Financial goals can often feel overwhelming, but according to Ryan Ovenden, CFP®, CKA®, Wealth Advisor, it all begins with one key step: start with the why.
“I think starting with the why, starting with the end in mind, is probably the most important thing we can do,” Ovenden explained. He compares financial planning to flying a plane from Sioux Falls to Denver. “Deciding where we’re headed is a really important first step… If we hop in a plane and we’re not sure where we’re headed, we will head to nowhere.”
That’s where values and vision come into play. “Having a better understanding of our values and our vision for the future really helps to narrow down the direction that we’re taking.”
Values First, Then Numbers
One of Ovenden’s standout philosophies is leading with what really matters, not just dollars and spreadsheets, but who you are and what you care about.
“All of these small decisions… can be answered better by us in the financial planning world if we have an idea of what our long-term destination is,” he says. For example, knowing if your dream is to travel the world versus spending every day with family will drastically affect how your plan takes shape. “Those are two very distinctly different values and visions for the future.”
To get to that clarity, Ovenden says, “It’s all about asking the right questions. If you had 30 days left to live, what would you do with your time?” The answer often unlocks more than clients expect. “That one big question can really guide you down a different path than you may have taken otherwise when it came to financial planning.”
Real-Life Goals, Real-Life Impact
So, what kinds of financial goals do people actually set? Ovenden breaks them down into short-term, midterm, and long-term categories.
Short-term: “Getting out of debt, increasing your savings rate, or decreasing your spending?”
Midterm: “I want to fund college for my kids…Maybe it’s buying a new house or buying a new car?”
And long-term: “What’s on your bucket list? Do you have places you want to see, people you want to meet? Ultimately, when do you want to be financially independent?”
But while most people come in expecting help with these kinds of traditional goals, Ovenden’s process often goes deeper—sometimes even changing lives.
Take one of his favorite stories: a contractor client whose wife opened up during their financial planning session. “She said, ‘This happens day after day after day. I feel like I’ve lost my husband.’” Ovenden explains, “I helped them realize the goal wasn’t early retirement; it was reclaiming time as a couple. Their number one financial goal was to hire a bookkeeper…She called me about six months later and said, ‘I feel like I have my husband back.’”
You Don’t Need to Be Rich to Start
A common hesitation? People think they need a certain amount of money before seeing a financial planner. Ovenden is quick to dispel that.
“If you are alive, you have enough to be making a financial plan and we would love to work with you,” he said. “We don’t have minimums. We try to remove that barrier from people starting.”
In fact, waiting can be riskier. “We’re not guaranteed tomorrow,” Ovenden said. “We’re not getting any younger. So having our ducks in a row… it’s a really important thing to do if you haven’t already.”
And if you’re feeling disorganized? That’s normal. “Most people have lots of different puzzle pieces out there,” Ovenden explains. “The number one step is to gather all those puzzle pieces and see how they fit together.”
Staying on Track—Even When Life Changes
Financial planning isn’t static. “We’re not writing this plan with a Sharpie,” Ovenden says. “We’re writing it in such a way that we plan on making changes and adjustments.” He knows values shift with life stages. What matters at 25 might look very different at 60.
“We see a lot of similar goals amongst people in similar ages,” he adds, “but yet everybody’s such a unique individual.”
The real key to staying on track? Having a financial coach at your side. “The coaches do a great job of taking you to a higher-level perspective… We hit some turbulence here, but we’re still heading to Denver.” That’s where Ovenden and his team come in to remind you of your goals and help keep you calm when the financial skies get rough.
What Is True Wealth?
Ovenden and the Pinnacle Wealth team believe there’s more to financial planning than just hitting numbers. “True Wealth is everything money can’t buy and death can’t take away,” he says.
That means building a plan around your values, your priorities, and your life, not someone else’s definition of success.
“We want to help you in that process of melding and meshing your priorities—the things that are really the most important to you—with your finances.”
And it starts with one question: “If you had 30 days left to live, how would you spend your time?”
That’s the first step toward what Ovenden calls “a different planning process that leads to greater peace, greater contentment, and greater confidence in your own retirement years.”
Are You Interested in Defining Your Financial Goals?
Get in touch with us! There are no minimum barriers to entry for meeting with one of our financial planners. We’ll help you get on track and guide you on your journey of True Wealth.
