A few weeks ago, I was wandering through sunshine at Glastonbury Festival. Like any millennial, I’m obsessed with tracking my steps. I kept checking my Apple Watch to see how far we’d walked each day.
If someone had told me I’d walk nearly 100km over four days, I’d have laughed. But by Monday morning, when the music stopped and reality called, I’d clocked up 99.98km across four incredible days.
99.98km. Not 100.
So close you could taste it. Yet that missing 0.02km felt significant. I found myself genuinely annoyed that I hadn’t quite hit that round number.
Which got me thinking…
The four days that made it worth it
Here’s how those kilometres broke down:
- Thursday: 23.94km (arrival day, setting up camp – well, glamping in style – and getting our bearings)
- Friday: 24.65km (first full day, everything feels possible)
- Saturday: 26.56km (peak day – I’d done 12,000 steps by 10am thanks to midnight adventures)
- Sunday: 24.83km (soaking up every last moment before reality returns)
Each day had its own character. Its own purpose. Its own magic.
Thursday’s anticipation as we arrived and settled into our luxury tent. Friday’s excitement as we found our rhythm and explored. Saturday’s pure joy – Pulp’s 13-minute version of Common People with the Red Arrows flying overhead was magical. Sunday’s bittersweet reflection as we tried to hold onto every remaining minute.
We enjoyed incredible sets from Jalen Ngonda, Chic, Busta Rhymes, Maribou State, and countless other moments that made our hearts sing.
Missing the target, finding the point
I could have easily walked another 20 metres to hit that perfect 100km. But you know what? In obsessing over those missing metres, I would have missed the entire point.
The 99.98km wasn’t a failure. It was an incredible achievement that brought me joy, unforgettable memories, time with friends, new music discoveries, shared experiences, good food, and yes – a fair few drinks.
Your financial journey works the same way
This got me thinking about financial planning. We often become fixated on the destination. That magic number in our pension. The round figure in our investment portfolio. The exact age we want to retire.
But just like those four days at Glastonbury, your financial journey isn’t really about hitting a perfect target. It’s about what happens along the way.
Your twenties and thirties might be like Thursday. Setting up camp. Getting your bearings. Starting pension contributions and ISA payments. It doesn’t feel like much, but you’re building the foundation.
Your forties could be your Friday. Finding your rhythm. Hitting your stride in your career. Seeing your investments start to compound. Everything feels possible.
Your fifties might be your Saturday. Peak earning years. Maximum contributions. Watching your wealth really accelerate. The excitement of seeing decades of planning come together.
Your sixties and beyond could be your Sunday. Moving towards or into retirement. Making the most of what you’ve built. Enjoying the freedom that good planning has given you.
The magic happens during the journey
The magic of Glastonbury wasn’t in walking exactly 100km. It was in the music that moved me. The people I met. The spontaneous moments. The shared experiences. The sunshine dances. The late-night conversations. The sunrise views from the hill.
The magic of financial planning isn’t in hitting some random number either. It’s in the peace of mind that comes from having a plan. The excitement of watching your investments grow. The freedom to make choices because you’re financially secure.
It’s the joy of supporting your children’s education or helping them onto the property ladder. The comfort of knowing you can look after yourself and your family, whatever life throws at you.
Embrace your ‘99.98km moments’
Whether you’re approaching your peak earning years or already enjoying the fruits of decades of planning, remember this: you don’t need to hit exactly 100km to have an incredible adventure.
Your financial plan doesn’t need to be perfect. Your investments don’t need to hit round numbers. Your retirement doesn’t need to happen at exactly 65.
What matters is that you’re moving forward, step by step, day by day, building something meaningful. The journey itself – with all its unexpected detours, spontaneous moments, and gradual progress – is where the real value lies.
Who do you know who gets stressed about hitting perfect financial targets or feels like their planning isn’t quite ‘good enough’? Share this with them – sometimes we all need reminding that 99.98% can be exactly what we need.
At Emery Little, we help people create financial plans that work for their real lives, not some arbitrary benchmark. If you’d like to discover what your own financial journey could look like, or if you’re ready to take the next step forward, get in touch with us.
And who knows? You might find that 99.98km turns out to be perfect after all.
