When We Are Faced With ‘What if’ Moments

What stops you from doing the things you want to do? What makes you believe that your goals are impossible and unreachable? 

When We Are Faced With a ‘What if’ Moment

Risk takers are more likely successful because they are willing to take the spot when others are hesitant. How you think determines who you are. What occupies your mind will eventually come out of your mouth. For example, if we constantly think about the difficulties brought about by this pandemic, we might not be able to move on and adapt to the new normal. A lot of us including myself are fearful and anxious which are normal and natural. Instead of worrying, what if we use our time at home to become more productive. If you have the skills in baking, make homemade breads and cookies and sell it to your friends and colleagues. If you're into arts and crafts, you can make artsy planters especially now that people are into gardening and obsessed with house plants. Stop negative thoughts that would stop you from starting your project. 

Career Change

It was more than ten years ago when I decided to quit my stable job as a staff nurse in a government/military hospital to explore opportunities in digital, marketing and blogging. That time, I had very limited knowledge in technology not enough tools to begin with. With a small budget, I bought a laptop to start working from home. An IT company based in the United States hired me to handle an online review course for nurses who were then preparing for the state board exam. While building an online presence with my blog, I also worked as an online coach/teacher.

Turn Problems to Opportunities

Failures in life help us become a better person. Struggles will always be present and our life will always be filled with "what if" moments but these are crossroads and decisions that help us fulfill our dreams and realize what we set out to achieve. Each “what if” moment presents us with two possibilities, that which is desirable or that which is undesirable. Our subsequent decisions and actions direct the course of our lives moving forward. Therefore, whenever we face a “what if” moment, we should have a positive attitude and be ready to make the right choices.

Mr. Renato A. Vergel de Dios, President and CEO of BDO Life Assurance Company, Inc. explains how we can make “what if” moments work to our advantage with the correct mindset. Vergel de Dios is an expert who advocates the necessity of financial protection for “what if” moments. He said “When we are faced with a ‘what if’ moment, we are also confronted with potential benefits and risks. The most reasonable course of action is to make a decision that maximizes the potential benefits and minimizes the potential risks."

Watch this video about "Life's What Ifs"

Vergel de Dios points out that the entire country experienced a crucial “what if” moment when the pandemic struck. “On top of dealing with our own survival, we also have to help others. Taking an ‘every-man-for-himself’ attitude is unacceptable. We are all in this together. As they say, ‘we must heal as one,’” he says.

A Protection Mindset 

According to Vergel de Dios, “We expose ourselves to greater risk if we don’t understand a potential threat or choose to ignore it. For example, now that COVID-19 is here, are we going to behave like before? Will we refuse to wear masks, touch our faces with unwashed hands, or gather together in a closed environment? Those who ignore current health protocols neither recognize nor accept the consequences of the threat to themselves and others,” he adds.

Setting Financial Goals with BDO

This is why Vergel de Dios advocates a way of thinking and living that is proactive as well as protection-oriented. Insurance awareness and belief is about having a mindset that recognizes  the risks and uncertainties of life, accepts that such perils could harm us, and compels us to act in order to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

From the absurd to logical

Vergel de Dios has probably heard all the possible reasons of people who don’t want to adopt this protection mindset when it comes to insurance. To get them to think otherwise, he sometimes resorts to ludicrous analogies that drive home the real wisdom of his point. 

"When you buy car insurance, do you pray to have an accident so you can get your money’s worth? How about fire insurance? When it’s time to renew your coverage, do you ever feel bad your house didn’t burn down? Of course not,” he says.

Mr. Renato A. Vergel de Dios, President and CEO of BDO Life Assurance Company, Inc. 

Insurance as a financial protection instrument, Vergel de Dios says, has an ironic side. “Life insurance is something you need but would rather not use. Sure, there’s a cost to pay for such protection, but would you rather that your family pay a higher price when you fail to maintain adequate insurance coverage.” 

What If Moment

Vergel de Dios continues: “You get insurance primarily for financial protection. Some insurance products also provide investment opportunities. To me, the potential investment earning component, while highly desirable, is a bonus. By this, I mean that you shouldn’t relish the bonus benefit more than the primary benefit. Think of it like a cake. The investment feature is the icing while the protection coverage is the body. You share and enjoy the entire cake. The icing is just the extra satisfaction on top,” he says.

Achieving Financial Goals with Insurance

Now that we are in a period of crisis, it’s time to re-examine our beliefs and plans. Your specific future goals in mind such as buying a house, having the funds to finance your children’s education, family overseas trips, or retiring securely - that’s your Plan A, your offense strategy. Vergel de Dios asserts that insurance should be part of one’s overall financial preparedness program. It’s your Plan B, your defensive strategy that will ensure that your aspirations can be achieved even if untoward situations should arise.

“If you secure insurance as part of an overall life goal or dream that you want to realize, then you will see it as part of a greater context: that of achieving the life you want for yourself and those you love. Whatever may come next, your ‘what if’ moment moves forward, broadens, and becomes a source of hope instead of anxiety.” 

“With insurance, the ‘what if’ worries and consequences of dying too soon become a way to move forward with optimism and security. And even if the risk passes without having to avail of your insurance protection, it doesn’t mean you lost money. Rather, because you remained healthy, safe, and protected, you had the time, energy, and fortitude to fulfill your financial goals,”

Such is the power of a “what if” that is turned from a risk into an opportunity.

BDO Life has financial advisers ready to help you turn the “what ifs” in your life into a way to make your goals and dreams a reality: whether it’s buying a house, getting an education, protecting your health, or providing a secure and worry-free future for your loved ones. It’s so easy. You can get in touch with them at www.bdo.com.ph/bdolife/connect-financial-advisor. You can also reach BDO Life Financial Advisers right at a BDO branch near you. Ask about BDO Life now at your BDO branch.

I can easily relate to BDO Life's newest video about Life's What Ifs. Perhaps I'm at the point of my life when priorities are different compared to when I was still single. With the current crisis, it's important to set financial goals and be ready whatever tomorrow brings.