As many of you know, Laura and I love to shoot sporting clay's competitively. There is a saying that most targets are missed by 6 inches. The 6 inches is the distance between your ears. For whatever the reason, our brains just don't process things the way we see them. We get committed to a particular sight picture, pull the trigger and bam, we miss. An O instead of an X. Because we are committed to a particular way of shooting the targets, we miss and then try and rationalize the misses. The wind, the sun, the referee, the list is endless. The results are the same, mediocrity.
Planning your own retirement is the same way. People get hung up on a particular theme or methodology, they must have X saved up, take social security at this time and then they put it all onto a spreadsheet and are ready to spend the next 25 years living on the 3 legged stool of social security, savings and pension/401(k). They somehow believe this is what retirement is. Lots of O's on that retirement scorecard. Then they live with uncertainty of whether or not they have enough money for the rest of their life. Or worse yet, a whole bucket list of things they could have done but didn't because they just didn't know for sure if they had enough money.
Working with a retirement professional who can look objectively at all of your assets, your time horizons and your bucket list of dreams and give you a personalized plan and an investment strategy will help make sure you get the most out of your retirement for the next 25 or more years. In short, helping you not miss on your retirement by 6 inches.
Now, back to shooting. The last couple of years I have been shooting in the high 70's to low 80's. I decided I wanted to shoot better and move up in class. But I was stuck and for whatever the reason I was missing something, and it was more than the 20 or 30 targets. I have started working with a professional who has been at this game for over 40 years and literally has forgotten more than most will ever know. Wayne Mitchell at Limestone Hunting and Sporting Clays is a master! He told me that I was holding my gun too low and to bring it up, you guessed it, 6 inches! I just shot earlier this week and I scored 91/100!! I will be spending more time and money working with Wayne. My goal is to punch up to at least AA in 2021. I am not going to miss anymore targets by 6 inches.
If you want to shoot better, call Wayne. If you want to retire better, call us!
Mike.
Mike Mickels is President of CochranMickels Retirement Specialists and an avid sporting clay competitor. CochranMickels Retirement Specialists provides personalized planning and investment services to individuals approaching and in retirement. They also provide retirement and benefits training to Federal employees. Securities offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc, a Registered Investment Advisor. CochranMickels and Cambridge are not affiliated