Everyone wants to be ready when the time comes to hang up the old business suit for good. Unfortunately, in today’s “I want it now” society, few people put the proper emphasis on planning for the future. So how do we attain our dreams and live a comfortable retirement?

Realistic goals are key when planning.

Sure we would all love to have two or three homes on every continent, a massive yacht and a Ferrari in the garage. Maybe a retirement home in Florida and a luxury car in the garage are much more realistic goals for your situation. Many people would tell you even that seems unreachable; however, they are only right if they fail to plan properly. Once you know what your realistic goals are, write them down! This is a much more critical step than you might imagine. Write down those goals and post them up somewhere where you see them often. Once you really get it in your head what you’re trying to accomplish, you can make the needed life changes to accommodate your goals.

No matter how late in life it is, the time to start saving for retirement is NOW. It almost goes without saying, but the earlier you start the more it accumulates and, more importantly, grows. Retirement is a long race and the sooner you prepare the more chance there is that you’ll have the “stamina” to make it through.

As your saving begins to increase, be sure to diversify yourself. You don’t want all your nest eggs in one basket after all! A significant portion should be in a long term growth stock program. Never fall for the overnight money multiplier options that promise huge and quick returns. Remember the old saying, “if it sounds too good to be true… it is.”

Remember: 1. Plan realistically 2. Start NOW 3. Diversify. Before you know it you’ll be sipping ice tea on the back porch of your Minto Florida home, enjoying your retirement in style.