I’ll never forget the day a couple in their 80s sat across from me and said those words. They were worth just shy of $3 million. They had done everything “right,” saved diligently, invested wisely, lived below their means. But now, sitting in my office, they carried a regret heavier than any financial mistake.
It wasn’t that they ran out of money.
They ran out of time.


After more than a decade in financial planning, I’ve heard this story far too often. And the data backs it up according to research from BlackRock; retirees keep about 80% of their nest egg even 20 years into retirement.


Eighty percent. Two full decades of golden years, and most people barely touch what they’ve worked their whole lives to build.


That same couple had spent years dreaming of strolling through Italian villages together. But by the time they retired, their mobility made those cobblestone streets impossible to navigate. The account balance? Untouched. The dream? Gone forever.


Another client told me they were waiting “just a little longer” before taking their cross-country road trip just one more market upswing, one more year of savings. When they finally felt ready, a medical diagnosis changed everything. The retirement fund kept growing. The adventure never happened.


Here’s the truth I wish more people would talk about:

The real risk in retirement isn’t running out of money.
It’s running out of time to enjoy what your money can buy.

Your portfolio can’t purchase:
→ Missed sunsets with your spouse
→ Postponed family gatherings
→ Adventures you’ll never take
→ Time with loved ones

Most people save like they’ll live forever, then realize they won’t.
So maybe the question isn’t “Can I afford this?”
Maybe it’s “Can I afford to wait?”
Because balance in retirement isn’t about perfect math.
It’s about perfect timing.
​
Because at the end of the day, financial planning isn’t just about building wealth it’s about using it purposefully. It’s about creating a plan that gives you the freedom to live fully now, without jeopardizing your future later.

Canadians for the most part (and more specifically, my clients) are really good at saving
and accumulating wealth. I see it day in and day out; folks automate their savings like clock work each and every month for decades at a time and slowly the 8th wonder of the world works its magic. Of course, I'm talking about compounding interest.

Fast forward and what seemed like a daunting feat at age 25 is now almost here, you’re ready to retire as your nest egg has grown larger than you could have ever imagined. This is exactly where I see those heading into (and already in) retirement have the biggest problem. They don’t know how to spend their money!

I have come to the conclusion that retirees don’t have a savings problem in this country,
but they might have a spending problem. At first I thought spending was like a science, but the longer I work with clients the more I see it as an art. Art can’t be distilled into a one-size-fits all formula. Art is complicated, often contradictory, and covers things like individuality, greed, jealousy, status, and regret. But, I think you can use money to build a better life. I think buying nice stuff can bring you joy. I love ambition, hard work, and, most of all, independence. Still, after working with clients for 13 years I am constantly amazed at how bad most of us are at knowing what we want out of money, or how to use it as anything more than a benchmark of status and success.

Here are a few ideas that resonate with me:

1. There are two ways to use money. One is as a tool to live a better life. The other is as a yardstick of status to measure yourself against others. Many people aspire for the former but spend their life chasing the latter.

2. Money is a tool you can use. But if you’re not careful, it will use you. It will use you without mercy, and often without you even knowing it. For many people, money is a financial asset but a psychological liability. Blind lust for more can hijack your identity, control your personality, and wedge out parts of your life that bring greater happiness.

3. Spending money can buy happiness, but it’s often an indirect path. Money itself doesn’t buy happiness, but it can help you find independence and purpose which are both key ingredients for a happier life if you cultivate them. A big, nice house might make you happier, but mostly because it makes it easier to have friends and family
over, and the friends and family are actually what are making you happy. 

4. Enduring happiness is found in contentment, so those happiest with money tend to be those who have found a way to stop thinking about it. You can value it, appreciate it, even marvel at it. But if money never leaves your mind it’s likely you’ve found yourself with an obsession, where it controls you. The best use of money is as a tool to leverage who you are, but never to define who you are.

5. If you’re confused about what a better life would look like, “one with more money” is an easy assumption. But that can sometimes mask deeper problems. Money is so tangible that it’s an easy goal to strive for, and pursuing it can become the path of least resistance for those who haven’t discovered what truly feeds their soul. 

