“A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.” Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The most important step in building a financial plan is the defining of your vision and goals.
These are the foundation of every good financial plan and what every technical step in the planning process will support.
This is where you get to decide what your life is all about.
One of my favorite stories is about a traveler who meets some stone cutters:
A traveler came upon three individuals working with stone. Curious as to what they were doing, the traveler asked the first worker “What are you doing?” Without hesitation, the worker replied, “I am cutting stones.”
Still unclear of the workers’ task, the traveler approached the second worker and asked the same question. The second worker thought for a moment, and then explained, “I am cutting stones to earn money to support my family.”
Perplexed by the two different responses, the sojourner approached the third worker and asked, “What are you doing?” Stopping for a moment, the worker stared at the stone in his hand, slowly turned to the traveler, and said, “I AM BUILDING A CATHEDRAL!”
Three men – all working at the same site, performing the same task – each had three very different perspectives of what they were working toward.
This part of the planning process is where YOU decide whether you are cutting stones or building a cathedral. This is YOUR great opportunity to set big, bold, far-reaching goals.
Like a great architect, take the time and opportunity to clearly define EXACTLY what YOUR cathedral will look like and what purpose it will serve. How long will it last? How will it serve your family, your community and the world? What values will it convey? How beautiful will it be?
I hope that you are using your life, and your financial planning process, to build cathedrals.
Comments