When you make a decision, how often is it because the product was good, and how often was it because of the person selling it?
In making a decision, there are so many factors. We as consumers want the best of ALL worlds. We'll compare based on price, quality, brand, and sometimes the salesperson.
I recently bought a TV mediabox from SimLim. We walked around shopping for the options available in the building, asking around for prices, and eventually chanced upon this shop at a 'ulu' corner selling a brand we hadn't seen yet and at a cheaper price than what we were quoted by everyone else. But more importantly, I decided to buy from this particular salesman because he made me feel that he knew what he was talking about and that I could trust him. He asked us why we wanted to buy a mediabox and showed us what he thought would meet all our criteria. He was well versed in how his brand performed compared to the competitors, he explained how the technology worked, he gave us alot of examples of what we could do.
I don't think I could have done it better than him. I was sold.
So we brought it home. Whether on impulse or not, I felt that I had made a good decision. And it didn't matter that it wasn't as fast or easy to use or that I couldn't find the shows I was looking for. I knew that I had got the best deal among all the lousy ones, and the other brands would have been much worse HaHa.
You must be wondering what has this got to do with financial planning ?
At face value, it reinforces that you would prefer to do business with someone you like. Who gets you, understands you and is sincere and trustworthy.
Honestly, what is your plan for yourself?
You won't know how to plan for what you want, if you don't know what it is you want. You are the planner of your own life. What do you hope to achieve in the future? Where would you like to live? What kind of family life you would like to have?
It scares me to hear people say 'I don't know what I want in the future'. Of course 'going with the flow' and 'letting life take its course' are necessary. But lets think of something that would make your heart sing to have in the future. It could be to own your own car, or have a holiday tree house, or have 3 kids, whatever makes you smile to think of it.
For me, I would like to live in a self sustaining house when I retire. I visited this place in Australia called French-Island when I was studying in Melbourne. It fascinated me that they grow their own produce, have their own electricity source using generators, and make use of rain water. It was a total different way of life. And though retirement is pretty far away from now, and I don't really have the details on where this house would be, it feels fun just imagining it.
Without a purpose, there would be no reason to take any action. Even if it's just fun to think of, and may not eventually become reality, using your imagination can be a wonderful pastime.
You could be at any stage of your life and wondering what you want to achieve next.
A good financial planner can't help you plan what to do with your life, but can help to explore the endless possibilities out there while helping you to get there.
What do you want?
When?
How much do you need?
What could stop you from achieving it?
If you can't answer question 1, then how do you carry on with the rest of the questions?
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