6. Everyone can spend money in a way that will make them happier. But there is no universal formula on how to do it. The nice stuff that makes me happy might seem crazy to you, and vice versa. Debates over what kind of lifestyle you should live are often just people with different personalities talking over each other. 

No one can predict the future and what will happen with one’s health, interest rates,
inflation or even the economy. But here is what I believe; using wealth to create incredible experiences with those you love pays the biggest dividends today and in the years to come.

What if you could be wrong half the time and still make a fortune?

Steamboat Willie put Walt Disney on the map as an animator. Business success was another story. Disney’s first studio went bankrupt. His films were monstrously expensive to produce, and financed at outrageous terms. By the mid 1930s Disney had produced more than 400 cartoons. Most of them were short, most of them were beloved by viewers, and most of them lost a fortune.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs changed everything. The $8 million it earned in the first 6 months of 1938 was an order of magnitude higher than anything the company earned previously. It transformed Disney Studios. All company debts were paid off. Key employees got retention bonuses. The company purchased a new state of the art studio in Burbank, where it remains today. By 1938 he had produced several hundred hours of
film. But in business terms, the 83 minutes of Snow White were all that mattered.

The idea that a few things account for most results is not just true for companies in your portfolios, its also an important part of your behaviour as an investor.

Most financial advice is about today. What should you do right now, and what stocks look like good buys today?

But most of the time today is not that important. Over the course of your lifetime as an investor the decisions you make today or tomorrow or next week will not matter nearly as much as what you do during the small number of days, likely 1% of the time or less,  when everyone else around you is going crazy.

Consider what would happen if you saved $1 every month from 1900 to 2019.

You could invest that $1 into the stock market every month, rain or shine. It doesn’t matter if economists are screaming about a looming recession or new bear market. You just keep investing. Lets call the investor who does this Sue.

But maybe investing during a recession is too scary. So perhaps you invest your $1 when the economy is not in a recession, sell everything when its in a recession and save your monthly dollar in cash and invest everything back into the market when the recession ends. We’ll call this investor Jim.

Or perhaps it takes a few months for a recession to scare you out, and then it takes a while to regain confidence before you get back into the market. You invest $1 into the market when there’s no recession, sell 6 months after a recession begins, and invest back in 6 months after a recession ends. We’ll call you Tom.

How much money would these 3 investors end up with?

Sue ends up with $435,551
Jim ends up with $257,386
Tom ends up with $234,476
Sue wins by a mile.

To give a more recent example: How you behaved as an investor during a few months in late 2008 and early 2009 will likely have more impact on your lifetime returns than everything you did from 2000-2008.

There will always be reasons to not invest – this will never go away during our lifetime. When you come to peace with this and realize that staying invested is the only way to build true wealth - you acknowledge that staying the course is what drives your investment success. 

A good definition of an investing genius is the man or woman who can do the average thing when all those around them are going crazy.

There will be another period where everyone around you is telling you to panic, sell everything, a recession is all but guaranteed, or so they say. I don’t know when this will happen, I will never claim so. But I do know what I will be doing during this time of panic.

I will be doing the exact same thing I advise my clients to do; keep calm and carry on. I will continue to invest every month, just as if the economy was reaching new highs. All the while picking up the incredible quality companies we already own, at a 10% or even 20% sale.

It’s what you do during these small moments in time, that truly shape your success.

Tails drives everything.

One lesson I’ve learned from my retired clients is that it’s human nature to feel anxious
about spending money especially when the paycheque stops and you’re drawing
down your own savings and investments. After decades of watching account balances go up, it’s deeply uncomfortable to watch them go the other way. It just doesn’t feel good.

What happens next is often a retirement of chronic underspending. Even worse, when you really think about it, are the decades of saving too much and forgoing some of life’s pleasures along the way during your working years, only to see that money sit there, untouched, in retirement. No one wants to die with millions in the bank and regrets in their heart.

