Living (and Planning) in Dog Years

The other morning, I was walking my dogs and had one of those moments that stops you mid-stride.

I can’t believe they’re 9 years old.

If you know Australian Shepherds, you know exactly what I mean when I say the first four years felt like survival mode. They were nonstop - smart, energetic, opinionated, and always one step ahead of me. I honestly wasn’t sure we were going to make it.

And now?

We’ve settled in.

My days still revolve around them - making sure they’re fed, exercised, cared for. They’re woven into the rhythm of my life. I love them deeply. And at the same time, I know something that’s hard to say out loud:

My time with them isn’t forever.

That thought hit me harder than I expected. Because it wasn’t really about my dogs.

It was about time.

If you’ve ever heard the saying that one dog year equals seven human years, you know it’s meant to be playful - a reminder of how quickly our four-legged companions move through life. But honestly? It feels just as true for the rest of us these days.

Especially for firefighters and first responders.

Your careers are built on service, structure, and split-second decisions. The days are long, the nights are unpredictable, and the years? They fly by. One minute you’re learning the ropes at the station, and the next you’re mentoring rookies or counting your years toward DROP or retirement.

It can feel like life is moving in fast-forward - because in many ways, it is.

“The trouble is, you think you have time.” - Buddha

Why Change Feels So Fast

Psychologists talk about something called the proportional theory of time. In simple terms, time feels faster as we age because each year becomes a smaller slice of our total life. A year to a 10-year-old feels endless. A year to a 40-year-old feels like a blink.

The same thing happens in the financial world - only faster.

Technology, market cycles, retirement rules, and even client expectations are evolving in what I call dog years. What used to change slowly over decades now shifts in months. A new benefit structure. A tweak to pension rules. A market drop. An AI tool. Suddenly, the landscape looks completely different.

And in your world, the pace of change is just as relentless. Equipment evolves. Tactics change. Protocols shift. Staffing ebbs and flows. The gear gets smarter, the systems more connected - and yet the job remains deeply human.

That tension between innovation and tradition mirrors what’s happening in personal finance.

What worked five years ago might not hold up today. And what feels cutting-edge right now might soon feel outdated.

Change doesn’t always knock politely.

Sometimes, it sprints right through the door.

Gradually, Then Suddenly

Ernest Hemingway once wrote that bankruptcy happens in two ways: “Gradually, then suddenly.”

That line sticks with me because it describes so much more than money.

That’s how transformation happens - in finances, in careers, and in life.

We talk about “getting ready” for retirement or “making changes” someday. But life has a way of speeding up the timeline. A small decision here. A missed opportunity there. And then suddenly, retirement isn’t a far-off concept.

It’s next year.

For firefighters, that realization can come quickly. One day you’re counting years of service. The next, you’re running DROP calculations, checking survivor benefits, and realizing that a pension alone isn’t the whole plan.

The same thing is happening within the financial industry itself. Artificial intelligence, automation, and personalization have been quietly building for years. Now they’re everywhere - not replacing advisors, but forcing us to focus even more on what can’t be automated: empathy, context, and real conversation.

The “someday” future arrived all at once.

Building for Readiness, Not Just Speed

Here’s the truth: you can’t rush meaningful work.

Building a strong financial foundation - just like building a career in public safety - takes time, consistency, and commitment.

But readiness is different.

Being ready means having systems, knowledge, and habits in place so when things change, you don’t panic - you pivot.

For firefighters and first responders, readiness might look like:

• Understanding how your pension, DROP, and 457(b) work together

• Automating savings so progress happens even on your busiest days

• Reviewing insurance, estate plans, and beneficiaries before life forces your hand

• Having real conversations with your spouse or partner about long-term goals - not just the next shift

  
  

Readiness isn’t about predicting the future.

It’s about being prepared for it.

That’s what compounding change is all about - small, intentional steps that stack up over time to create flexibility and freedom.

The most resilient firefighters aren’t just fast.

They’re prepared.

The same principle applies to your financial life.

Living (and Planning) in Dog Years

Dog years aren’t just about aging faster.

They’re about adapting faster.

Markets will cycle. Rules will shift. Technology will evolve. Life will keep moving quicker than we expect - just like my dogs did.

But for those who stay alert, curious, and intentional, change doesn’t feel like chaos.

It feels like opportunity.

Because while time may move faster than ever, you still get to decide how you show up for it.

When you invest early, plan thoughtfully, and stay adaptable, you position yourself to thrive in every season - whether you’re in your first year at the station or your final year before retirement.

Dog years may be shorter.

But they’re also full of life.

And when you plan for them wisely, they can lead to a long, healthy, purpose-filled retirement - the kind you’ve worked hard to earn.

If this resonates with you:

Check out the latest episode of the Compounding Change podcast, where we talk about staying adaptable - in finances, in service, and in life.

And if you’d like to sit down and talk through what readiness looks like for you, I’d love to help.

Sometimes the most powerful step is simply starting the conversation.