Category: Life Planning

Planning Alone

Are You Planning All Alone?

Mr. Jones was a self-made man. He was a successful business owner, a loving husband, and a proud father of three sons who had families of their own. Through decades of hard work, he had built a successful business and eventually sold it for $3 million. After the sale, Mr. Jones paid approximately $450,000 in…
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August 11, 2026 0
80/20

The Real 80/20 Rule: Why Progress Beats Perfection

You’ve probably heard of the 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle. It’s often used in business, health, finance, and productivity, suggesting that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. Whether or not the original principle applies to every area of life is up for debate. In fact, its origins had…
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July 21, 2026 0
Success

Everyone Wants Success… But What Does Success Really Mean?

Everyone wants to be successful—but ask ten people to define success, and you’ll probably get ten different answers. Recently, we attended a leadership forum with some of the most accomplished professionals in our industry. Surprisingly, the conversation wasn’t about investments, business growth, or financial strategies. Instead, for nearly two hours, the group wrestled with one…
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July 7, 2026 0
8 Life Planning Issues

What Are the 8 Life Planning Issues?

When it comes to money, everyone seems to have an opinion. Talk to your friends, family, coworkers, or neighbors, and you’ll likely hear ten different answers to the same financial question. One person swears by real estate. Another believes the stock market is the only path to wealth. Someone else insists on paying off every…
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June 30, 2026 0
Water

Is Your Life Dehydrated?

Have you ever felt exhausted, irritable, or disconnected and couldn’t quite put your finger on why? Recently, I came across a devotional from Medi-Share, a Christian healthcare sharing ministry, that introduced the concept of spiritual dehydration. While the devotional was faith-based, the idea applies far beyond any particular belief system. Just as our bodies suffer…
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June 9, 2026 0
Remarriage

The Finance of Remarriage

Remarriage often represents a fresh start — a second chance at love, partnership, and building a future together. But unlike first marriages, remarriages usually come with financial history attached. Assets, debts, spending habits, children, support obligations, retirement accounts, and even emotional baggage around money can all become part of the relationship. The reality is that…
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May 19, 2026 0
Stress

Decompress from Stress

Stress has a sneaky way of multiplying itself. You worry about work, money, family, or the future… then you start stressing about how stressed you are. It’s exhausting. Since it’s Mother’s Day season, maybe it’s worth asking: what would your mom say about all this? “Slow down.” “Take it down a notch.” “You don’t NEED…
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May 12, 2026 0
Peace

Finding Peace in Turbulent Times

“May you live in interesting times.” It sounds like a blessing—but it’s often said to be a curse. Because “interesting” rarely means peaceful. And let’s be honest—we’re living in some very interesting times. Turn on the news or scroll your phone and you’ll see it everywhere: global conflict, rapid advances in artificial intelligence, political tension,…
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April 1, 2026 0
Lawsuit

Are Your Assets Truly Protected?

It’s a simple question—but for most people, it’s surprisingly hard to answer with confidence. The reality is this: assets are not automatically protected. Without intentional planning, what you’ve worked so hard to build could be exposed to unnecessary risk. The good news? Many of the most common gaps are fixable—once you know where to look.…
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March 19, 2026 0
Cut and Paste

Do You Cut and Paste Your Money Decisions?

A while back, Money Magazine asked several successful people a simple question: What’s the smartest financial advice you’ve ever received? One response stood out. Richard Branson, billionaire founder of the Virgin Group, admitted that early in his career he simply didn’t know much about finance—and the best thing he learned was to stay humble about…
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March 11, 2026 0

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