Money — A Long Game

Photo by Visual Stories || Micheile on Unsplash

Dear Readers,

Thank you for coming here!

It is easy to forget it is a long game for most people.

Income -> savings -> investment -> financial freedom

It is a journey and it is a long game.

We need to increase our income. No one can save if they can only get their ends met.

We need to increase our savings % against income. Here we can have some control. Once we meet our basic needs, we can decide to spend less and save more.

We need to put our savings into investment. Here is where uncertainties kick in and they could be overwhelming. I know people who made big bucks in investment and I know people who only expect to beat inflation by investing (They have fat pay-checks enough to get them where they want to be, without the need for investment returns). I of course know people who has lost big in investment, a.k.a ME!

But financial freedom can be quite certain with time if we just keep at it and stay vigilant.

Photo by Daniel K Cheung on Unsplash

However, it is easy to forget it is a long game.

That is why we feel confused and frustrated, we give up and change course, ad we suffer loss and delay the achievement of our financial freedom.

To me, reading is a good reminder.

There are tons of books on this and some are really basic and anyone can understand and follow.

Quickly glancing through them wont take much time, but serves as a great reminder.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

And a long game requires a different approach to do well from a short game.

It requires much more consistency, persistence and patience. 

Sometimes, doing nothing is the best strategy.

Good thing is that anyone can do it if they really believe in it and want it.

That is good news for commoners like us!

So no excuse if we cannot do it for ourselves. 

Till next time!

Bleeding out!

 

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Dear readers,

Thank you for coming here!

I am bleeding out both physically and mentally.

My son kept jumping on the bed before going to sleep last night for fun until his knee landed on my mouth.

I could still see the red mark inside my mouth in the morning…

So no more Hotpot, Chilli Crab, Black Pepper Chicken… … for a while.

Photo by Darya Tryfanava on Unsplash

Compared to physical bleeding, mental bleeding is even harder to take.

And the bleeding has began since the mid of last week. I think I am close to the state of “Bled Out”.

As for the reason? 

My stock portfolio of course.

It dropped from one new low to another, all while the market is doing good.

Now it is so bloody red that I do not know what to think or do.

Staring at it does not do any good and just makes me feel like shit.

My courage to add positions after the drop is seriously affected now also.

Now I tend to trick my mind into forgetting about it.

I do not quite know what to do any way.

But I believe it will come back sooner or later.

So patience is a virtue.

Taken by author

Refer to the above two pictures.

The one on the left was taken this morning when I walked to my study room.

The one on the right was just a moment later. I just walked into the living room and had a cup of water and when I returned, I saw the full son, shining.

It has been “climbing” the whole night, just to “jump out” at that moment.

While the moment is glorious, the “hard work” and “tortuous wait” is necessary for it to eventually come and shine.

Happy investing!

Till next time!