INDIVIDU AL n


LIFE IMITATING SPORT


Adrian Young CAP®, CFP® Executive


Vice President


It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year (cue Andy Williams). Te question is, “Did you miss it?” I’m not talking about the horn-beeping, blood pressure-raising welcome to Christmas known as Black Friday (or is it Tursday, now). No, I’m talking about a far less barbaric occurrence. For professional sports fans, the fall represents a sort of seasonal nirvana, in which football takes over the majority of American television sets, baseball games finally mean something heading into the World Series, pre-season


basketball and hockey are in full swing, and Major League Soccer even pops up in conversation. It is a truly wonderful confluence of events, in which the most highly skilled (and highly paid) athletic teams in the world put their training, coaching and “will to win” to the test.


Each test, for these teams, is a ballad of planning, execution and on-the-fly adjustments. Upon further review, these games present a stunningly similar framework to the financial stewardship contest in which we are all competing. From the pre-game training, budgeting and saving, to the in-game adjustments, investing and protecting, the first half in “the game of life” is often filled with exploratory risks and unexpected situations. Hopefully, we’ve made the most of our opportunities, and we’ve


put some points on the board. Before we know it, it’s halftime!


Reassessing the situation, changing game plans, repositioning assets and gearing up for the rest of the game are all essential for even the best to finish with significance, as Bob Buford outlines in his book Halftime. Financial halftime, for most, occurs in the years nearing retirement. Tis is where some of the most significant adjustments in one’s spending, saving, giving and living take place.


Once back on the field, though, it comes down to discipline and execution. Soon, the adjustments made and enjoyed in halftime and beyond are truly tested. It’s now crunch time! Te team, the individuals “playing,” as well as their trusted coaches and advisors, must work in concert to ensure all of the efforts, from the first pre-game meeting to the last in-game adjustment, prepare us for a win and leave a lasting post-game legacy.


So, whether or not you are one of the millions who wait patiently for the rest of the year to pass, so that you can finally welcome the fall and cheer on all of your favorite teams within just days of one another, we hope you benefit from the training, coaching and cheering we aspire to bring as members of your team.


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