Martin Luther King made this statement about Hope: “We must accept finite disappointment, but we never lose infinite hope.” There is something about the New Year that echoes the thought of hope and new possibilities. As each year draws to a close we look forward to a fresh start. The things that seemed out of our grasp in December now have a new look and definition as the New Year begins.

In Greek mythology, hope was thought to be a young woman, Elpis, often shown carrying flowers. When Pandora opened her box, she let all the evils out in into the world. The only one left in the box was hope. The Ancient Greeks believed hope to be a dangerous thing, equal to the other evils of the world. However, without hope there is only despair, and Pandora finally released hope from the box as well.

It’s quite easy to become skeptical about the hope that a New Year might bring. The news brings tragedy and sorrow each day into our lives. Not a day goes by that we don’t hear of something that makes us stop and take pause. But somehow hope always seems to arise, and we respond with something like, “I hope everything works out, or, hopefully, things will get better.” Hope seems to be a part of our daily conversations and thoughts.

As we hope and plan for a New Year, we begin 2011 with the question, how will this year unfold? What will define this year as something special? As we all know, all the hope in the world without action is just meaningless. So as we plan for the New Year, we need to make sure that we add action to our hope.

We might want to lose weight, but if we don’t add the action of eating less and working out more then we will be having the same wish next year. We might want to market more to our community, but if we don’t take action by creating a marketing plan and executing it, then we will continue to be frustrated by our lack of productivity. Or, we might want to create a deeper relationship with our family, but if we don’t turn off the TV and spend some time together then we’ll continue to disappoint ourselves and those around us.

Make 2011 different by resolving to add action to your hope and really make an impact on the goals you set!

At Premier Planning and Legacy Safeguard, we resolve to build deeper relationships with the advisors we work with and work consistently to make a difference in the lives of others. We further resolve to work hard daily for those who entrust their clients to us to help them leave a lasting legacy for their families. Our desire for 2011 is that this year brings hope for a renewed spirit of community, partnership, and commitment to making a difference for those who have chosen to partner with us.

Bryan W. Adams is President & CEO of Premier Planning, LLC and Founder of Legacy Safeguard. Bryan is considered one of the nations’ leading experts on final expense planning, and he frequently speaks throughout the country about the importance of assisting clients to gain peace of mind through advanced funeral funding.

Bryan’s passion for helping families prepare for their final expenses came from being raised in the funeral business. His family still owns and operates several funeral homes, and he is constantly amazed at how unprepared families are when a death occurs. Bryan has worked tirelessly to help Americans plan for the inevitable and lessen the burden on their loved ones.

Academy Guest Blogger
American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.
6050 Santo Rd., Ste. 240
San Diego, CA 92124
(800) 846-1555
www.aaepa.com