I love the outdoors and during the fall each year I am sure to find some time to spend in the woods pursuing the elusive white-tail buck. I enjoy the opportunity to observe nature as it wakes up in the morning and settles in for the night. After the hunt it is really fun hear the stories of the buck that a person was able to harvest. The stories usually detail how the pursuit happened that day and ends with a description of the antler size of the buck they had harvested. When I am fortunate enough to harvest a buck, the first question most everyone asks me is, “how many points did it have?” The interesting thing about deer hunting is that there is an actual scoring system to give a proper perspective of how “big” the buck was. The scoring system takes multiple measurements of the buck’s antlers measured to the nearest 1/8 inch on an official scoring sheet. It measures the width, length and even height of the antlers. This allows a buck to be measured on an equal playing field one would say. It is really great to have an official scoring system as it allows hunters to speak a common language. Recently, I had the experience of hearing a hunting story of someone that had harvested a 12-point buck. I asked what the buck scored to give me some perspective on how big the buck was. In the moment I asked the question, I immediately thought in my mind that it is amazing that a 7-point buck could actually be bigger than a 12-point buck. The number of points may be less on a 7-point buck, but when all the other measurements are taken into account it can actually score a greater number as the whole picture is taken into account.
This is similar to how so many people look at money and investing. Dollar amounts and interest rates are thrown and are not given any “equal” playing field. Dollar amounts and interest rates can be given the wrong perspective if they are not given an equal measurement. So many times, we define success based on past experiences and ideas that we have in our minds. Not based on facts and how finances may play out in our financial plan. It is so important that we look at how money works and how it works in a plan, your plan. Don’t be enamored by the tunnel vision dollar amounts and interest rates. Look at what the money is doing in your plan. How is it working? How does one financial move affect another?
Remember, everyone’s “big” is different, it is based on a story you have written, written by experiences you’ve had. There is an actual measurement tool to measure or score deer. The measurement takes opinion out and makes the score a level playing field. How are you measuring your future? Opinions and following trends or based on a measured plan?
