Clarity Before Strategy: Why Human Centered Planning Creates a Richer, Happier Retirement

David Lundberg MBA MSCJ 12/18/25

Most retirement plans today are built by software alone. They smooth income evenly until a projected date of death. They level spending year after year, assuming life unfolds in a straight line. They model certainty where uncertainty is the only constant.

On paper, it looks precise. In real life, it often misses the point of life.

At Awaken Financial Designs, we believe retirement planning should begin with a human being; not a computer model alone. Absolutely these items do matter: numbers, investments, tax strategy, discipline and more. However, none of these work well unless they are built around who you are, how you live, and what you value; both while you are alive and when you eventually pass on.

That is why we lead with clarity before strategy and computers.

Why We Don’t Let Software Decide How You Live

Financial planning software is excellent at answering questions like:
How long will my money last?
How much can I spend?
What are my projected taxes?

It is far less capable of answering the more important questions:
What kind of life do I want to live?
What experiences matter most to me?
How do I want my early retirement years to feel?

A computer does not know your energy level, your health, your curiosity, or your sense of adventure. It cannot feel the difference between being 60 and being 85. Yet most software assumes every year of retirement should look and spend the same.

We intentionally override software outputs to make the plan human and personal. We do not do this by guessing, being reckless or being purely emotional. Rather we do it with conscious awareness.

Technology is an incredible tool, but never the final authority. The plan must serve the person, not force the person to conform to a projection.

As author and physician Atul Gawande wrote in Being Mortal:

“Our ultimate goal, after all, is not a good death but a good life to the very end.”

Putting the Human Element First

Before designing income streams, withdrawal strategies, or tax plans, we take time to understand the person behind the numbers.

What brings them joy.
What they fear.
What “enough” truly means to them.
How they want their early retirement years to feel.
Who they love and how they want to care for those people.

Only then do we build the math and science with computers to support that life.

This is not about ignoring risk; it is about honoring reality. Humans are not linear and life does not unfold evenly. Unknown variables are inevitable. Meaning and fulfillment cannot be averaged because each person is unique.

As Viktor Frankl observed in Man’s Search for Meaning:

“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear almost any ‘how.’”

Clarity provides the why. Strategy provides the how.

Living More When Life Allows It

One of the core philosophies we bring into our planning is simple and often overlooked:

The first decade of retirement is usually the most vibrant.

In their 50s, 60s, and early 70s, many people are still physically capable, mentally sharp, and eager to explore. These years often hold the greatest opportunity for travel, adventure, meaningful experiences, and deep presence with family.

Yet traditional retirement planning frequently encourages people to restrict spending early and saving enjoyment for later years that may look very different. We believe that approach quietly delays life.

Instead, we help families spend more intentionally in the early years. We do this while health, mobility, and curiosity are present. Then naturally adjust spending as seasons of life change. Safety, flexibility, and longevity are still built into the plan, just not at the cost of living fully when it matters most.

As people move into their late 70s and beyond, priorities often shift. The persons energy changes as life draws near. Travel and adventure naturally slow due to limitations. Spending patterns soften and health cost usually increase. Planning that acknowledges this reality is not pessimistic, it is compassionate and honest.

This philosophy aligns with ideas explored in Die With Zero by Bill Perkins, which challenges the notion that maximizing wealth always leads to maximizing life.

Clarity Prevents Guessing

Without clarity, retirement planning becomes an exercise in anxiety.

People constantly question whether they are spending too much, saving enough, or making the “right” choice. Every decision feels heavy because there is no clear anchor. Clarity removes the guesswork and stress.

When you understand the life you are designing, decisions stop feeling reactive. You adjust intentionally as life unfolds. Life will always bring variables like: health changes, family needs, market cycles, and unexpected opportunities.

The goal is not to predict everything perfectly because that cannot be done.

The goal is to build a strong, flexible foundation that allows you to adapt with confidence.

Wall Street Precision, Luxury-Level Presence

Our work lives at the intersection of disciplined financial strategy and deep human understanding.

We combine rigorous planning, tax awareness, and professional tools with mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and presence.

It is where Wall Street meets Spiritual Wellness.

Strategy without humanity feels cold. Humanity without structure feels ungrounded.

True wealth exists where both are integrated.

Early Retirement Is About Living, Not Just Lasting

Early retirement is not simply about stopping work sooner. It is about reclaiming time, energy, freedom, and meaning while life is vibrant.

When the human element comes first, money becomes supportive instead of restrictive. When numbers are designed around your life, rather than forcing your life to fit the numbers; retirement becomes something you step into with peace instead of fear.

A Quiet Reflection

Ask yourself this, without analysis:

If my health and energy were strong for the next ten years, how would I want to live?

That answer deserves to be honored and not averaged away by a spreadsheet.

A Gentle Invitation

Awaken Financial Designs exists to help people create retirement plans that are not only financially sound, but deeply human.

We believe in clarity before strategy, vision before numbers, and planning that evolves with life. Whether you work with us locally or virtually, you deserve guidance that honors who you are and not just what a model predicts.

When clarity leads, everything else aligns.

When you’re ready, let’s Awaken together.