#182 - Want a Great Retirement?

If you want a great retirement, you don’t need better answers, you need better questions. Pretty much everyone in financial advice and the media want us to stay with tactical questions like “How should I allocate my investment account?” “Are interest rates going to go up soon?” and “Am I saving enough?” These tactical questions are like tools in a toolbox that can’t be used well until after you decide what you are building! On today’s episode, I’m going to suggest some better questions that will help you make better decisions. You’ll learn to start with the design and work your way down to the tactical decisions for a great retirement. Address the incongruence between your financial worries and what you are actually doing A recent Gallup poll pointed out the top three financial worries in America. On this episode, I’ll share those with you and point out the ways that our actions tend to be incongruent with what we are concerned about; how we often are not actually doing anything that addresses the concern about not having enough money for a great retirement. Listen in and get motivated to take specific steps that can actually help to mitigate the financial worries that you have. Power questions you can ask when you’re feeling stuck on a decision When you’re feeling stuck on a decision, it’s important to be able to step out of the immediate moment and ask questions that will help you move forward. On today’s episode, I’ll share a couple of power questions that can help you get unstuck and get a clear vision of what really matters to you. Don’t look for better answers, listen in and start asking better questions so that you can move forward towards a great retirement. Key questions to ask when you’re thinking about your future When you are thinking about your future and a great retirement, it is important to ask yourself some good questions that will help you envision what you really want. On this episode, I’ll give you some key questions to ask, not only as you are planning your retirement, but also along the way into and through retirement as your goals and priorities change. Listen to learn the questions that matter far more than just what you should do with your portfolio. Keep good questions in front of you to help you make better decisions Asking good questions is essential to a great retirement. On this episode, I’m sharing what I think are the important questions to have in front of you. This week’s Smart Sprint is to write those questions on a card and keep them top of mind for a week so that you can refer to them whenever you are in a quandary and use them to help you make better decisions. Listen to today’s podcast to start asking yourself good questions and taking steps to get out of the tactical world and start taking intentional action to build the life that your 90-year-old self is going to be proud of.   OUTLINE OF THIS EPISODE OF THE RETIREMENT ANSWER MAN [0:27] Tactical, transactional questions are great, but should never be discussed first. [2:32] Disclaimer. Don’t take advice from me on this show. HOT TOPIC SEGMENT [3:02] The 5-minute Retirement makeover - not your parents’ retirement planning. [3:53] America’s top three financial worries. [5:09] The incongruence between financial worries and what people are actually doing. PRACTICAL PLANNING SEGMENT [8:36] Design first, and work your way down to tactical. [12:16] Question #1 - “If I knew the answer (hypothetically), what would it be?” [14:00] Question #2 - “What would my 90-year-old self want me to do?” [16:19] Question #3 - Do I still want to do this? [17:30] Question #4 - What does this make possible? [18:40] Question #5 - How does this help me towards my goal? [20:08] Question #6 - What can I do next? [21:24] Get out of the tactical world and start taking intentional action that to build the life that your 90-year-old self is going to be proud of. TODAY’S SMART SPRINT SEGMENT [22:08] 7-day goal: Keep the focusing questions top of mind and refer to them to make better decisions. THE HAPPY LAB SEGMENT [23:04] In a dinner group, try to get everyone focused on one conversation instead of all the side conversations. RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 3-Video Series: 5 Minute Retirement Makeover Contact Roger: http://www.rogerwhitney.com/retirementanswers/ Roger’s retirement learning center: www.RogerWhitney.com/learn The Retirement Answer Man Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/RetirementAnswerMan