In this powerful episode of Navigating Abundant Retirement, host Carol Dewey shifts the conversation from traditional returns and market metrics to something far deeper: Return on Intention.

Carol explores why many retirees feel financially successful but emotionally unfulfilled — and how reconnecting money to meaning can transform the retirement experience. Through real client stories and a three-level framework (Stability, Security, Significance), she explains how to align your wealth with your values, your purpose, and the life you truly want to live.

This episode is a reminder that retirement isn’t just about having enough — it’s about knowing what “enough” means for you.

Key Takeaways

1. More isn’t always better

Many people spend their lives accumulating without defining “enough,” leading to endless chasing and emotional dissatisfaction.

2. Return on Intention > Return on Investment

ROI matters — but the deeper impact comes from how your financial decisions support joy, purpose, connection, and legacy.

3. The Three Levels of Financial Fulfillment

• Stability — Financial Control

Understanding income, expenses, and cash flow.

• Security — Financial Confidence

Reliable income streams, tax strategies, and protection.

• Significance — Financial Purpose

Using wealth for legacy, impact, and meaning.

4. Three Steps to Build Your Return on Intention

• Revisit your WHY — realign your financial decisions around your purpose.

• Align your financial tools — every account or product must serve a clear goal.

• Measure success differently — peace, purpose, and joy are the true metrics.

5. Gratitude changes how you see your wealth

Through stewardship and gratitude, money becomes not just something you have — but something you use to bless others.

💬 Memorable Quote of the Week

“The greatest wealth is the ability to fully experience life.” — Henry David Thoreau

📌 Featured Call to Action

If you're ready to connect your money with your meaning, schedule your Lifestyle & Legacy Assessment with Carol.

Discover how to align your income, investments, and estate plan with the life you truly want to live.

📘 Resources & Links

📘 Free Download: 8 Key Drivers of Company Value

https://perpetualwealthfinancial.com/8keydrivers

📅 Book your Complimentary Lifestyle & Legacy Assessment:

https://link.betterautomate.com/widget/bookings/meetcarol/discovery-v

💬 Website:

https://www.perpetualwealthfinancial.com

💬 Connect with Carol on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/perpetualwealth/

🎧 Listen & Subscribe:

Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

Are you ready to head down the

path to an abundant retirement?

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We're tackling the topics of the

mind of the modern retiree here.

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I'm navigating an abundant retirement

radio, and now your host, Carol Dewey.

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Welcome back to Navigating Abundant

Retirement, where we talk about building

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a retirement that's about more than money.

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It's about meaning.

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I am your host, Carol Dewey, and today

we're going to look beyond returns, charts

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and markets to explore something deeper,

what I call your return on intention.

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Now that might sound a little

different from the conversations

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we normally have about income taxes

or investments, but this is one of

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those topics that truly changes how

you think about your wealth and how

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you feel about your financial life.

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I recently met with a couple who

told me, Carol, we finally have more

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money than we ever thought we would.

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But we're not any happier.

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It was such an honest moment.

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They weren't ungrateful,

they weren't reckless.

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They were simply realizing that

having money doesn't automatically

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bring peace, and that's what we're

diving into today, how to connect

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your financial life with your life's

purpose so your money isn't just.

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Managed, it's meaningful.

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Let's start with a myth that almost

everyone believes at some point

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that more equals better, more money,

more investments, more growth.

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But here's the truth, more

without direction becomes noise.

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I've seen people who spend decades

accumulating and then realize they never

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defined what enough actually means.

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So even when they reach their

goals, they keep chasing.

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It's like climbing a ladder

only to realize it's been

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leaning against the wrong wall.

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Now, don't get me wrong.

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Growth and progress are wonderful, but

when growth becomes the goal instead of

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a tool, it quietly erodes peace of mind.

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That's why I always remind

clients, abundant isn't a number.

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It's sufficiency with clarity.

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Abundance means you know what matters

to you, and your money reflects that.

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So before you set the next

financial target, ask yourself.

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Why this goal?

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What purpose does it serve?

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That's the first step toward what

I call your return on intention.

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Most of us have been trained to measure

success by ROI, the return on investment.

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It's logical, it's easy to calculate.

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It makes us feel like we're

being responsible stewards.

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But here's the question.

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What if the most important returns in your

life can't be measured in percentages?

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I once had a client say, Carol,

the best investment I ever made

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was taking my grandkids to Italy.

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It didn't earn a dime, but it paid

me in memories I'll never outlive.

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Now that's return on intention.

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Return on intention is the piece you feel

when your money aligns with your purpose.

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It's when every decision from your

income strategy to your giving plan

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supports your deeper goals in life.

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It's giving intentionally, spending

purposefully and protecting

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wisely so your money serves

you, not the other way around.

