Wisdom on Wealth

Q: I know everyone is all bullish on the stock market now that Trump has been elected, but I just don’t trust it. I’ve seen it crash two times before and I’m looking for a third crash any time now. I used to be more optimistic, but not anymore. What do you think?

A: Sometimes I think it would be a good idea if I got up each morning, looked myself in the mirror, and said, “You’re an emotional idiot. Go get some perspective.”

A: Only that which you can’t see. Or won’t.

Former president Bill Clinton, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerburg, actor Paul Newman and iconic American humorist Mark Twain all have one thing in common. They have stated publicly that they are color blind.

Q: I don’t really have any clear financial goals. I guess I eventually want to have enough to retire on, but other than that I’m not sure what I would need. I’m probably leaving a bunch of stuff out.

A: You may be looking at the wrong side of the equation.

Someone asked you what your financial goals are and you don’t feel like you have a good answer. OK. So don’t focus on your lack of a good answer.

How about asking yourself some of the following good questions?

Q: I always thought my career would go in a certain direction. But now my industry is changing and the work I always saw myself doing is about to go the way of buggy whips. I’m afraid of being a dinosaur. What do I do.?

A: Plan B.

You can fear it. You can try to fight it.

Or you can embrace it and explore its opportunities.

Q: I am not sure what all I should be doing to get my financial act together. I need to pay off student loans, save up for a new car, save for retirement and save up for a down payment on a house one day. How do I accomplish all these priorities at once?

A: You don’t.

When you have too many “priorities,” you really have no priorities. Having too many so-called priorities demonstrates that you have actually just failed to make hard choices. You have failed to focus. So far.

Q: I have the opportunity to buy some disability insurance through a group of professionals I work with. But I struggle with wasting that money vs. how much more could I have if I just invested it. What do you think?

A: I think you need to understand your choices more clearly.

I grew up watching Let’s Make a Deal with Monty Hall. Eager audience members would scream wildly, pleading with Monty to pick them to play the game. Once Hall had chosen someone to play, announcer Jay Stewart would bring down what looked to me like a TV dinner trey with small package on it. Then Monty would give the contestant the opportunity to keep the little mystery in the small package on the TV dinner trey or trade for some hidden something behind (you remember) door #1, door #2 or door #3. Those were the doors beside which stood the beautiful Carol Merrill.