Financial Strategies Borrowed From the Big Game's Playbook

A woman and two men celebrate while watching a football game at home.

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For nearly six decades, professional football teams have strived to achieve the ultimate goal of becoming champions. Getting there is the culmination of months — even years — of preparation, strategy and teamwork. In many ways, financial planning follows a similar playbook. Success doesn't come from a single Hail Mary play or without intention.

The game plan: Back to basics

Just as a football team can't expect to win without a solid game plan, financial success doesn't happen overnight. It requires a clear strategy, disciplined execution and an understanding that small, consistent actions build toward long-term goals. In financial planning, that means focusing on the basics, such as living within your means, automating savings and preparing for life's uncertainties.

Think of it like the fundamentals of blocking and tackling. Good habits, such as budgeting effectively and maintaining an emergency fund, form the foundation of financial success. These principles might not be flashy, but they’re crucial to reaching your goal, whether it’s buying a home, funding your children’s education or achieving financial independence.

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Playing defense: Protecting what you've built

In football, a strong defense is essential to protecting a lead and fending off unexpected challenges. The same principle applies to financial planning. Defensive strategies help safeguard what you’ve worked so hard to build from potential dangers — whether it’s market volatility, job loss, health issues or inflation.

Having the right insurance coverage, maintaining an emergency fund and diversifying investments are all defensive plays that protect your financial well-being. Just as a football team adjusts its defensive strategy based on its opponent’s strengths and weaknesses, your financial plan should evolve to address new risks as they arise.

The offensive strategy: Building financial momentum

Winning teams also know when to go on the offensive. In financial terms, this means taking calculated risks to work toward financial success through potential investments in the market, pursuing career advancements or planning for major life goals. A solid offensive financial strategy balances the excitement of potential gains with the discipline to stay on track.

For example, once you've addressed your core financial risks, you can consider increasing contributions to retirement accounts, exploring investment opportunities or reallocating assets to align with your long-term objectives. Just as a football team adjusts its offensive strategy to maximize scoring opportunities, your financial strategy should be flexible and adaptable to life's changes.

The halftime huddle: Making adjustments along the way

Every great football team knows that halftime adjustments can make or break the game. The same goes for financial planning. Regular financial check-ins allow you to assess progress, identify areas for improvement and make course corrections. Whether it’s saving more, adjusting spending or reallocating investments, halftime is the perfect opportunity to recalibrate.

I've seen this firsthand with clients like Harold and Lydia, who were initially working with an adviser who placed their fortune into high-risk investments that didn’t match their long-term goals. As markets turned, their losses mounted, leaving them anxious and uncertain. Realizing they needed a change, they shifted their strategy. By reassessing their financial game plan, we helped them transition to a more secure, conservative approach to align with their comfort level and long-term aspirations — ultimately helping them avoid a disastrous outcome when their previous adviser’s firm went under.

Teamwork wins championships

No championship team achieves victory alone. They rely on coordinated efforts from coaches, players and support staff — all working together toward a shared goal. The same is true in financial planning. Whether it’s a spouse, family members or trusted professionals, surrounding yourself with the right “team” is crucial to long-term success.

In the financial planning game, you’re the quarterback — calling the plays and making the big decisions for your financial future. Your financial adviser acts as the head coach, helping design the overall strategy and making adjustments as needed. Meanwhile, other key players, such as your CPA, estate planning attorney and insurance professionals, serve as coordinators. They ensure every aspect of your financial game plan is executed properly, avoiding gaps like an investment strategy that isn’t tax-efficient or an estate plan that doesn’t reflect your goals.

Touchdown: Financial freedom

For every football team, winning the Big Game is the ultimate goal. In financial planning, the equivalent is achieving financial freedom. After years of working with clients from all walks of life, I can say with certainty: Financial freedom isn’t just a goal — it’s the goal.

Financial freedom means different things to different people, but at its core, it’s about control. Control over your time, your choices and your future. For some, it’s retiring early and spending more time with family. For others, it’s traveling the world, giving back to their community, or pursuing passions without financial stress.

Whatever your vision, true financial freedom means having the ability to do what you want, when you want, without money being the deciding factor. Reaching this goal isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence. Just as successful teams measure progress season by season, successful financial planning tools typically involve reflecting on past achievements and using them as motivation to tackle the next challenge.

Just like in football, financial success requires preparation, discipline and teamwork. The best teams don’t rely on luck or last-minute heroics — they execute a strategy, make halftime adjustments and stay focused on the ultimate prize. Stay disciplined, trust your game plan, surround yourself with the right team, and you’ll be well on your way to reaching your financial championship.

Signature Estate & Investment Advisors, LLC (SEIA) is an SEC-registered investment adviser; however, such registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training and no inference to the contrary should be made. This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended as individual investment advice or as a recommendation of any particular security, strategy or investment product. Investment decisions should be made based on the client’s specific financial needs, objectives, goals, time horizon and risk tolerance. Financial markets are inherently volatile and all investment strategies, including those perceived as low-risk, carry some level of investment risk. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Financial success is influenced by various factors, including the client's investment objectives, risk tolerance, time horizon, and market conditions. There is no guarantee that any investment strategy will achieve its intended results. All investments carry inherent risks, including the potential loss of principal. Prospective and current advisors and clients should carefully consider their investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses before making any investment. SEIA is not responsible for the consequences of any decisions or actions taken as a result of the information provided herein. In particular, none of the examples should be considered advice tailored to the needs of any specific investor. Securities offered through Signature Estate Securities, LLC member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through SEIA, 2121 Avenue of the Stars, Suite 1600, Los Angeles, CA 90067, (310) 712-2323.

Disclaimer

This article was written by and presents the views of our contributing adviser, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. You can check adviser records with the SEC or with FINRA.

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Frank Legan is a Cleveland-based author and a Financial Adviser with SEIA. Frank spends his days designing and implementing personalized financial planning strategies for corporate executives, business owners, artists, families and retirees. He focuses on lifetime income planning strategies, investment advice and estate planning services. He also works with businesses to develop strategic and succession planning strategies.