Take Charge of Your Money: Plan Your Financial Future

My family and I moved to Canada in the summer of 2019, full of optimism and ready to work hard to build a new life. I understood it would take time to find meaningful work and that I might not immediately land a role at the same level I had in Dubai. I was prepared to learn, adapt, and put in the effort.

In February 2020 I secured my first job here—just weeks before the COVID‑19 pandemic reshaped life in Canada and across the globe. The role gave me space to apply entrepreneurial thinking within an organization that needed fresh approaches.

Early on I noticed a recurring scene: a colleague would open his bank envelope each month and react with either relief or frustration. It was his RRSP statement. He was a few years from retirement and would candidly share how his investments had fared over the past month.

What struck me wasn’t the ups and downs of the markets so much as his distance from the process. At some point he had handed over responsibility for his financial future to an advisor and stopped engaging. He was relying on trust and time to carry him through retirement planning.

Another vivid memory is a lunch conversation with a friend. I’d told her I had started maxing out my RRSP each year. She laughed—not because it was funny, but because no one had ever advised her to do the same. Not her accountant, not her financial planner. Only after asking peers and learning that many of them were maximizing their RRSPs did she change course.

These encounters shaped a belief I now hold strongly: you should never fully surrender control of your financial future—neither to a system nor to a professional, no matter how knowledgeable. Being informed and involved matters.

Demand more from your advisor

I value financial advisors and I work with one. But I don’t treat an advisor as a proxy who makes all decisions for me. They are a partner, and I remain in the driver’s seat. I check market movements regularly—not to trade every day, but to stay oriented. Like glancing at mirrors while driving, it helps me confirm my position and make calmer, clearer decisions.

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There are times when I deliberately step back. Each year I take a 60‑day pause from the market—not because I’m abandoning my plan, but because the noise can be costly to my wellbeing. During these periods I temporarily reduce exposure in my and my spouse’s TFSAs, RRSPs, and even our daughter’s RESP. This practice helps me avoid sleepless nights that often outweigh any short‑term gains. I make sure every advisor I work with understands this preference from our first meeting: my need for peace of mind is a priority.

Scripted guidance isn’t help

Over time I grew frustrated by how often financial advice feels scripted. Many advisors rely on templated responses—phrases from training materials or popular investing media—that are applied broadly. Even when well‑intentioned, this approach can leave clients feeling disempowered instead of supported.

Meaningful advice requires understanding the nuance of each person’s situation. Too often, advisors default to well‑worn lines that close conversations instead of opening them. To highlight this, I kept a list of the most common phrases that often replace true dialogue. Below are five clichés I wish would be turned into conversation starters instead of being used as automatic replies.

Five clichés I wish advisors wouldn’t use

These common phrases are often offered without context—and they can shut down the very engagement clients need to make confident financial choices.

1. “Time in the market is better than timing the market.”

It’s solid advice in many circumstances, but saying it once is sufficient. For clients who want to stay involved, this line can feel like a dismissal. Asking questions about how to align a passive approach with personal goals should be met with discussion, not a repeat of a slogan.

2. “Let’s look at your starting point.”

Starting points are useful for measuring progress, but they’re not an excuse to rationalize losses. Telling someone “you’re still ahead of where you started” after a market dip can minimize legitimate concerns. Financial planning should acknowledge the real emotional and practical implications of market movements.

3. “It’s ultimately your decision.”

True—clients make the final call—but this phrase can feel like a cop‑out when used to avoid hard conversations. Advisors should guide clients through discomfort and complexity, not retreat when choices become emotionally charged or complicated.

4. “More risk = more reward.”

This is a familiar maxim, but risk is deeply personal. A blanket statement ignores family obligations, mental health concerns, and other real‑world contexts. Advisors should explore what risk means to each client, not deliver a one‑size‑fits‑all soundbite.

5. “My job is to advise.”

Advising is part of the role, but real value includes educating, listening, challenging assumptions, and sharing accountability. If an advisor only hands over options and paperwork, clients will feel unsupported rather than empowered.

It’s time to drive your financial success

This isn’t an indictment of financial advisors—many are intelligent, compassionate, and invaluable. But the traditional model of outsourcing personal finance and stepping back no longer fits an environment of complex markets, shifting regulations, and emotional stressors.

Advisors are essential members of the financial planning ecosystem, but so are you. When you treat yourself as a copilot—curious, engaged, and proactive—the relationship with your advisor transforms. Advice becomes a conversation rather than a lecture, and decisions feel collaborative.

Take ownership of your financial future: ask questions, demand clarity, and expect your advisor to work with you, not for you. That shift will improve the quality of advice you receive and increase your confidence in the path you choose.