Where Financial Clarity Begins

The start of a new year has a way of amplifying two things:
what we want more of – and what we want less of.

Money tends to sit right at the center of both.

“I want to organize my finances.”
”I want to stop spending frivolously.”
”I want to start investing – or do it ‘better’”.

It’s no surprise that January is one of the busiest times of year for financial planners. People are energized by the idea of “getting their finances in order.”

The Hidden Reality for High Earners & Business Owners

But here’s something that doesn’t get talked about enough:
many of the people reaching out are already “successful.”

They’re high earners.
They run 6- and 7-figure businesses.
They look “fine” on paper.

And yet – they’re not paying themselves consistently, they feel scattered with money, or they’re quietly thinking, “I should have this figured out by now.”

That internal tension – embarrassment, stress, even shame – often creates friction against the very clarity people are trying to create.

I meet a lot of high earners and business owners who are still living paycheck to paycheck. When the new year rolls around, it can create a false sense of urgency to do more or fix everything at once.

Why Financial Clarity Isn’t About Doing More

But what if financial clarity wasn’t about doing more at all?

What if it was about knowing where to focus – and where to start?

That reframe alone is a big part of my work.

Many people come to me with a vague sense of what they should be doing, but no clear order of operations. They’re not thinking about tradeoffs, sequencing, or risk across their whole financial life – just reacting to what feels loudest or most urgent.

When we slow that down and prioritize, something important happens:
the top layer of anxiety lifts.

And once that happens, people can think more clearly and take one step at a time – instead of spinning their wheels.   

What Financial Clarity Actually Looks Like

So what does “financial clarity” actually mean?

It might mean:

• Understanding what accounts you have and how they’re organized

• Knowing the tradeoffs between saving, investing, and spending

• Having an actionable plan you understand – not just one that exists in theory

• Knowing who your resources are and who to call when questions come up

Clarity isn’t one thing. It’s relief. Orientation. Knowing what actually matters next.

It’s personal. 

Values, Goals, and Meaningful Direction

When I build a financial plan, I look at two things in parallel:
what feels most important to the client – and what matters most from an advisory perspective. Sometimes those overlap. Sometimes they don’t. That’s where good planning happens.

I anchor everything in values and goals. If money becomes the sole focus – earn more, optimize more, accumulate more – there’s no real compass guiding the strategy. Values give meaning.  Goals create focus. Together they provide direction.

A Simple Place to Start

So before trying to overhaul everything this year, pause and ask:
what would provide the most relief to me right now?

That’s usually the best place to start.

And if you want support getting oriented, I recently co-created a Strengths + Money Workbook with strengths coach Kirsten Zeigler. It’s designed to help you leverage your natural strengths while getting clear on your cash flow – creating momentum without overwhelm.

One step at a time.
Clarity doesn’t come from urgency – it comes from focus.