On the Ball: What Aircraft Carrier Landings Can Teach Us About Financial Planning

Standing on the pier alongside the USS Midway in San Diego, I couldn’t take my eyes off the glowing yellow landing lights on the rear deck. Pilots call this guidance system “The Meatball.”

In the world of aviation, few maneuvers are more difficult than landing a fighter jet on the moving deck of an aircraft carrier. The space is narrow, the conditions unpredictable, and the margin for error razor thin.

That’s why The Meatball is so critical. It gives pilots instant, real-time feedback on their approach:

• 🔼 Too high: Adjust before you overshoot the deck

• 🟢 On the ball: You’re right where you need to be

• 🔽 Too low: Correct before it’s too late

For a pilot, safety depends on reading and responding to The Meatball. Without it, even the most skilled aviator could miss the target.

The Financial “Landing Deck”

Watching this system at work made me think about financial planning.

Retirement, investments, and long-term goals can feel just as daunting as landing on that narrow, moving deck. You only get one shot to land safely, and the consequences of drifting too far off course can be significant.

Without guidance, it’s easy to make mistakes that put your future at risk:

• 🔼 Flying too high: Saving aggressively but holding back on living, missing out on experiences and opportunities you could enjoy along the way.

• 🟢 On the ball: Striking the right balance, confident that you can live well today and be ready for tomorrow.

• 🔽 Flying too low: Spending too much today or saving too little, only to face a shortfall in retirement.

Just like a pilot uses The Meatball to make real-time corrections, financial planning provides the feedback and adjustments you need to stay aligned with your goals.

Why Guidance Matters

Think about it this way: a pilot would never attempt a carrier landing without a system of checks, signals, and expert support. The risk is simply too high.

Yet so many people approach retirement without a plan, relying on rough guesses or hoping their savings will “just work out.” That’s like trying to land a jet without instruments — possible, but unnecessarily risky.

A good financial plan serves as your navigation system. It helps you:

• Clarify the destination — knowing when you can retire, what lifestyle you can afford, and what trade-offs to expect.

• Spot risks early — from market downturns to tax surprises to healthcare costs before Medicare.

• Make confident course corrections — whether that means adjusting savings, timing Social Security, or balancing spending today with confidence tomorrow.

Are You On the Ball?

When I stood there watching the Midway’s landing lights, I thought about how comforting it must be for a pilot to see that green light guiding them in. That same sense of reassurance is exactly what a financial plan can give you.

The truth is, everyone drifts at times. The key is having a system that tells you when you’re off course — and a guide who helps you adjust before it’s too late.

So let me ask: Are you flying too high, too low, or are you right on the ball?

📩 If you’re unsure, I’d love to talk. Together we can chart your course, make adjustments where needed, and give you the confidence to land your future exactly where you want it.

Content in this material is for general information only and not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. All investing involves risk including loss of principal. No strategy assures success or protects against loss.