“Remember that it isn’t about return—it’s about getting to where you want to be when you want to get there,” writes Mick Owens in Diamond of Life: The Five P’s of Success and Significance
As we work with clients, the “where” and the “when” are two of the most important questions we help them answer as they prepare for the future. Let’s take a closer look at both.
As part of the onboarding packet at cfc Advisers, clients are asked a series of questions on “Where Do You Want To Be & When Do You Want To Be There?” and invited to score themselves on a scale of one to nine. The goal isn’t just to help pursue financial goals. It’s to continue the process of being a steward of His gifts.
The When
People want to control the when, but sometimes “the when” can be decided for them. For example, almost 50% of people who retired in 2025 left the workforce earlier than they had originally thought they would. Unexpected health issues and corporate restructuring were the two largest forces pushing people out of their careers.1
But there’s a spiritual dimension to “the when” as well.
Ecclesiastes tells us there is a time for every season under heaven. Sometimes, that season arrives on God’s calendar rather than ours.
A health surprise or an unexpected restructuring can feel like a door slamming shut, but when you are prepared, those moments can also feel like a door opening. When your finances are ready, an interrupted timeline can become a redirection rather than a crisis, and you’re free to ask yourself, “What is God plan?”
The Where
When most people picture “the where” of retirement, they picture a place, such as living near grandchildren, downsizing to a smaller home, or perhaps traveling to far away destinations.
But the conversations about “the where” also can explore what stewardship looks like in this next chapter. When the where of your finances and the where of your spiritual journey connect, that’s when a retirement strategy can become more meaningful.
“Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21
Preparing for the next chapter can help you open the next door with confidence rather than with anxiety. We all have ideas, goals, and strategies for our lives, but it’s wise to hold them loosely because sometimes He has another path in mind.
EBRI.org, 2026
