Ah, the lies we live by. Whether self-told or otherwise we blind ourselves from the truth. Better to avoid reality than accept and do something about it. It’s the most American of behaviors.

When will we learn we are often our own worst enemy?

Recently the folks at Northwestern Mutual explored attitudes towards finances and planning. The results are, sadly, not surprising. Highlights Lowlights include:

67% consider themselves “savers” yet 54% have debt that equals or exceeds their savings. (Interesting math!)

43% have not spoken to anyone about planning despite serious concerns about retirement.

58% believe their financial planning needs improvement. 21% are “not at all confident” they’ll be able to reach their financial goals. When asked what steps they have taken to plan for their financial futures 34% said none. (A body at rest tends to stay at rest!)

Additional highlights lowlights may be found here. The bottom of the page contains a link to the full 13 page report.