Last week, I checked something off my bucket list.
My wife and I flew to Atlanta and visited the Delta Flight Museum, where I got to fly a Boeing 737 in a real flight simulator. Not a video game. An actual simulator that airline pilots previously used for training. It’s the only real-life simulator of its kind open to the public.
I taxied the plane to the runway, which was harder than it sounds. I did one takeoff, flew around for a bit, and then landed the plane.
It was a blast. And also overwhelming.
There were controls everywhere. Alarms. Checklists. Things happening all at once. It gave me a deep appreciation for just how much skill and focus goes into flying a commercial aircraft.
Another bucket list item, very different
Last year, I checked off another bucket list item. Visiting Auschwitz.
I’ve always been deeply moved by what the Jewish people endured during the Holocaust, and I wanted to visit in person to better understand and connect with that history.
Being there was surreal. Heavy. Sobering.
It’s not an experience you enjoy in the traditional sense, but it’s one that stays with you. It forces perspective in a way that’s hard to describe unless you’ve stood there yourself.
Why timing matters
I’m grateful I’ve been able to do both of these experiences while I’m still relatively young and healthy.
For a long time, I thought of bucket list items as things you do later in life. In your 60s or 70s. After retirement. When there’s more time.
But then a simple question hit me.
What if my health doesn’t allow me to do these things later?
Why wait?
So I stopped waiting. And I’ve enjoyed it more than I expected.
What this means for your clients
That got me thinking about our clients.
Do you know what’s on their bucket list?
You may know their retirement goals. Their risk tolerance. Their income needs. You probably know their hobbies and a few passions.
But do you know what they want to experience in their lifetime?
Have you ever asked?
It’s a question that can be asked at any point, even during a routine review. And when you ask it, something interesting often happens.
The conversation deepens.
Clients share more than numbers. They share meaning. Regrets. Hopes. Things they’ve postponed without really realizing it.
And as an advisor, you’re in a unique position to help them think through not just whether they can afford these experiences, but whether it makes sense to keep delaying them.
Mortality is uncertain
The reality is, none of us know what our future health looks like. And none of us are immune to accidents or unexpected events.
A big part of our role as advisors is helping clients use their wealth in ways that create enduring happiness, not just future security.
Helping clients plan for, prioritize, and actually use their money for meaningful experiences is part of that.
Bucket list items don’t just create joy in the moment. They create memories that clients carry with them for years, sometimes decades.
And helping clients turn “someday” into “now” may be one of the most valuable things we do.