Lessons Learned along the way...

Everyone in life deals with many twists and turns and from these experiences, we learn key lessons along the way… some good, some bad and many that can help us not only in the present, but in the future as well.  As I reflect on my life, both personally and professionally, I could never have imagined how this journey of mine would transpire and how many valuable lessons I would learn along the way.  My goal is to help my clients learn from these mistakes and life lessons in order to better their overall situation.  Enjoy and please note that these are  in no particular order...

• Managing your finances is like having a second job
• We are all business owners, the owner of your financial life
• Buying a franchise is like buying a job but with all the financial risk
• Being successful as a Financial Advisor really means you are a good salesperson
• Knowing the number you want to achieve as far as a net worth before you retire makes the process of retirement planning infinitely easier.
• If money is your primary goal from working…you will eventually be unhappy.
• Have nice things and use them...you will never see a U-Haul attached to a hearse.
• Pay attention to market capitalizations (what a company is worth), not stock prices
• It is really about the dividend growth, not the current dividend
• Learn from everyone and everything, good and bad
• Even multi-millionaires can live paycheck to paycheck
• In life, sometimes 1 or 2 huge bets can provide a lifetime of luxury and offset a lifetime of bad decision making.
• Do not go into marriage blindly…too many factors outside your control..and 50/50 chance it will or will not work out.
• The sun will rise tomorrow…you may not see it but it is there
• The 4% withdrawal 'Rule' is NOT A RULE!...watch out for Sequence of Returns Risk
• Time and health are indeed your most valuable commodities
• In order for compound interest to truly work, cannot lose principal early on
• Time in the market, not timing the market
• Rule of 72
• You can have anything in life you want, you just can't have everything in life you want
• Indexing-getting market returns is easy if you don't try to make it complicated
• You will make mistakes along the way, treat yourself as you would treat others, give yourself the same advice you would give a loved one who made the same mistake.
• In 2000, when I started earning, I invested in JDS Uniphase, Sun Microsytstems, John Hancock Growth Trends, Oppenheimer Emerging Markets among others.  I do not own any of these anymore and many are no longer in existence.  You know what is?  The S&P 500
• You will change and evolve, don't be so surprised, don't oppose it and don't be too hard on yourself for asking why it did not happen sooner, we are all on our own personal journeys
• Know yourself–if you want to trade stocks, carve out a portion of your account so you can do that and protect the rest so it can enjoy the market ride
• The investors and fees that they pay, for and from their investments, are the  ones paying for the company advertisements, nice offices, perks, etc. etc.  Those 'free' golf tickets you are getting are absolutely not free. 
• Life gets more complicated as you get older–it just does.
• Quality vs Quantity goes for number of investments you have as well as friends and people in your life.  A single ETF can be diversified and can be spread out among 500 companies or more.
• Fees you pay compound and can grow to quite large amounts of wealth lost over time
• Yes, taxes are important but don't let the tax tail wag the dog
• Living within your means and avoiding lifestyle creep will get you to retirement sooner than you could have imagined.
• Learn about how dopamine works and it just may change your social media habits
• It is an investment, not a relationship, don't get emotionally attached to any of  your holdings
• Understanding your budget is key, no matter how much you make.  A budget done properly allows freedom, not restrictions
• Understand your risks and understand your insurance options before making a final decision.  Educate yourself
• If you cannot explain it to someone, do not invest in it
• Estate planning is critical if you care about your loved ones.  I know, nothing will happen to you..until it does and believe me, it will
• Long Term Care expenses, if not planned for, can destroy a lifetime of savings and wealth.  Discuss all options with you heirs.
• It does not always make sense to wait until 70 to take social security-look at your own situation
• If someone has such a great idea or strategy, why are they trying to sell you on it rather than just doing it themselves?  This even confused me when I was a young kid.