Bill Perkins, author of Die With Zero, puts it plainly: the point of life isn’t to die with the
most money in your account. And no, it’s not about literally dying with zero dollars,
either. It’s about dying with zero regrets. 

Now you may be thinking Brandon, you’ve always preached that living below your
means and saving every month are key pillars to building a secure retirement – and it’s
still true.

Slowing Down and Turning OFF the Savings Tap
I’ve taken this lesson to heart, both through my clients’ experiences and in my own life.
In my 20’s I was saving 50-70% of everything I earned. I was laser focused on building
my nest egg early while my expenses were low and I knew I could live modestly before
starting my family. And it worked! I did a lot of the heavy lifting when it comes to
retirement savings so that I can now let the most powerful tools we have, which are compound interest and time, take over for the next 3 decades. Time in the market will always beat trying to time the market.

If I had stayed on that trajectory of a high savings rate, aggressive investing, frugal living
I would have reached retirement with more money. But at what cost? Trips not taken,  memories not made, and health potentially neglected all come to mind.

What Spending Looks Like for Us Now
I believe that in life we have different seasons. My wife and I are now in the season of raising our daughter and it is all hands on deck. I want to spend as much time as I can with her before she grows up and is way too cool for mom and dad. These years are precious and they go by quick. I can't believe Brielle is already 5 months old! 

Brittany is now on maternity leave, so our household income is reduced. Are we saving as aggressively as we once were pre-baby? Not a chance, and that is okay. We are still planning an incredible trip later this year and hitting our goals financially. We are giving ourselves permission to take the pedal off the gas to enjoy this season of life we're in, while we're in it and not just in hindsight. 

Can Slowing Down Increase Your Happiness?
Economists call it consumption smoothing; spending a consistent, reasonable amount
over your lifetime, adjusted as your needs and priorities shift. That could mean elevating your lifestyle now while you're healthy, active, and have your kids at home so you don’t reach the end with a bunch of unspent money and a list of missed opportunities. Is it a difficult mental shift? You bet! Many in their 50’s, 60’s and 70’s might struggle with it.

The Key Is... Balance
This is not about YOLO-ing today and neglecting your future self. And it’s not about
depriving yourself today for a chance to live it up in the future. It’s about balance.
For us, balance means we're still maxing out our TFSA’s annually.
Balance means we're still maxing out Brielle's RESP annually.
Balance means planning some amazing international trips while Brittany is still off on
maternity leave to make incredible family memories together.

I believe with balance and a solid plan, you can live for today while still saving responsibly for tomorrow. 

What This Means For You
If you’re in the savings phase, here’s my encouragement:

• By all means, save aggressively when you’re starting out with the knowledge that it’s okay to level up when your income allows. Give yourself permission to enjoy the fruits of your labour along the way.
• Practice spending. Seriously. If you never flex those muscles, they’ll atrophy. Retirement won’t feel like freedom, it will feel like fear.
• Map your spending to your values. If travel matters, make space for it. If it’s music, or food, or education for your kids – lean into those. Life is short. Make it sweet.
• Run the numbers. A sustainable retirement isn’t about maxing out every tax shelter and living like a monk. It’s about figuring out what you can spend and aligning your money with your goals and values.

And if you’re already retired, or close to it, and feel stuck in saver mode? Remember that you’re not alone. You’ve done the hard part. Now it’s time to get professional advice to evaluate your financial plan and give yourself the gift of peace of mind to spend. Not wastefully. Not recklessly. But intentionally with your values aligned to the strength of your portfolio and assets. Because after working that hard, you deserve to enjoy your wealth and live your dream retirement.

I believe everyone now: becoming a new dad changed everything. Suddenly, you're responsible for a tiny human who depends on you for literally everything — food, safety, love, and yes… eventually, tuition. Amid the chaos of night feeds and diaper changes, I realized that fatherhood and financial planning have more in common than I ever expected.

