This is Part 4 of my tour through the Purposeful Planning exercises that I make available to my clients. For Parts 1-3, please see below:
The Bridge Builder's Roadmap
The purpose of this Purposeful Visioning Exercise is to help create Trust Guidelights by harnessing your clients' life wisdom for the benefit of their posterity. Guidelights enrich the life journeys of their children and grandchildren by sharing with them secrets your clients have discovered for an abundant and fulfilling life. They illuminate the gateway to opportunity, the path to personal growth and throw a spotlight on hazards and roadblocks. Guidelights also assist your clients' beneficiaries to focus on the meaning of money and the purpose of money.
If your clients could help one of their loved ones avoid a hazard in their future life path, how valuable would that be? When they run into adversity, how grateful would your clients be if the guidelights they shared with their loved ones inspires them to persist and overcome those trials?
This exercise is meant to help clients identify what they want to talk about and guide them to identify and record how they want to address these important aspects of their lives.
In the list below are seven different forms of Guidance and Guidelights which clients have left in the Roadmaps they have created for their children and other loved ones. Clients can place an asterisk beside the ones they want to elaborate on:
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Lessons Learned: What are the key lessons I have learned along my life’s journey which might make the journey you or your descendants will take easier, more satisfying or meaningful.
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Recommended Points of Interest: Things I did, habits I formed, and traditions I honored or created which I would recommend to you.
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Hazards and Detours: Mistakes I made or situations I would avoid at all costs if I could live life over and what I learned from them.
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Burma-Shave Roadsigns: Favorite quotes or sayings from my parents, other family members and people I admire, as well as my own favorite quotes which I think will inspire or serve you well.
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Your North Star Guidance System: Glimpses into how you have kept yourself moving forward on the road of life and what might prove to be a valuable guidance system for those you love.
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The Owner’s Manual: Some helpful guidance on what to expect from your trust, the trustee(s) and yourself. What I think you need to know to maximize your opportunities and fulfill your responsibility as a Great Beneficiary.
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The Trustee’s Route: What I hope the trustee(s) will always remember as they manage the trust. If I was giving final instructions to the trustee(s), what would I want them to know?
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Is there another form of Guidance or Guidelights you have thought of including in your Roadmap? What might that be?
Elaboration
Now, let's say a client wants to talk about #1, here are the thoughts included in the exercise to help clients elaborate:
"List at least three life lessons you would like to include in the Roadmap. Savor each of these life experiences and reflect on what it has meant to you. Why has each of these lessons proven to be so valuable to you? Why do you think it will be of great value to those who follow behind you? Makes notes of what each lesson has taught you, the story behind it, and why each means so much to you today. Now write or dictate a description of the story behind the lesson, why it has proven to be of such great value to you and how you believe it can become a valuable insight for those you love. Now that you have finished the life lessons you initially wanted to share, are there more that have emerged? Keep going until you are satisfied with this bridge of life wisdom you have shared."
Each client can follow these directions for #1 or any other of the possible topics and begin to share what they care about the most.
Personal Experience
Recording and elaborating is so important. I had a similar verbal conversation with my father in late 2018. We talked about what five things he most cared about. Not only was I unable to come up with five things (I had thought about it before our conversation), but within three months, I had forgotten two of the things he had named. What a potential tragedy! Fortunately, my dad is still around to have these conversations with, but it is so vital to have these conversations while we still can so what my dad cares about is not forgotten.
Conclusion
Which of your clients would find value in sharing these Guidelights with children who may be need more light in their lives?
