I think this presents an opportunity with our financial planning work. When we have a clear purpose, it’s much easier to stay focused on our mission, and in the case of financial planning, reaching our goals.
For example, if your financial purpose is to use your resources to allow more time with your family, then taking the job with higher pay but more demanding hours might not be the best choice. Of course, on paper it might seem like the right thing to do, but as it relates to what is important to you, it might actually be the wrong thing to do.
This all starts with defining a purpose, an exercise we will be incorporating into our process soon. I’m excited to have these conversations with you and I know that it will bring a newfound clarity to the work we do together.
If you found these thoughts to be interesting, helpful or entertaining, please feel free to share with a friend.
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