Here are five lessons from the crib as a brand new Dad that also apply to the work I do with clients building a sound financial plan:

1. Start with a Plan, Even if It’s Imperfect
As a first-time parent, you quickly learn that you can’t wing everything. You read books, ask questions, and set up a game plan even if you know it’ll need to change and you'll need to learn and adapt as you go. The same is true with financial planning. Whether it's retirement, a first home, or your child’s RESP, having a clear plan helps you stay focused, even when life, and financial markets, throw you curveballs. When markets fluctuate or goals change, you'll be ready with a strategy to pivot and adapt, if you have a plan as a roadmap.

2. Sleep Deprivation and Market Volatility Feel the Same
Some days are smooth sailing and everything goes according to plan. Some nights, you just survive. The baby’s crying for no obvious reason and you haven’t slept in days. Similarly, market downturns test your resolve and patience. But staying calm, resisting the urge to panic-react, and trusting the plan is how you get through. (Bonus: your financial planner doesn’t cry at 2 a.m.)

3. Changing Diapers Is Messy and So Is Ignoring Your Finances
After two months of changing diapers, I can be sure ignoring a dirty diaper doesn't make it go away. It only makes things worse. The same goes for your finances. It's easy to put off understanding your cash flow, prioritizing risk management, or finally sitting down to make a will, but the longer you wait, the more overwhelming it becomes. Facing the mess early and implementing a solid strategy to clean it up makes life more comfortable for everyone.

4. I Wouldn't Want Do It Alone
Parenting may take a village, or at least a supportive involved partner, but financial planning takes a team. Your advisor, accountant, and lawyer all play an important, independent role. But the best results come from working together, using everyone's strengths and integrating your efforts. Leaning on professionals (and grandparents!) helps you make smarter, more confident decisions, and lets you focus on what matters most: enjoying the journey.

5. Two and a Half Months In — and I Already Wish I’d Started Saving Sooner
Time takes on a whole new meaning when you're holding a newborn. A little over two months ago, she was a bump. Now she’s a tiny person with her own quirks, coos, and a surprisingly strong grip. Now suddenly, thoughts of her future, her education, and even retirement (hers and mine) start playing in my mind. I've been doing this job for more than a decade, and I've coached many parents who wished they had started an RESP saving strategy sooner, or topped up their TFSAs before life got busy. I can understand where they're coming from more than ever but I'm here to remind everyone,  even though the best time to plan was yesterday, the next best time is now.


Final Thoughts From A Very New Parent

These past couple months have been a whirlwind. It's beautiful, exhausting, and full of moments that already feel like memories. And through it all, I’m more convinced than ever that parenting and financial planning share the same core principle: do today what your future self and your future family will thank you for.

And remember, whether it's first steps or first stock purchases, the journey is better when you're prepared and when you have someone to walk it with you. I can help you make sure your financial plan is growing alongside your family and your life.

Every week I receive questions from clients, friends and family who are curious about the uncertainty we are seeing as of late.

I've been asked: What are we supposed to do over the next 4 years with the Administration’s continuous change in policies? I went heavy into cash before Trump took office. I trusted that he was going to keep his word, and break things. I just didn’t expect him to break the market. But now I’m stuck, fearful of this constant uncertainty that seems to never go away. It’s already been a long 3 months. I was planning to retire this year, but unlikely now. My Money Market is getting that decent 3% yield right now, and at least this helps me sleep at night.

I've also been asked: I’m a 50 year old in good financial position at the moment. That said, I’m not bullish on the economic future. I’m not interested in hoarding gold bars, but would like to put a portion of my portfolio in investments that would do well, or at least better, in a world where income inequality, protectionism, AI advance, and America’s social fabric continues to fray. What would you recommend?

There were numerous questions along the same lines. People are worried.
It’s crazy how quickly the narrative has shifted. Just a few short months ago there was talk of Trump being the biggest pro-business, pro-stock market president ever. Life comes at you fast. If Trump keeps up the current trade policies it’s going to be bad for the global economy, supply chains, profit margins, consumer prices and corporate earnings. There is no sugar coating it. These are not pro-business or pro-stock market policies. They are the opposite. But you can’t just go into the fetal position because this makes you nervous. You still have to invest in something.

