Why the father of 'life planning' says you're managing money the wrong way

cnbc.com:

George Kinder wants everyone to be free.

At first blush, that concept of personal fulfillment or enlightenment may seem better suited to the realms of religion or spirituality than personal finance.

But Kinder, who's recognized as the father of the «life planning» branch of financial advice, has preached the interconnection of finance and freedom for decades.

In fact, his new book — "The Three Domains of Freedom" — is a treatise on the topic.

«There are kinds of goals that are profoundly inspiring to clients,» Kinder, who founded the Kinder Institute of Life Planning in 2003 after three decades as a financial planner and tax advisor, said in an interview.

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He's perhaps best known for his "three questions," which aim to help people uncover the essence of their life goals.

«If you identify those and really paint the picture of what [someone's] life would be like if they actually had that life, clients are on fire and they solve the financial problems pretty quickly and pretty easily,» Kinder said.

CNBC spoke with Kinder about life planning and why he thinks many people miss the point when it comes to managing their money. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Greg Iacurci: What is the basic premise of the life planning movement?

George Kinder: The basic premise is that financial planning is about delivering a client into freedom. Every person has a dream of freedom, and they ought to be living it. And that goes for people who don't have any money, people who are in debt, as well as people who have lots of money.

The focus shifts from money