Surely you’ve heard the story of the tortoise and the hare — the beloved tale of the over-confident rabbit and the humble turtle. Spoiler alert: the humble turtle wins. Everyone knows a rabbit is faster, so how could the turtle possibly win? Herein lies the lesson.
The over-confident rabbit can be found throughout today’s society. Short cuts. Quick fixes. Easy routes. They’re on nearly every billboard. Don’t prepare a meal — get fast food. Don’t develop an exercise plan and balanced diet — take a pill. Don’t formulate a disciplined saving plan for your family’s future — buy a Powerball ticket.
So often in our practice we have the conversation about a long, slow, disciplined plan for saving. Boring — like watching a turtle “run.” Many people would love an inside secret or hot stock pick to short cut their way to wealth. It’s exciting to watch a rabbit run. But the simple children’s book lesson holds true: darting and resting, taking your eye off the goal, or being greedy can cause us to miss our goal.
When it comes to saving and planning for your family’s future, remember that short cuts and quick tricks rarely work and carry great risk. Slow and steady won the race.