I can’t think of a recreational activity that I despise more than playing cards.

Let’s go for a run, shoot some hoops, go fishing, play video games— ANYTHING but cards. I’m not sure when it started, but I’d rather run ten miles than play a round of ‘Up the river, down the river’ or whatever you want to call it.

Here’s the problem: my family loves playing cards. It’s a big point of connection for them.

I love my family, and there is nothing more important than connecting with them. That means whenever there’s a card game in the works, I have to ask myself what I really want. If I’m honest, as much as I hate playing cards, I want to connect with them more than I want to avoid the game.

What do YOU really want?

When you go to work in five years, what does your name tag say? When your kids graduate high school, where do you want to send them for college? When do you want to retire? What kind of retirement do you want to enjoy?

I met with a new client the other day and asked him where he wanted to be in ten years.

“I want to have a million dollars.”

When I asked him why, he stumbled around for a while before admitting, “Well, I’ve always wanted a million dollars. I always thought it’d be a cool thing to have a million bucks.”

We explored the “why” at a couple different angles together— but he didn’t actually have a goal.

Without knowing what we really want, we can’t exercise lasting discipline and sacrifice to arrive there. I play cards not because it’s my dream hobby, but because I value the connection with my family.

Without knowing the “why,” our life consists of motions without meaning. That’s no kind of life for me. What about you?

As a financial planner, I am here to help you reach your goals. Let’s talk about that.