Doing What You Love is the New Wealth
Before I get onto doing what you love is the new wealth, its great to see that I am not the only one that gets budget predictions wrong!
Thanks to Nick and Neil for covering for me while I was away. I obviously read their blog “If Pensions are Done…..What Else” with great interest, while falling down a mountain, as they so kindly put it.
It looks like the chancellor has backed down from reforming pension tax relief for fear of upsetting voters ahead of the finely balanced Brexit vote.
Don’t be fooled though, Nick and Neil were not entirely wrong in their assessment, as this is has only kicked it down the road to be dealt with at a later date, most likely in the Autumn Statement.
The direction of travel is to restrict tax relief for “higher earners” on pensions as it is an easy target and generates the right headlines.
Instead of labouring this point any further, I thought I would try lighten the mood a bit. I came across the image above recently from a bit of a hero of mine on the business front, Hugh McLeod @gapingvoid.
Something changed.
It used to be, money was the only metric you needed to pay attention to. If you made ‘x thousand’, you were happy. If you made ’10x thousand’, you were even happier.
But then you find out that money can only buy you so much. Like Bill Gates says, “It’s the same hamburger”.
Stuff doesn’t make you happy. Making a difference makes you happy. Love and being loved makes you happy. Being invited to the dance that is humanity, that is what we’re here for.
As simple Wealth Advisers we can’t possibly aspire to deliver happiness to our clients (if only!!!) but it does put what we do into perspective.
It also gives some context to the idea that if we do our job really well, making the complex simple, no matter what is going on in politics, pensions, the markets, etc, etc this can bring you the peace of mind and the freedom to do what you love.
Lofty ambitions I know but it is something to aspire to.
Please feel free to share your thoughts on this and any of the other topics we cover.
PS For anyone interested in the commercial property market, we are having a lunch with Ediston Real Estate on 22nd March at 12pm. We will be looking at the outlook for the commercial property market and the potential impact of a Brexit.