This morning, as I headed out later than usual, I was reminded of an important truth: sometimes, motion matters more than direction. The lake effect snow had finally landed in our area, slowing everything down, including me. School was delayed, the roads were messy, and it was one of those mornings where every step felt like an effort. But even on days like this, it’s crucial to keep moving forward, because progress—even imperfect progress—beats standing still.
On my way to an appointment about an hour from home, I started reflecting on the week. It’s a Friday—the end of a week that, like many others, was filled with webinars, virtual meetings, and phone calls. I spoke with people excited about the holidays and others who were anxious about the uncertainty of how things will turn out.
As advisors, we’re not just planners. We’re also counselors. Our role is to guide people, not only through the technical aspects of financial planning but also through the emotional terrain. We help clients see that decisions made today, when layered consistently over time, lead to good outcomes. The key is not to let the weight of any single decision paralyze us.
This week, I worked with a young couple tackling foundational financial planning—insurance, retirement, and education savings for their kids. Their deep love for their family was evident, but it made decision-making hard. They wanted to make the best possible choice, and I completely understand that desire. None of us want to make mistakes, especially when it comes to the people and things we care about most.
But here’s the thing: sometimes motion matters more than direction. What I mean is, it’s often better to make a decision and begin taking action, even if the initial direction isn’t perfect. You can always adjust along the way. For example, whether retirement savings go into one type of account or another, the critical step is to start. From there, we can make course corrections as needed. The real danger lies in doing nothing because we’re overthinking everything—a phenomenon often called “analysis paralysis.”
To reach our goals, forward movement is essential. It’s progress, not perfection, that ultimately gets us where we want to go. And progress only happens when we make decisions and take action.
So today, my focus is to help others see the value in making a decision and moving forward. While it’s important to think about the details, those details shouldn’t prevent us from taking the first step. Starting something—even if it’s not perfect—is progress. And progress, no matter how small, builds momentum.
We all want to make the right decisions, but the truth is, what matters most is the habit of making decisions and moving forward. Life and financial planning are journeys, not destinations. So take that first step. Start now. You can always adjust as you go, but you’ll never get anywhere if you stay stuck at the starting line.
Mark J Modzeleski, CFS, CLTC, AIF
President, Legacy Wealth Advisors of NY