These questions came from people at different life stages, so I’ll tackle them separately:

Let’s say the worst does come to pass and the next few years are bad for the economy and the markets. Take away the reason. The reason doesn’t matter. When you’re in retirement, you have to expect economic slowdowns, bear markets and corrections.

A couple retiring today in their mid-60s has a 50-60% probability of at least one of them living until age 92. There will be a presidential election in 2028. That’s less than four years away. Your retirement could last 20-30 years. 
One of the big risks for retirement investors is sequence of return risk. You don’t want bad returns early in retirement to derail your investment plan.

Therefore, you need to consider how many years’ worth of spending you have stashed away in safe, liquid assets to see you through the inevitable periods of disruption. That’s true regardless of who the president is. Unless you have a giant pile of cash, that money market fund isn’t going to help you keep up with inflation over the coming decades. You have to take some risk in retirement if you wish to beat the increase in standard of living. Retirement planning still comes down to your time horizon, financial circumstances, and
personal spending habits.

Uncertainty in retirement never goes away but you have to focus on what you control and make course corrections to your plan along the way. It’s also important to recognize that stock market returns have been fantastic even when you include the current correction. Over the past 5 years, the S&P 500 is still up 16% per year.

The wrong question: Should I sell all of my stocks?

The right question: Should I change my allocation?

If you’re 100% stocks and this makes you that nervous maybe you should be more like 80/20, 70/30 or 60/40. I’m never a fan of going all out with no plan on the other side of that decision. Asset allocation is more important than market timing. Investing in middle age is often overlooked since personal finance experts tend to focus on young investors (stay the course) or retired investors. At 40, you should have some financial assets but you also have plenty of time left to save and invest. It’s a balancing act.

I don’t know if you should be pessimistic about the future of our economy but bad times should be expected when you have a multi-decade time horizon. Listen, I could give you a portfolio to protect your assets with a bunch of different strategies. Maybe it works, maybe it doesn’t. The perfect portfolio is only known in hindsight. These are the times when diversification matters more than ever. It’s not only a risk management strategy but a way to ensure you invest in the eventual winners (which we won’t know until after the fact).

Your ability to stick with a strategy will be more important than the strategy itself. If you’re really that nervous about the economy, save more money. Do your best to improve your career prospects and increase your income. It’s also worth pointing out that predicting the future is hard. No one would have expected things to turn out so well after Covid hit. Just take a breath and see how this all plays out.

I’m not going to lie, I don’t have a lot of faith in our political leaders in either party these days. But I still have faith in the Canadian spirit of ingenuity and entrepreneurship. I still have faith corporations will do anything they can to innovate and grow. That hasn’t changed.

Not letting emotions drive our decisions but rather letting our plan take control is truly what matters during times like these.

With my 35th birthday just around the corner, I've been reflecting on the milestones and life experiences that shape our understanding of money. My career has given me a front-row seat to the intricacies of real-world money management, blending professional training with personal insights. I feel incredibly grateful for the opportunity to guide my clients through their financial milestones, learning alongside them every step of the way. I've gathered a decade’s worth of observations, each lesson serving as a stepping stone toward greater financial empowerment for both my clients and their families.

Here they are in no particular order:

1. Your income is the most important part of your financial picture. Many people waste time trying to cut things from their budget or get an additional 2% return on their investments, but putting all your energy into getting a raise will get you richer faster. Your career is your most important financial asset.

2. There has never been a crash that the stock market did not recover from and go on to reach all new heights. There is no reason to fear the market is going down. There is no reason to think it will “never go back” when it does. This has quite literally never, ever been true - and if it ever is, we’ll have far bigger concerns than our portfolios being down.

3. Almost all financial news is designed to get clicks for ad revenue, not to inform or empower retail investors. You should ignore virtually all of it. If you do check in on the financial news, you should consider it the equivalent of a man on street corner yelling about the end times. It’s not worth adjusting your day for, let alone your portfolio.

4. Money is only useful unless you spend it, otherwise it is simply numbers on a screen. Many people strive towards a certain account balance, but the only reward for having money is being able to say you have it. Unless you convert it into life experiences by spending it on travel, experiences, or material goods, you will quite literally reap absolutely no benefit from your “wealth.”

