# Why Financial Planning Should Include Collective Wellbeing
## The Narrow Lens of Traditional Finance
For decades, financial planning has been framed as a deeply personal endeavor—a solitary journey toward individual security and prosperity. Spreadsheets track personal net worth, retirement calculators estimate private nest eggs, and investment strategies focus on optimizing one's own returns. While this approach has helped millions achieve financial stability, it rests upon an incomplete assumption: that personal wealth exists in a vacuum, unaffected by the wellbeing of our communities and society at large.
## The Ripple Effect of Financial Decisions
Every financial choice we make sends ripples through the interconnected pond of human society. The bank we choose funds certain industries over others. Our investment dollars determine which companies thrive. Even our spending patterns shape local economies and influence global supply chains. When we recognize that no financial decision is truly isolated, we begin to see collective wellbeing not as charity, but as enlightened self-interest. Thriving communities create safer environments for businesses, more stable markets for investments, and better quality of life for all—including ourselves.
## Three Pillars of Collective Financial Health
1. **Community Investing**: Directing a portion of assets toward local businesses, affordable housing projects, or community development financial institutions creates virtuous cycles of economic growth.
2. **Ethical Consumption**: Aligning spending with values supports sustainable practices and fair labor conditions throughout supply chains.
3. **Intergenerational Planning**: Financial strategies that consider environmental sustainability and social stability ensure prosperity isn't achieved at the expense of future generations.
## The New Metrics of Success
Forward-thinking financial planners are developing tools to measure what truly matters: not just portfolio growth, but *quality* of growth. These include:
- Social Return on Investment (SROI) calculations
- Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) scoring
- Community wealth building indicators
By expanding our definition of financial health to include these dimensions, we create planning frameworks where personal and collective prosperity grow in harmony.
## A Call for Integrated Prosperity
The most resilient financial plans are those that recognize our fundamental interdependence. When we incorporate collective wellbeing into our financial equations, we don't just build personal wealth—we help create the kind of world where that wealth can truly flourish. This isn't altruism; it's the highest form of financial wisdom for our interconnected age.
