Exhale: Heart and Chart Investing

Somewhere along the way we adopted the technical analysis term "The Trend is Your Friend" as an investing truth. This is nothing but an adventure in missing the point. Never, never, never consider the stock market your friend. It's a means to an end and no more. When we give the market friend status our guard comes down. Friends are for us, markets aren't. We need to erase this mentality completely from our consciousness else it will be to our peril. Time for a paradigm shift...

Continuing the Investing Myth Busting series, Larry differentiates between the historical, herd mentality perspective of “The Way”, and a possible better way. Of course the Modern Portfolio Theory of asset allocation works, but there are alternate ways of looking at things. Failing to capitalize on the relative strength of asset classes and over-diversifying typically dumbs everything down to the "average". Let's expand your mind a little...

This week I wrap up the series on investing myth busting with a look at how to keep things simple as more is not better. Many new investing sites have created the impression that dozens, or even hundreds, of choices serves you well. It doesn’t. Absent a solid, well thought out plan for your portfolio that you can stay the course with you are at the mercy of markets that take no prisoners. Keep it simple and you will stand a much better chance of getting where you want to go with the least amount of anxiety and the most amount of poise.

Ever stop and ponder how it is you have formed your financial life? Let’s journey together as I pose a few questions that might help bring some clarity as I challenge you to articulate your answers and expand the flow of good in your life. It’s been a great exercise for me personally, and I think you will open yourself up to receive even greater abundance as you declare, “I’m ready for more!”

Market Timing = Crystal Ball. This is how most of us view any form of active portfolio management. Why…because that’s what we’ve been told by the so-called industry experts. Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) and the “Efficient Frontier” Model have serious shortcomings. These flaws can be devastating to your financial health. Listen while I offer up some alternative thinking and how that perspective evolves into a different approach to managing a portfolio.  It’s a better way to sleep well at night, build financial poise, and grow lasting wealth.

Listen as I launch the first episode of my new “Myth Busting” series on debunking some of our investing sacred cows. Being a long-term investor does not mean you should set it and forget it, hoping that the market will “eventually” go higher, and manage your risk with an asset allocation pie chart. Some new paradigms are at hand, so strap in as I challenge you to think the unthinkable and consider alternate ways to invest so you can sleep well at night and develop better financial poise.

Originally recorded in November of 2016, this theme is as relevant for 2020 as it was then. How often do we give ourselves permission to dream. To ponder alternate possibilities. How much life baggage gets in the way of unleashing our creativity, our passion, our purpose. Come with me as I trek the trails at Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield Park and open up to what the mountain has for us. 

My good friend, Joe Labriola, is the Executive Director of Second Helpings Atlanta, Inc. They have a vision to eliminate hunger in the 5 county Metropolitan Atlanta area by rescuing surplus food and delivering it to those in need.  With a team of over 400 volunteer drivers, they serve as the link between our network of over 50 donors and the front-line agencies who feed the hungry on a daily basis. I love to hear the stories of a guy like Joe and be able to share in his vision and passion. You will too…

There are choices we can make that bring those idyllic feelings of peace, joy, contentment and serenity into our life. Choices that allow us to exhale. To know that what we are doing is significant, and that it is simply the right thing. We don’t measure the cost against anything–we just celebrate, knowing we’ve done good. You want some of that? Of course you do. We all do. Let’s talk about how we marry the heart and chart…

To give thanks with a heart of gratitude is the perfect channel for us to bless as we are blessed. It’s a flow, and our ability to exhale with a deep sense of peace and satisfaction is directly linked to how well we embrace the notion that we are designed to give it away. As we enter the season of thanks and giving, let’s expand our vision for how we can take all the goodness we experience and make a viable difference in the world. It just doesn’t get any better than this…