We establish a general method to bridge the gap between full-field electromagnetic calculations and equivalent lumped circuit elements to describe the optical response of plasmonic nanostnictures. The exact value of each lumped element is extracted from one single full-field calculation using the Poynting vector and considerations on the energy flow in the system. The equivalent circuit obtained this way describes the complete response of the system at any frequency and can be used to optimize it for specific applications or perform parametric studies. This powerful approach can accurately reproduce the behavior of complex plasmonic nanostructures, such as Fano resonances, retardation effects, and polarization coupling. Furthermore, the influence of coupling parameters within the different modes supported by a given plasmonic structure can be investigated, thus providing new physical insights into its functioning mechanisms.