When You Grow Up
So, what do you want to be when you grow up?
Honestly, the last time you thought about this question might have been when you were 10 years old. Maybe you dreamed of piloting an airplane or leading your teammates to victory in the Super Bowl.
Whatever those dreams were, you probably could not have imagined your life taking you around the world for the next thirty-plus years, leading your fellow Americans in defense of our Nation. Even when you raised your right hand and swore your allegiance that first time, you might not have envisioned the amazing opportunities and challenges you would experience along the way. It’s been an incredible journey with hard-earned successes, mixed with sleepless nights and adrenaline-filled days.
You’ve dedicated years to training and deployments, uprooted your life and your family to move across the globe in support of our alliances, and commuted hours to and from the Pentagon to fulfill your promise to our Nation.
You’ve earned the right to take a moment to dream—to hit the “pause” button on this whirlwind military adventure—before you start charting your next one.
I challenge you to ask yourself this question:
Imagine you are financially secure and have all the money you need to live comfortably for the rest of your life. What would you do? How would you spend your time?
The incredible reality of your military pension is that you can afford to do just that: hit the “pause” button and give yourself the opportunity to dream. Regardless of your retirement rank—Colonel, General, or Admiral—chances are your pension will support your family for a few months or a year or maybe longer.
You’ve earned the right to think about what you want to do or be – not necessarily what you ought to do or be. Not what your predecessor decided, not what your co-worker decided, but what you decide to do or be.
Your work as a senior military leader has been inspiring to many, but what inspires you?
Maybe you want to take your leadership skills to the next level as a senior executive at a major defense contractor. Maybe you prefer the independence to lead and mentor as a consultant with your own company. Maybe you want to continue to inspire the next generation by taking a role in academia. Or transfer your exceptional executive skillset to an entirely different industry. Launch that start-up you’ve always talked about with your Academy roommate.
Or maybe you want to jump in and tackle your bucket list before you start your second career - sail solo around the globe, train for an Ironman, drive an RV around America. Maybe take that “Gap Year” you missed because you started basic training two weeks after high school. Or take that mission trip you’ve always supported, but now you have the opportunity to directly contribute your time and talent.
The power of the military pension you’ve earned is the latitude to explore and dream. There’s no single right answer. No Dash-1 or Field Manual with all the steps prescribed.
That’s where real financial life planning comes in. We focus first on your values, your goals, and your dreams; then we align your money to your vision of a great life. Once we define your destination, we partner with you to optimize your resources, mitigate your risks and help you sleep better at night knowing your finances are on time, on target.
Are you ready take a deep breath and dream about what you really want to be when you grow up (Part 2)?
Give us a call. We’ve got your pause button ready.
