There’s a lot more to the Tour of Southland than what happens on the bike. There are the tactics, the hills, the weather and the competition. But for me, what makes the Tour so special is everything that happens around it.

It’s the communities that come out to support it. The volunteers who give their time. The teams working behind the scenes. And the riders themselves, who have put in the work long before they ever reach the start line.

It’s a great reminder that the things worth achieving rarely happen overnight.

The work happens long before the finish line

We tend to celebrate the result. We see the rider crossing the finish line or standing on the podium, but we don’t necessarily see all the early mornings, tough training sessions, setbacks and kilometres that came before it.

There’s something very relatable in that.

Most meaningful goals are built gradually. They take effort, consistency and, sometimes, a fair bit of perseverance when things don’t quite go to plan.

Our financial goals are no different.

Building towards the future generally isn’t about one big decision or getting everything exactly right. It’s about starting, having a plan, making progress where you can and continuing to look ahead. It’s about playing the long game.

There will be tough stretches

Anyone who follows the Tour knows that even the best-laid plans can change pretty quickly. Conditions change. Some days go brilliantly. Others don't.

Life has a habit of doing the same.

Investing will have uncertain periods too. Markets move, circumstances change and sometimes it can be difficult to look beyond what’s happening right now.

That’s where having a longer-term perspective matters.

Resilience isn’t about pretending the difficult stretches aren't happening. It’s about navigating them without losing sight of where you ultimately want to go. 

No one really does it alone

There’s another thing I love about the Tour - Nobody really does it alone.

Behind every rider is a wider team, and around the Tour itself is a whole community of people contributing in different ways.

I think there’s a nice reminder in that too. Whether you’re working towards a personal goal, building a career, raising a family or thinking about your financial future, having good people around you matters. People who provide encouragement, expertise, perspective or simply help you make sense of what comes next.

That sense of people backing people is a big part of what makes the Tour feel so special.

Keep moving forward

Investing might seem a long way from racing a bike around Southland. And in plenty of ways, it is. But the Tour is a pretty good reminder that worthwhile things take time.

You need a plan. You need people around you. There will inevitably be some tough stretches along the way. And sometimes you simply have to keep going.

As the Tour makes its way through Southland, we’ll be cheering on the riders, teams, volunteers and communities who make it what it is.

Because whether it’s on two wheels or in life, there’s a lot to be said for playing the long game.

Morne Redgard 
SBS Wealth