The message inside a fortune cookie may bring you more fortune than you think if you apply those proverbs in your financial plan. Let’s look at four fortunes and how it applies with your financial decisions.

When you get takeout food, you might also get a few fortune cookies to go with it. Do any of these fortunes apply in your financial life?

Do you ever experience a crisis and stress about the impact? Another way to look at a crisis is as an opportunity. Depending on where you’re at in life and how your money is positioned, a crisis such as a job loss or market shift may also provide you an opportunity in the long run.

Sometimes it’s more important to protect what you have instead of chasing what you don’t have. If you’ve been saving for a long time in growth accounts, as you near retirement you may want to consider whether you need growth as much. Don’t get caught up (or greedy) when it comes to what you could have instead of caring for what’s in front of you.

Control what you can control and don’t worry about what you can’t. There will always be things outside of our control, so if you are getting overly anxious about them, turn off the news. Address what you can and just know there will be bad things that happen, but you can’t spend all of your time worrying about it.

Sometimes you have a bias on what should be done in your plan, but it’s important to step back and reevaluate that. Your advisor can help you understand what kind of risk you can really handle.

Will you be applying any of this wisdom when it comes to your financial plan?

Listen to the full episode in the play above or click on the timestamps below to hear a specific financial fortune cookie proverb.

1:49 – “Crisis is opportunity riding on a dangerous wind.”

3:47 – “A feather in the hand is better than a bird in the air.”

5:52 – “Accept something you cannot change and you’ll feel better.”

8:39 – “The greatest danger could be your stupidity.”