You may have seen this picture before, it is a classic optical illusion that features a drawing of an elderly woman or a young woman depending on how you look at it. It’s purposely ambiguous. The nose of the elder woman could be seen as the chin and the jawline of the younger. The ear of the younger could be seen as the eye of the elder.

The difference is how you look at it

As financial planners, we work with people to help them reach their financial goals. The process almost always entails, at minimum, a discussion about goals, a comprehensive review of assets and liabilities, putting together a comprehensive budget, and creating an action plan that details steps a person can take to reach their financial goals. And once that’s done, the real effort begins as the person sets out to follow through on steps to reach their goal.

Working toward financial goals requires discipline over time; many times it requires sacrifice. And sometimes working toward your goals or dealing with a financial problem can become monotonous or tedious. In fact, some people do avoid it, which just compounds the problem or delays the progress.

But that’s just one way to look at the situation. If you shift your perspective just a bit, you can see something very different. It may not be thrilling to pore over numbers and make tough decisions. But do you know what is exciting? Pulling out of the car lot in the vehicle you just purchased, taking your seat in the plane as you wait for takeoff to an exotic locale, taking your entire family on a cruise, pulling in the driveway of your new home, retiring early, and we could go on and on.

Don’t let the way you look at the task of dealing with money keep you from making changes for the better. Focus on your goals and remind yourself why you are working so hard. Don’t let tedium derail you from working toward your goal. Set smaller milestone goals and celebrate the successes. Working toward financial goals doesn’t have to be boring. Find your own ways to get excited about it, and see it from a different perspective- the perspective of possibility. 

This commentary on this website reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints and analyses of the Gainplan LLC employees providing such comments, and should not be regarded as a description of advisory services provided by Gainplan LLC or performance returns of any Gainplan LLC Investments client. The views reflected in the commentary are subject to change at any time without notice. Nothing on this website constitutes investment advice, performance data or any recommendation that any particular security, portfolio of securities, transaction or investment strategy is suitable for any specific person. Any mention of a particular security and related performance data is not a recommendation to buy or sell that security. Gainplan LLC manages its clients’ accounts using a variety of investment techniques and strategies, which are not necessarily discussed in the commentary. Investments in securities involve the risk of loss. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.