God tells us not to worry. And we shouldn’t—much of what is to come is out of our control. However, there is a major difference between worry and prudent concern.
We shouldn’t worry about the day we will die, but we should have prudent concern of what will happen to our loved ones after we are gone. We shouldn’t worry about someone having to wipe the drool from our face because our health has failed us, but we should have prudent concern of how to avoid the emotional and financial pressure this could put on our family. We shouldn’t worry about running out of money, but we should have prudent concern of what effects our lifestyle choices are causing. We shouldn’t worry about our children’s financial future, but we should have prudent concern as to what financial literacy they need to obtain. We shouldn’t worry about the future of our country, but we should have prudent concern to write letters to our leaders, vote, and encourage others to do the same. We shouldn’t worry, but we should have prudent concern to pray.
Do you ever take the time to imagine the worst? My guess is if you do, you probably stop yourself and ask “Why am I thinking about this?” As morbid as it may sound, it is imperative to imagine the worst for your life plan to be successful. A question we always ask is what’s keeping you awake at night? Don’t ignore it. The “worst” would not be what you are imagining, but what will actually happen if you ignore it.
Consider the two men in this poem entitled Prudent Concern:
Two men successful in life carried the same load
But as a choice, they traveled different roads
One had not a moment to waste
The other found time in life’s haste
One seemed to survive by merely a drift
He was filled with constant fear of what if
The other had thrived by purpose to live his life
He consciously used fear to fight his strife
On a fateful day, two cars collided
The successful men had finally united
While both families grieved for the men they loved
Only one family would have a future to write of
One family was pained by a failure to plan
The fear of what if came true of this man
His success was lost and his name forgotten
It was at his own cost his family’s wealth would rotten
The other carried on with purpose in their hearts
This man’s fear of future strife was truly smart
His success lived on and his name was remembered
It was his prudent concern that was his family’s lasting ember
Which man are you?
I truly don’t believe any person plans to fail. It is true that we merely fail to plan. We are in the business of prudent concern. We can’t worry about the future. All we can do is plan for the “what ifs” in life. It is our job to help the individuals and families we work with imagine the worst. This is how we progress toward our mission to give our clients confidence in their financial future and life plan so that they may enjoy “Living Life on Purpose.”
Don’t wait. Begin imagining the worst today!