I wrote recently about the importance of your financial team. In a lot of the financially successful couples we work with there’s usually a clear difference in the skills of the two partners.

Among my clients we’ve got prolific financial scorers who seem to financially ‘knock em in’ as easily as the likes of Bobby Charlton, Alan Shearer or Luis Suarez, it’s unusual that these individuals are usually not so great defenders or goalkeepers.

We’ve also got clients who are prolific financial savers who have built habits which allow them to save money as easily as the likes of Shilton and Schmeichel saved goals and Bobby Moore (he had to get a mention!) defended them.

Interestingly, and while many of us might be relatively good at both it’s usual that you’ve got a specific area of strength.

So we’ve got the players, individuals with skill, attitude and inclination to either save or earn well. We’ve got their “teammates”, individuals with complimentary skills who allow the player to focus on their area of strength…

…what about the coach!

The role of the financial coach is to help the players focus on what they want to achieve, keep them on track and ensure that if they go off track (for whatever reason) they work with the player to get them back on.

The financial coach is there to guide, nudge and cajole. Not to actually do what’s required to become financially secure but to put in place plans to ensure that you know how to get there in the most efficient and effective way forward.

Sometimes the financial coaches job is as an opportunity to put your money in perspective, sometimes as a “reality check” and sometimes to remind the financial players that money isn’t the “be all and end all” (enjoying life and allowing money to enable you to do this is way more important!)

However many of us miss this part of our financial puzzle. We have the ability to financially ‘score’ and financially ‘save’ but very often we are our own worst financial ‘guides’.

Interestingly we completely understand the importance of coaches and guides in our sporting, business and personal lives.

However when it comes to our money we seem to assume that we should be able to on our own without any support do it all ourselves, and there is some truth in this assumption.

Rooney would still be a pretty decent player without Alex Ferguson’s support. However the support he provides, the framework he was able to build around him and the support, guidance and encouragement meant that Rooney is considered great.

For some people that financial coach is someone they admire.

For some it’s a peer.

and

For many their financial coach is a professional. Financial planners work with clients in this way day in day out and are experienced in building financial plans and ensuring they work with their clients regularly to ensure they remain on track.

So,

Who’s your financial coach?

and if you haven’t got one…

Who ensures you keep on track financially?