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Financial freedom is

wonderful, but without meaning.

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It's just numbers, meaning

gives money, direction.

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Let's talk about how this

plays out practically.

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I like to think of financial

fulfillment as having three levels.

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Level one, stability.

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That's financial control.

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This is the foundation.

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It's where you understand your

income expenses and cash flow.

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You know where your money.

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Going and why.

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When people don't have stability,

they're always reacting to markets,

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to taxes, to unexpected expenses.

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So if you're still feeling uncertain

about where your income will come from

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in retirement, this is your first focus.

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Level two, security, financial confidence.

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This is where your systems

start doing the heavy lifting.

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You've got reliable income streams, a tax

strategy that keeps more in your pocket,

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and protection against unexpected events.

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Security brings calm.

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You're no longer checking your

accounts every day or worrying

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about every market headline.

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This is where most traditional

financial planning stops.

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And yet it's not where fulfillment starts.

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Level three is significance

or financial purpose.

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Significance is the highest level.

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It's when your wealth becomes a

tool for impact, for family, for

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causes you care about, for creating

a legacy that lasts beyond you.

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Significance is about alignment.

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It's when your money starts reflecting

who you are and what you value most.

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At this level, you're not

asking how much more can I make?

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You're asking how much

more meaning can I create?

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When you reach significance, your

wealth finally starts to feel complete.

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Not because it's perfect,

but because it's purposeful.

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So how do you actually find

your return on intention?

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Let me walk you through

three practical steps.

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Step one, revisit your why.

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Ask yourself, why am I doing all this?

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Why did I work so hard

to build what I have?

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What do I want this wealth to do

for me, for my family, for others?

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This may sound simple.

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But it's one of the most powerful

financial exercises you can do

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because once you reconnect to

your why, decisions become easier.

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When you know your purpose,

the noise quiets down.

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Step two is align your financial

tools with your life goals.

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Every account, product and

strategy should have a clear job.

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If something in your plan doesn't support

your intentions, it's a distraction.

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For example, maybe you're holding

an investment that's grown well.

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But now carries risk you don't need.

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Or maybe you've outgrown

an insurance policy that no

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longer fits your estate plan.

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Ask yourself, is this

still serving my purpose?

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If not, it's time to realign.

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Your financial tools are just vehicles.

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Make sure they're driving in the

same direction as your goals.

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Step three, measure success differently.

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This is where it all comes together.

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We've been conditioned to measure

success by net worth or performance

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charts, but those aren't the

only measures that matter.

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Try these instead.

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How much peace of mind do I have today?

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How well does my wealth reflect my values?

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How often am I using my money

to create joy and connection?

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Because if your portfolio is

growing, but your joy isn't.

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Your returns are out of alignment.

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That's what we mean by

return on intention.

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Since we're heading into Thanksgiving,

I wanna close with a reminder

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about gratitude and perspective.

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Gratitude isn't just an

emotion, it's a lens.

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It changes how we see

everything, including our money.

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When you view your wealth through

gratitude, it stops being about.

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What you own and becomes about what you

can experience, contribute, and share.

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That's why stewardship is

such a powerful concept.

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It's not about accumulating,

it's about amplifying.

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Stewardship says, I've been

blessed with resources.

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Now how do I make them

a blessing to others?

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That could mean teaching your

grandkids about saving and giving.

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It could mean funding a scholarship.

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It could mean having the time freedom

to show up for people you love.

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That's true abundance, and

I have a quote for you.

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The greatest wealth is the

ability to fully experience life.

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That's by Henry David Thoreau.

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So as you head into this Thanksgiving

season, I encourage you to ask yourself.

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What kind of return am I

getting on my intentions?

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And if you don't know the answer,

that's okay, because awareness

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is where alignment begins.

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If today's message resonated with you,

if you are ready to connect your money

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with your meaning, I'd love to help you

explore your own return on intention.

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You can start by scheduling a

lifestyle and legacy assessment where

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we'll take a fresh look at how your

income investments in estate plan.

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Align with your life that,

that you truly wanna live.

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You've worked hard to build your wealth.

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Now it's time to make sure it's

working hard to serve you and

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the people you care about most.

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I'm Carol Dewey, and this has been

navigating Abundant Retirement.

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Until next time,

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You should consult a financial advisor

familiar with the specific circumstances

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of your unique financial situation

before making any financial decisions.

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Nothing in this broadcast constitutes

a solicitation for the sale or purchase

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of any securities, any mentioned

rates of returns for our historical

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or hypothetical in nature, and are

not a guarantee of future returns.

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Carol Dewey is an investment

advisor, representative of Perpetual

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Wealth Financial, a Florida

registered investment advisor firm.