Understanding Cause and Effect of Future Lifestyle Planning..
Many of us have this inability to plan for the long term future. When that time comes and we lose the lifestyle we are accustomed to, we probably blame someone or something else. Most people think that they will be financially secure in the future from their land and property, pension schemes and savings.
Hold on… Did I say Kenya? Property prices will never go down – will they? But then we hear about the reality in other parts of the world like recession, property price bubbles and crashes. If it does happen, who are we likely to blame for not having the future we had planned? Others or ourselves?
A common statement (or excuse) in Kenya “Hey sorry I’m late it’s the traffic!”
In other words, people’s perceptions are often distorted, blaming outside influences leading them to experience feelings of sadness, anger, frustration, among others. This comes as a necessary effect of some external cause and something over which they have no choice, control or even responsibility. They put the cause of their state outside of themselves. Will the assets and resources (property, savings and pensions) you have now give you peace of mind, comfort and the lifestyle you dream of in the future? Are you sure? If not who will you blame?
Many (obviously not you ) will blame someone else! Unfortunately, they are wrong! They need to take responsibility!
This is what we call Cause and Effect. 
Let’s take for example, a client tells us they are on short-term contracts, or they are too busy to talk to us. This is them at the effect end of the scale. They are putting cause outside of themselves. At that time, their emotional reasoning is driving their behaviour. If that client could change their thinking and realise that the future financial support could essentially help them in such times, like being on short-term contracts or realise their money is safely nurturing ready for a time they are not so busy, their behaviour and therefore their thinking would be different. They will have taken the initiative to do something about their future plans. This puts them at the cause side of the scale, which is where we all need to be.
Planning for the future does not have to be such a difficult decision to make, we just need to make it and make it ourselves!
We look at the bigger picture. What is your lifestyle like now? Do you want to maintain that lifestyle when that time comes and you have to submit to retirement? What is in store for your children, or your grandchildren? Will they have the financial support to provide them with the lifestyle you have worked so hard to give them?
If we take a particular event, we all see it differently. We make our own interpretation of that event as we each see it. For example, you intend to meet a Lifestyle consultant. You will imagine that event, run it through the filters in your mind. You will delete information, potentially missing good advice because of pre-conceived ideas..or you will distort the information of the event such like, having a misconception about an advisor and what they are putting across to you. You may generalise and make an assumption about what that particular advisor does.
Serious questions yes, but necessary ones. Once you have filtered the information, you will then create your own individual “thought”. This will then be followed by your emotions, which then drive your physiology, your body language, which in turn drives your behaviour towards that consultant and your decision.
How the mind works.
You could look at it differently; maybe look at the bigger picture by changing your emotional state, which will change your behaviour essentially. Because if you change your emotional reasoning, it will change your behaviour towards how you think about planning for the future.
LSM is about looking after people and helping them look after their families financially. Not just by financial advice, but also by considering each person’s values, goals and beliefs- then designing the best way forward. Every one of us is different! Money is a commodity we all need, yes,
and probably even more so in the future. Will you want to be twice as busy when the time comes for paying your children’s school fees?
Ask yourself these four questions:
- What will I gain if I called LSM?
- What will I not gain if I called LSM?
- What would I lose if I called LSM?
- What wouldn’t I lose if I didn’t call LSM?
Once you have the answers, or maybe you cannot, call us because we will be waiting to hear from you.
I believe everyone has a right to be successful, happy and fulfilled in all aspects of life. Allow me to show you how to be the best and live well. And more importantly, how to embrace life, laugh often and love with passion!
Catch up soon, thanks!
Les.
Les Symons is one of Africa’s most sought after personal development coaches. His passion in empowering individuals to take control of their lives has seen him change lives around the world – gaining an excellent reputation for sincere, highly valued and respected guidance. His company, LSM, provides corporate communications training and is a subsidiary of LSM.
– a consultancy firm helping professionals plan towards
their families’ futures.
LIFESTYLE MANAGEMENT, OFFICE D6 (2ND FLOOR), RIARA CENTRE, RIARA ROAD-NAIROBI-KENYA.
TEL: +254 (0) 777777333 info@lsmplan.com/info@lsmcoach.com www.lsmplan.com