Let’s face it. Wealth is created in our personnel and professional lives by the decisions we make, the risks we take, and how hard we work.

That’s why it’s a myth that wealth is created in the financial markets, although that’s what we hear from the media and from the financial industry. The truly wealthy made their wealth in the creation of a new idea or working hard at their professions. Look at Tiger Woods. To what does the golfing great owe his wealth? Certainly not from the financial markets or from a bevy of stockbrokers who manage his money.

Nope, Tiger owes his wealth to working on his game. Granted, the financial markets play a role in growing his money. It’s the financial services industry’s role to preserve and protect the wealth that people make in their personnel and professional carrier.

Yet this is where the primary conflict in wealth creation exists. Think about it -- the financial industry teaches us that in order to create wealth one has to save more, spend less and don’t take all those trips you want. If you can’t make enough financial wealth through that kind of sacrifice then the financial industry has to invest your money more aggressively in order to have the markets create the mountains of wealth that you could not make by sacrifice.

But the real reason people don’t retire when they want or don’t take the trips they want or don’t live the life they want is due to a lack of confidence. Specifically, a lack of confidence that they will have enough money to take care of the seven critical areas of their life.

The primary reason they have no confidence is that there is so much uncertainty attached to the financial markets. Again, think about it. You will have enough money to retire IF the market averages 10%. Or IF you take enough risk, or IF you diversify enough.

You get the picture.

My view is that if people approach wealth with the same dedication they do with their families and career, the sooner they’ll create real wealth.

It’s your personal decision that wills you on the road to financial comfort.

But in order for us to be motivated to make those decisions we must first be able to quantify our values, dreams and desires, and then establish a goal on how to go about achieving it.