sarwesh

Success leaves a trail. One of the easiest ways to have your own success
is to follow where others have gone before. We all have different
goals and come from different circumstances, but there are five
basic steps that will ensure the best possible results for everyone,
no matter where you are now. These five STEPS are:

S Starting point.
T Team.
E Evaluation strategy.
P Plan and path.
S Starting point (reevaluation).


S Is for Starting Point


First, you need to know where you are. It’s like having to get on the
scales before you start a new diet—you might not want to really know
what the numbers say, but you do need to know your starting point.
That’s just how it is for your financial plan. Your best results willcome when you can take a realistic look at where you are financially—
without excuses, blame, or justifications. Find out where you are, so you
can plot an accurate course to where you want to be!


T Is for Team

After you have a good idea of where you are, you will need to start to
think about the members you need for your financial team. Most likely,
the main members of your team initially will be advisors, educators, and
mentors. But your team can also include customers, clients, vendors,
business alliances, and friends, among others. You can make conscious
choices about the members of your team. You can learn how to evaluate
what you need and how these people will fit into your plan. Finally, you
can recognize the hidden influences they have on decisions you have
made and will make in the future.

E Is for Evaluation/Strategy

After you know where you are and begin to assemble your team, it is
time to call on your advisors to help you evaluate your situation and
design a personalized strategy for you to achieve your goals. No one
team member—your tax strategist, bookkeeper, legal counsel, or financial
planner—will make all of the decisions. It is through the cooperative
work of your whole team that you will receive the best advice and
plan creation.

P Is for Plan and Path

After S, T, and E, you now need to move forward on the path and implement
the strategy designed. This can be the hardest part as you move
into previously unknown financial waters. You will want to make sure
that the team you have in place has ex