Navigating the Mountain

I was recently in Utah on a ski trip with a few friends, and the mountains always seem to get my creative thinking firing. In my opinion, it is very easy to get lost in your thoughts among some of the greatest mountain scenery in the world. The drive to work each day can’t be too difficult with those views!

After coming down from my sentimental thoughts at the top of the mountain, it would inevitably be time to ski our way down the slopes. Many times, we would get to the top of the mountain, and we would develop a plan on how to execute a successful journey down the slopes. Each time as a group, we would meet, look at the map, discuss a plan of action, and then begin our journey down the mountain. To remain together and ski within our abilities, we had to come up with a plan that fit everyone’s skill and ability level.

As we made our way down the mountain, we would encounter obstacles such as a patch of thin snow, a grouping of trees, a difficult section of skiing, or a family of beginner-level skiers swerving uncontrollably across the run. We had to react, trust our skills, and continue on the plan we set forth as a group. Did things go awry along the way? Sure. We had a few falls on the mountain, but we recovered and maintained our focus on skiing safely down the mountain as a group. We even encountered some ski runs that challenged our abilities beyond what we initially planned. Before dropping into the run, we would stop, discuss, encourage, and then we would choose our lines to ski. We trusted our abilities and executed on our plan of safely navigating the slopes as a group.

I can’t help but see the parallels between skiing and the lives of all the wonderful families we work with each day. How do you navigate a new, challenging, ever-changing environment? With a conversation, a plan, and encouragement along the way. Does everything always go your way on the journey to achieving your goals? Absolutely not. Sometimes you will encounter a poor market, the loss of a family member, health changes, or an economic change that will push you to re-visit your plan. Sometimes your plan even changes due to an unexpected positive event! Either way, these are the times to regroup and assess how to safely maneuver your way to success. Money is only important when you have a purpose for how you’d like to use it!

If you’d like to revisit your own plans or know a friend or family member who may benefit from a conversation with us, please let us know. As always, thank you for your ongoing trust.