5. Your objectives should be wealth preservation first, and growth second. It’s tempting to take big risks for big wins, but these too often result in big losses. One wrong move in the stock market because you became greedy can erase years of savings in an instant. You should build your financial plan around stable consistent gains rather than chasing exceptional returns. You can afford to be an exceptional investor, but you can’t afford to be bad one.

6. Most people will tell you how to get wealthy the wrong way, because most people are not wealthy. Do not take financial advice from anyone who is not where you want to be. We can learn something from every person we meet – what to do, and what not to do.

7. Equities are simply the best assets to become wealthy. I may be a tad* biased here, but after seeing hundreds of Canadian’s finances over the years, owning equities (stocks) has created more wealth than any other asset class.

8. Do not procrastinate all your life experiences until retirement. Many people imagine retirement as a financial utopia where they finally get to enjoy the spoils of their labor. In reality, if you retire at age 65 you will have approximately 10 good years before your health begins to  decline, and then you have approximately 10-15 more years of that before you die. Make sure you take some life experiences now, even if they have to be at a slightly lower level of luxury. It is better to stay at a 3-star hotel for 7 days in your 40s than a 5-star hotel for 10 days in your 70s.

9. I will never be a landlord again. It wasn’t that I personally had a bad experience as a landlord, but the landscape has changed in Ontario significantly. For the amount of risk and capital needed, the returns just simply don’t make sense compared to owning a globally diversified portfolio with proven returns.

10. If you manage to achieve some level of financial security or wealth, be exceptionally generous with money. Most people are struggling and will appreciate when you pick up the tab for dinner, give them a thoughtful gift, or get them out of a financial bind with no strings attached.

11. No one cares more about your possession than you. Your car, your watch, your home, expensive bottles of wine. No one will care more about these than you. If you were to live on a remote island, where no one would see your car or house, what would you drive? What house would you live in?

12. Do not invest your Emergency Fund. Do not worry about your Emergency Fund “just sitting there, earning no return.” The purpose of an Emergency Fund is not to earn a return. It’s to protect you in the event of an emergency. If it’s doing that, it’s working.

13. The middle class has been lulled into complacency by cheap credit. The reality of what we can afford is what you can buy when you don’t use lines of credit, credit cards, car loans, or HELOCs. You’ll realize right away you’re much worse off than you think. If you cannot afford the live you want without debt, you need to earn more money or adjust your expectations.

14. Don’t choose a partner who is bad with money. It doesn’t matter how much you love someone, if they are not on board with your financial goals, then you are fundamentally incompatible as a couple. Joining your money with a partner’s will supercharge your wealth accumulation if you can work as a team, it will decimate your financial security if you can’t. Second only to choosing your career, who you marry is the most important financial decision you will ever make.

15. Stop complaining about inflation, house prices, wage inequality, or any other economic grievances. It is good to acknowledge and understand these exist so you can work around them, it is ridiculous to make them the singular excuse as to why you can’t get where you want to go. No one gets to opt out of the world we live in. Complaining about it doesn’t make it better.

16. Investing in friendships is a form of true wealth. Becoming wealthy without friends to enjoy it with seems awfully hollow. A call, text message or lunch to catch up is an investment in a relationship and its so easy (and easy not to) do. Text someone today you haven’t reached out to in a few months.  

17. If you’ve made a financial mistake, accept it, fix it as quickly as you can, and then move on. There is no use ruminating over “if I had never done X then I would have Y.” Staying upset at something in the past that you cannot change will take emotional and mental energy away from planning a richer future.

18. If a stock you own has tumbled more than 40% and you’re “waiting for it go back up”, sell it. Your brain has mistakenly anchored your purchase price, or the highest price the stock reached, as its rightful one. But the stock market doesn’t work that way. Just because a stock was once a certain price doesn’t mean it will go “back” there, especially if its current trajectory is down. There is a huge opportunity cost to holding an underperforming investment, and doing so is making an investment mistake on top of another one.

