When it comes to planning for your future or retirement, it can be an intense and time-consuming process, and it should be if you do it properly. The truth is that only a small portion of people actual follow a plan and I think that the reason in part – is the process.

But having a process or a system to follow actually allows you to face realities and make decisions you may otherwise have avoided. Having a plan in place can help you when your circumstances change.

So many people are just plain lousy at planning. I think that for some they disconnect because planning involves the future, yet they don’t know what the future holds. They are great at evaluating where they are at (and making excuses why they are there), but barely capable of planning ahead. Some even refuse to do it at all, and the most popular excuse is that they don’t know what will happen in the future, so why bother – live for today! Is that you?

In my experience the biggest gap I see in most people is really between who they are and where they want to be (if they have even thought about it). It saddens me that so many people stay stuck and don’t even dare to dream. If you are not happy with your circumstances compared to where you want to be then having a plan and goals is a very important missing link for you. People with dreams, plans and goals tend to be much happier.

When it comes to investing your money it’s the same – you have the choice of ignoring the possibilities and hanging on to seemingly impossible dreams, or just planning for now – something enjoyable that you have a good chance of achieving (sabotaging your long term goals).

Ideally you should plan for your future or retirement not in the hope or expectation that things won’t change in the future, but in the secure knowledge that they will. The benefit of having a plan is that it is much easier to adapt to a new set of situations.

So what can change in a retirement or future plan? Almost anything and everything, career paths change sometimes for the better and sometimes they go off the rails. Family circumstances change, your personal interest’s change, markets change, or housing costs change. If you have a plan which accounts for the unforeseen, it’s easier to adjust than if you do not.

If you would like more information on planning – please contact me. On my website I am offering my free digital book; Maximum Money Momentum – a goal setting workbook. (Click here to get your copy)

It’s time – your destiny is not a matter of chance – it is a matter of choice.