I Came. I Saw. I Conquered
While the Ides of March (March 15th) is not a holiday that we celebrate, it does mark the anniversary of the assassination of Julius Ceasar. Whether Ceasar was a hero or villain to the citizens of Rome has been debated by many scholars. Love him or hate him, most agree that he was a renowned general, politician, and scholar. This week we look at how we can apply one of his most famous quotes to end-of-life planning, “Veni. Vidi. Vici.” I came. I saw. I conquered.
“I Came.”
Every person we’ve ever talked to about getting end-of-life affairs in order says it’s super important. However, according to Caring.com’s 2023 Wills Survey, only a third of Americans have any type of estate planning document in place. At Prepare Your Affairs, we find that most people come to address end-of-life preparation when they have some type of personal life scare or experience the death of an acquaintance, friend, or loved one. Nothing motivates a discussion about your family’s future quicker than a near-death experience.
Regardless of how you get there, we applaud anyone who recognizes the need for planning ahead.
“I Saw.”
When that time comes for you to make end-of-life plans, the first step is to see what you’ve done already. Explore your financial situation. Evaluate your legal needs. Examine all your insurance policies. Go through a personal SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis and figure out where you need to focus your plan.
“I Conquered.”
Once you’ve come to the end-of-life planning table and evaluated what you need, take action immediately. Be decisive and get it done. Conquer the task. In the survey of our widow and widower’s group, we were saddened for those widows who reported that they had started the process of getting a will or buying life insurance but hadn’t finished. This is common, primarily because this is not something you can typically do in a day. You will need time to discuss options, make appointments, and get documents notarized. Stay on schedule as best you can. Be relentless in your follow up with others until you get what you need. Once you get it done, the peace of mind you’ll feel will be liberating and empowering.
