‘Tis the season! NFL, College and Fantasy Football are the talk at the water cooler, and not just among the men. Case in point – the first week in Fantasy Football, a woman beat me, not cool. But aside from the fun and challenges, football and personal finance have some things in common. If you look carefully, you will see how some of the terms in football apply to our financial lives.

Having a “Strong O-Line”: The quarterback relies on his offensive line to protect him while he decides which player to throw the football to. Any weakness in that line can cause the defense to come rushing through and end the play. The O-line in your financial life is your insurance coverage and Estate Planning documents. Any cracks in these can cause a bad situation to happen and ruin “the play” – the “play” being your financial security.

“Taking a Knee”: When the winning team is near the end of the game, the quarterback can receive the ball and go down on one knee. This ends the play, keeps the clock running, and they get closer to the end of the game. Sometimes in our financial lives, it’s best to do the same and wait it out. Considering changing jobs, starting your own business, or wanting to retire but it doesn’t feel right? If your financial situation can handle you not making a move and you can wait until the situation feels better, then wait. There may be something you’re not seeing and if you move too soon, you could create a negative situation.

Having a “strong running game”: Often times, teams don’t win games with big passing plays; they win by multiple running plays that wear down the opposing team. The running plays move the offense up the field slowly-but-surely and put them in a scoring position. Investing consistently, with a set contribution, in a well-diversified is a Systematic Investment Plan (SIP). Developing a habit of saving regularly will move you towards financial independence.

Playing with an “empty backfield”: The wide receivers are all lined up on the line of scrimmage. The quarterback calls an audible and the running back joins them. He has no one, other than his offensive line, to block the defense. It’s a high risk, high reward play. Not having disability insurance is like playing with an “empty backfield”. Before you have a large investment portfolio, your only line of defense between you and bankruptcy is your ability to generate income. If you become disabled, can no longer generate income and have no disability insurance, you run the risk of financial ruin.

Football and money have more in common than you think. Our “game” spans the length of our lifetime and to be successful, it helps to have an experienced coach.