W We often hear the phrase about plans of mice and men going astray. Well, they do. Often. Let's see if our industry can finally help keep the plans on track. Certainly Uncertain I have been in the financial industry for a quarter century. I have seen the markets rise and fall and rise again. In fact, I have advised through the Black Swan events of 2001, 2008, and 2020 (although some do not agree that this one was a Black Swan). What I learned over the last 25 years is that no financial plan anyone has ever executed ends the way it was originally laid out. That doesn't mean that goals are not necessarily reached, or objectives remain unattained. In fact, almost every stat ever shown illustrates that not only are you immensely more likely to achieve your financial goals if you lay out a plan, but you are also more than likely to be emotionally better off with a plan. ISSUE 3 2023 | 401kSpecialist.com 27