Our Philosophy
Values. Goals. Decisions. Actions.
We believe that money is simply a resource to help you live the life you want. At Intentional Living Financial Planning in New Braunfels, Texas, our planning framework ensures every financial decision is rooted in what matters most to you \u2014 whether you\u2019re across town or across the country.
The Four Pillars
A Framework for Intentional Planning
Every engagement begins with this sequence. Each pillar builds on the one before it, creating a planning process that is both structured and deeply personal.
Values
Understanding your "why" anchors every planning decision we make together. Early clarity about personal purpose prevents misaligned success — climbing a ladder only to realize it was leaned against the wrong wall. We start here because everything else builds on this foundation.
For example, when a family came to us on the verge of divorce, it wasn’t the numbers that turned things around — it was discovering that both spouses deeply valued family time. They’d just been expressing it in opposite ways with their money. Once they articulated that shared value, everything else clicked into place.
Read more: What Is Money? →Goals
Goals inform your next actions and provide critical decision context. We recognize that objectives legitimately shift over time — and that’s not failure, it’s growth. Goals serve as directional markers guiding your journey, not permanent constraints limiting your potential.
We see this often: someone says they want to retire at 63 — not because 63 means something to them, but because the average person retires at 65 and they figure a couple years early sounds good. That’s not a real goal. A real goal is anchored in something you actually care about. And it’s okay for goals to change — that’s not failure, it’s growth.
Read more: What Is Money? →Decisions
Every choice involves tradeoffs and opportunity costs. Rather than asking "What must I sacrifice?" we reframe the conversation: "What do I want to go big on?" This shift — inspired by the Essentialism framework — transforms planning from a process of restriction into one of purposeful investment.
One family wanted to homestead — buy some acreage, raise chickens and goats. They also wanted to spend summers in the mountains. Both great goals. But you can’t leave for Colorado in June if the goats need feeding in Texas. Understanding the value behind each goal made the trade-off clear — and the decision easy.
Read more: Making Decisions →Actions
The best financial plan is worthless without meaningful action. And meaningful action requires consistency between your daily behaviors and your established identity and objectives. We help you close the gap between intention and execution — so your plan becomes your life, not just a document.
If you’ve done the work on values, goals, and decisions, action becomes the simple part. Not always easy — but clear. You’re not second-guessing. You’re not paralyzed. You move with conviction because you already know why it matters.
Read more: Taking Action →Your Statement of Financial Purpose
One Sentence That Changes Everything
After working through the values and goals conversation, every client creates a Statement of Financial Purpose — a single sentence that captures why financial independence matters to them. It follows a simple format:
“I desire financial independence so that _______________.”
That sentence becomes the filter for every financial decision that follows. Should you make this purchase? Take this job? Invest in this opportunity? If it aligns with your statement of financial purpose, move forward with confidence. If it doesn't, you either say no — or you revisit the statement because something in your life has genuinely shifted. It's accountability without rigidity. A compass, not a cage.
Go Deeper
Explore These Ideas Further
Through our articles and podcast.
What Is Money?
Why defining money changes everything about your financial plan.
Read more →Making Decisions
How cognitive biases sabotage your choices — and how to decide better.
Read more →Taking Action
How to close the gap between knowing what matters and actually doing something about it.
Read more →The Intentional Living Podcast
Listen to Jim and Cade unpack money, values, and intentional living every episode.
Read more →Let's Build a Plan Around Your Life
The best time to start living intentionally is now. Schedule a complimentary conversation to explore how values-driven planning can transform your financial future.