What Olympic Athletes Can Teach Us About Securing our Future

While we’re not Olympians, we can all learn from their discipline and hardcore long-term commitment. As they train for their competitive future, we, on the other hand, will work towards our financial and personal future. Whatever assets we have today, we strengthen and build to secure tomorrow. May sarili tayong laban, and it’s a long game.

The Olympic Path: A Model of Preparation

Every Olympian on our screen has poured decades of focus and sacrifice into one moment every four years. Yet upsets, injuries, or judges’ whims can knock them out in seconds. Even for medalists who get a financial bonanza along with their glory, life’s reversals can be just as swift.

The same is true for us. Whether it’s an unexpected illness, an accident, or a sudden change in our finances, you can never tell. A strong, battle-ready safety net can make all the difference to our well-being and peace of mind.

Physical and financial health

Part of that safety net is physical. Last year, Paris marked the birth of the Olympics with an event called “Olympic Day”, the first in 75 years. Champions from around the world encouraged us to be part of the Games by building exercise into our daily routine.

Olympic medalist P.V. Sindhu told Olympics.com: "Being an athlete, we do regular exercise for so many hours but I think for the people out there, I would (hope) that this campaign will inspire a lot of them. I hope each of them will come out and do some sort of exercise and that way they can keep themselves healthy."

There’s simply no substitute for physical health. Whatever we achieve in terms of physical fitness, we can supplement with health protection – a safety net designed to protect us from surprises that would otherwise have a significant impact on our lives. When we’re doing well physically and financially, we may feel invincible . But life happens fast, and we need to be ready.

Everyone’s Laban: training for tomorrow

Preparing for tomorrow is not just about saving up, investing and signing up for insurance policies—it's about adopting an Olympian mindset to make it happen. Let’s take a page from their playbook:

• Set clear goals Every day, athletes chase a measurable training goal. Setting similarly clear, step-by-step financial goals for yourself can keep you motivated and on-track. Think of how we plan for big expenses with fixed dates, like tuition or trips – we can do it.
• Stay disciplined: Olympic success requires daily, consistent effort and dedication. Maintaining your financial health demands the same discipline. Regularly review your insurance, adjust coverage as needed, and ensure you’re adequately protected.
• Embrace the long game. Olympic athletes train for years. Similarly, investing in insurance and financial planning is a long-term commitment. Understand that the effort you put in today is for peace of mind and security for years to come.

These can help us as we gather the range of safety nets we need:

1. Health Insurance: Even the fittest of us will need quality medical care at some point. Health and critical illness insurance  ensures that you can access the treatment you need, especially for critical illness, without bearing the full brunt of medical costs. Our traditional plan Set for Health refunds 100% of your paid premiums if you make no major claims by age 75. With FWD Vibrant Critical Illness Insurance, you can claim up to six times for major illnesses and be covered not just for hospital stays but for preventive screening and supplements all the way to recovery.
2. Life Insurance: No one likes to think about it. But life insurance provides financial security for your loved ones, to maintain their quality of life after your passing. FWD has a range of options. Set for Tomorrow Term Life Insurance provides affordable coverage up to PHP 5 million until age 55, including terminal illness support, overseas benefits and funeral assistance.For a wider horizon, FWD Manifest Investment-linked Insurance combines life protection up to age 100 with investment, which includes l bonuses that reward longer tenure of investment and protection against market volatility.
3. Disability Insurance: If an accident or illness leaves you unable to work, disability insurance can replace a portion of your income, keeping you financially stable as you focus on recovery. Consider The One for affordable protection to suit your passions, or FWD BIG 3 Critical Illness Insurance, available online to cover cancer, stroke and heart attack.
4. Property and Casualty Insurance: For your home, car, or other valuable assets, the right coverage can prevent financial setbacks from theft, natural disasters, or accidents.

The Laban Pack: Discipline and Preparation

We’re not all training for 2028, but we can let athletes’ foresight inspire us as much as their medals. Insurance is not just a product; it’s a vital component of a well-rounded financial strategy to safeguard your future.

While we cheer on the athletes in Paris, let them inspire us to be proactive in our own lives – to leap further, soar higher, heft bigger weights. By securing insurance coverage now, you’re giving yourself stronger support for anything life brings.

So, while you're in peak form physically and financially, take the time to secure coverage for the times when you might not be.

Don’t know where to start or need help finding the perfect fit? Book a session with a financial advisor.