INVESTMENT LESSONS FROM THE MOVIE ZINDAGI NA MILEGI DOBARA
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara had fascinated audiences with its captivating story enthralling performances by the lead actors.
But, for me, the aspect that captivates the most is the core message around which the movie revolves“Live for the moment and enjoy life because you only live once”.Being a financial planner and money multiplier, I could not resist myself from making the obvious comparisons between the movie theme and the purpose of financial planning.
Live for the moment and enjoy life
Because you only live once
We all have dreams, aspirations, we all want to reach the top, we all aspire to be rich, there are things that we say we will do someday. Well, that someday never arrives in 90% of our lives. Isn’t it?
The very core of this movie is a message for this breed of people, who have a list of to-do activities but their someday never arrives. Probably, because they fear to take the risk, they fear change, they fear discipline, they fear to step out and live their aspirations, they fear everything and anything.
Similarly, the aim of investment planning is to empower each one of us to enjoy our lives, to help us accomplish our goals, and do the things we have always desperately wanted to.
The biggest hurdles of our financial success are our own mental blocks.
Throughout the movie we see the three protagonists fighting their internal demons. They depict classical traits that you can see in several individuals, especially those who haven’t started with their investment planning yet.
Hrithik Roshan (Arjun) is a financial trader who works in London and wants to make enough money and retire at the age of 40. His philosophy of life is simple since I’ve faced hardship all through my childhood, I should accumulate enough money for my confident and relaxed retirement. According to him, enjoyment is not for today; it’s for later years. For his future financial security is the topmost priority and he is quite willing to give up on his present to get there.
When we compare this with reality, there are many out there who save and invest for their future. They forget that life is divided into several stages and that retirement is just a part of the whole life. They compromise their present; they slog hard day-in-and-day-out for a better tomorrow.
If you ask me, there is nothing wrong with saving or investing for your better tomorrow, but neglecting other stages of life is not the right way for planning your investments.
Learn to live with your fears
If we study Farhan Akhtar (Imran)is a vagabond by choice and a secret poet. His biggest problem is not challenging his fears.
I have often seen people in a similar situation with money. They fear to accept their financial reality. They fear hardship and they fear discipline. Accepting your fears related to money is the first step to liberate you and start you on the path of financial freedom.
Life is full of surprises, be ready for it
Abhay Deol (Kabir) has an unusual dilemma. Everyone around him thinks he wants to get married to the girl “he believes he loves”when in reality he is just not ready for marriage. While Kabir towards the end of the movie does manage to find his way out, his character throws light on the fact that one can never predict the pleasant and unpleasant surprises life unfolds at any point of time.
There is no way to stop such unexpected events from occurring, but we can definitely stay prepared financially to handle such events in life. Creating a strategic financial and investment plan helps you to deal with unexpected events and it makes you financially strong.
Deepak Dhabalia
Wealth Coach
