Back in December of 2014 Carl Richards at Behavior Gap was gracious enough to share twelve of his best graphics with anyone that wanted them for absolutely no charge.  His hope was that folks in the  financial services industry could take these images and use them to convey the importance of using a disciplined process to reach your investing goals.

I’ve taken Carl’s images and used them to explain how to systematically approach investing based on these twelve pictures.

Investing in Twelve Pictures (pictures one through ten):

• Picture One – You Have To Start With a Goal
• Picture Two – You Need to Focus on What You Can Control
• Picture Three – The Best Solutions Are Simple
• Picture Four – It is NOT a Plan it IS a Process
• Picture Five – Over Time You Will Learn New Things
• Picture Six – There Will Be Ups and Downs Along the Way
• Picture Seven – You Will Fail If You Succumb to Fear
• Picture Eight – Diversification
• Picture Nine – Asset Allocation is the Key to Investing
• Picture Ten – Most Investors Out-Think Themselves

Hopefully they will help at least one individual take the necessary steps to reach their personal, professional, and financial goals.  Without further ado, picture number eleven…

It Is Not About The Money

While I think that last week’s lesson may be my favorite of Richard’s, this week’s image is probably the most important…

For while this series of posts focuses on investing, that is NOT what is important!  Investments are simply a tool that allow you to achieve your goal.  And when it comes to goals, Thoreau said it best:

• What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals

Richards picture today is one of his simplest and yet one of his most complex.

You see a circle entitled “circle of gratitude” surrounding a dot entitled “you”.  The point he is making / the question that he is asking you to consider is:

• What are the things around you, the things you have in life, that you are grateful for?

Yes, investing is a serious endeavor.  However, the wise investor understands three things:

• Investments are simply a tool to help you achieve your goals
• Goals are important, but who you become in pursuing them is even more important
• Ultimately it is about being grateful for those that are in your life

Keeping these three lessons at the forefront of your mind is critical to your success as an investor.

Some other posts that you might like:

• How Are DFA Funds Different than Index Funds?
• How Families Can Calculate Retirement Income Wants Versus Needs
• What Your Grandma Taught You About Investing
• Making Sure You Can Collect a Paycheck in Retirement

 

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