My future has never looked so bright. I’ve been watching a lot of the big banks’ commercials on T.V. lately, and I’m really excited about my financial future. Apparently, I can send my daughter to med school and buy the cozy villa in Italy. Because my bank is putting me first, it turns out I will be able to retire on my own terms. I’m looking particularly forward to regenerating. That vineyard that I was thinking of starting? No problem. They’ve got me covered.

Is it just me, or does it seem like the Big 5 (RBC, CIBC, TD, BMO and BNS) all use the same advertising firm? Here’s the blueprint: 1) an investor (usually a couple) questions whether they will be able to attain their financial dreams 2) in steps the bank and their investment solution 3) play the music 4) smiles all around. Financial freedom is as simple as that. Oh, and if for some reason I can’t quite invest as much as I need to every month, cutting that $5 fancy coffee out of my daily routine should do the trick, according to some of the financial planning advice I’ve read online.

Reality check. Life isn’t always a bowl of cherries. And I don’t drink coffee. Simply purchasing a bundled portfolio of mutual funds is no guarantee that I’ll be able to happily sail into the retirement sunset in the boat that I restored myself thanks to my bank and the investment plan they created for me. I know this, you know this, and they know this.

Granted, creating an investment plan doesn’t need to be rocket science, and should in fact be a fairly simple process. But simply having a plan doesn’t guarantee investment success and a cottage on the lake. You need a sufficient amount of capital to start with, you need to continuously contribute to your investments (which can involve making difficult tradeoffs), and perhaps the hardest part of it all, you need to stick with your plan and ride out the tough times. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make for good advertising.