Most dreams don’t fail because they’re unrealistic… They fail because no one ever turns them into a plan.
We often talk about dreams as if they’re abstract wishes – things that might happen someday if the stars align. We say joking phrases like, “Oh… maybe in another life…”
But the truth is much simpler and much harder to swallow:
No one is going to make your dreams come true except you (As cheesy as it sounds, you know it to be true).
No one knows what you truly want if you don’t say it out loud.
And even if someone does know, they won’t take the steps for you. Dreams only become real when you decide they matter enough to act on – intentionally, consistently, and often with the help of others.
One of the biggest lies told about big goals (financial or otherwise) is that they’re complicated, expensive, or overwhelming. In reality, most meaningful dreams are surprisingly achievable if:
- You start early enough
- You break them into small, manageable steps
- You stop waiting for the “perfect time”
Most progress happens through baby steps, not grand gestures.
So, let me bring you in on a little personal story here:
My Willow Tree Story
For years, I’ve dreamed of having a weeping willow tree.
Maybe it is because of my obsession with Pocahontas as a child… I don’t know.
When I imagine a perfect, peaceful day at home – sitting outside by the pond, relaxing – there’s always a beautiful weeping willow tree nearby. Since we moved into the new house last fall, it’s been part of the image in my mind to make it *perfect*.
Then one day, it hit me:
Why don’t I just plant the tree?
It can’t even be that hard!
So I started researching.
That’s when I learned something surprising – weeping willows are incredibly easy to propagate. You don’t need to buy an expensive tree. You can grow one for free from a branch of an existing tree. They grow quickly, too.
With a little patience, I could have a good-sized tree in about 10 years.
And honestly? Ten years from now, I won’t even be that old. Fast growing – low financial risk (because hello it’s… free). Why wouldn’t I try it?
Action Isn’t Always Linear
My first plan didn’t work.
I remembered a friend who used to have a weeping willow and reached out, hoping to borrow a branch. Unfortunately, she no longer had the tree. (If you are reading – thank you for entertaining my request though!).
End of the dream? Not even close.
Instead of stopping there, I did something different.
I started talking about it.
I shared my plan with people in my inner circle – casually mentioning that I was trying to find a weeping willow to propagate. And that’s when something interesting happened.
Someone said, “Oh, I can help with that.”
It turns out that my boss, Tony Hixon (yes, the author of Retirement Stepping Stones and CEO of Hixon Zuercher Capital Management), has a weeping willow tree at his own house.
I’ve worked with this man for nearly seven years.
Seven!
And I never knew he had one.
Not because he was hiding it, but because I never shared that this was something I wanted. It was literally one of my biggest childhood dreams, and I had never really mentioned it to anyone.
The same month I spoke about my goal out loud, the solution appeared and I had my willow.
Why This Matters for Financial Planning
This is exactly how financial planning works.
Clients often assume their dreams are too small to mention or too unrealistic to pursue. Or they keep them vague: “I just want to be comfortable” or “I don’t want to worry about money.”
However, I must remind you as an advisor, we can’t help bring vague wishes to life!
We can help clarify, prioritize, and map out what matters, but only if you’re willing to take the first step and say it out loud.
Most financial goals aren’t impossible. They just need:
- Time
- Intentional planning
- Open communication
And often, a few small course corrections along the way.
Say the Dream. Take the Step.
That willow tree didn’t magically appear.
My dream came true because I:
- Acknowledged that it was my dream
- Did a little research
- Took action
- Talked about it
- Let others help
Financial goals work the same way.
Whether your dream is retiring early, buying a second home, traveling to specific destinations, starting a business, or simply feeling less anxious about money – it starts with deciding that it matters now, not someday.
Because if you don’t take the first step… no one else will.
And sometimes, the help you need to accomplish your dream is already right in front of you – just waiting for you to ask.
