working out what’s important to you
During major life changes such as looking for a new career or transitioning to retirement, taking time to reflect on what's most important to you can help you put things in perspective.
'Understanding your core values is critical when making major life decisions' says John Dani, Manager of Advice Development at ipac.
'Once you know what's important to you, you can plan your life accordingly, whether it be your next career move, your finances or your retirement plans.'
This exercise is usually reserved for ipac's clients, but we are delighted to be able to offer a complimentary online version.
"I have gone through the card sort and found the process to be valuable in understanding my financial values and motivators, which I really had not given a lot of attention to prior to this. It certainly helps put your financial goals in perspective." Kelly Magowan, Six Figures
Once you explore what’s most important to you, you can plan your life accordingly – whether it is your next career move, your finances or retirement plans.
Here’s how to get started:
- Step 1: Sort the cards into two piles. The first pile includes all the values that are most important to you. The second pile includes those values that seem less relevant.
- Step 2: Take the first pile of cards with the values that fit well, and select the ten most important.
- Step 3: Now, review your selection and narrow the list down to your top five values.
- Step 4: Review your finances to assess whether your financial goals are consistent with your five most important values.
This process may take time as it requires looking inwards but the results can be revealing. Many people find they need help with Step 4. We’ve been helping Australians make smart financial choices for more than 25 years and we’d be happy to have a chat to see if we can help you.
Feel free to call us on 1800 626 881 to organise a discussion with one of our financial advisers.