19. The best way to spend your money is on experiences, but not all experiences are travel. You can be more creative in your spending than using it to simply physically be in a different place.

20. Money is correlated with higher life satisfaction, but only if you spend it on the right things. Statistically the data indicates the things that make us happiest are strong social ties, meaningful work, and hobbies. You can work on these three things regardless of what your financial situation currently is, and you should prioritize them and make them central to your life as you pursue your financial goals.

21. The less you can control something, the less mental energy it should take up in your financial planning. You have no influence over the Trump presidency, there is no reason to agonize over how you should adjust your spending or investment allocation to prepare for it. The things you can control are your income, savings rate, and spending. This should occupy 90% of your focus.

22. Don’t mistake correlation for causation in finance. Many people mistakenly believe that owning a home makes you wealthy, because homeowners are disproportionately wealthier than renters. But the reality is rich people behave a certain way because they’re rich, not because that that is what made them rich in the first place. The answer is as boring as rich people tend to buy houses because they are the ones that can afford them.

23. Your net worth is the most important financial metric to assess how you’re doing financially, and it’s a lagging indicator of how well you’re managing your money. Good financial decisions will take months and years to show up in your net worth calculations, but as long as you’re taking care of your money you will see progress over time.

24. Try to buy things that last. This is becoming more difficult in our age of fast fashion and planned obsolesce, but the frequency at which we are purchasing items is much more detrimental to our financial security than their price. You can do more with less if you buy things that last.

25. Ethical investing is largely made up. We live in a corrupt system built on the exploitation of people and the planet for profit. There is no way to participate in the stock market ethically. Unfortunately, there is no way to build wealth and financial security without participating in the stock market. Yes, this is by design.

26. Debt is not a moral failing, it is an expense. If you feel guilty or ashamed of the purchases you made that resulted in debt, remind yourself that you made the best decision you could with the information you had at the time. Paying off debt is an act of healing and self-care. You should take it as seriously as any other process of growth and development.

27. Celebrate small wins and accomplishments along your financial journey. After a big accomplishment, stop and recalibrate. You will not derail your entire financial future by taking a one month break every few years. In fact, doing so might reinvigorate you to tackle the next goal.

28. No one cares about your money as much as you do. Most people will not care how much you have, and it will not change your relationship. Many people worry that an unexpected inheritance will alter the dynamics of a friendship, especially if they result in a jump in socioeconomic class. But the truth is most people will not think about how much money you have, let alone care. You shouldn’t either.

29. Sometimes "good" money behaviours are really just unhealed money trauma. This can look like obsessive budgeting, the reluctance to spend money, or worrying incessantly about having enough in retirement. Anything that makes you anxious about money is probably an emotional issue and not a financial one. Financial issues are really easy to solve, the emotional healing will take longer.

30. Most wealth is made at the end. Warren Buffet accumulated 99% of his net worth after the age of 60. Your story probably won’t be so dramatic, but approximately 40% of your portfolio will be accumulated in your last 5 to 10 years before retirement. Remember this if it feels like things are moving slowly.

31. Money will solve a lot of problems in your life but not all of them. Even when you achieve financial security you will still need to do your laundry and heal your childhood trauma and make dentist appointments. Do not spend too much time fantasizing about the life you’ll live once your finances are handled. When you will inevitably get there, you will be disappointed to see the day-to-day is actually not that much different from the life leading up to it.

32. There will inevitably be leakage in your budget and your financial journey. You will occasionally overspend on internet service or winter tires. Something you thought would be a great use of money will turn out not to be. You will sometimes not be able to return that thing you bought that you thought would be useless. It’s not worth it to get upset or hold resentment over the times we let money go that we know we shouldn’t have. Life costs money. Not all of that money will be as useful as we want it to. There’s nothing to do but accept this and move on.

33. Try to Die With Zero. Do your best. Life is not a game of trying to get the highest number in our bank accounts, though we all treat it as such, but dying with a high net worth benefits no one except the tax man. The money in your bank account at your death represents missed dinners out with friends, vacations never taken, hobbies never pursued, and experiences never enjoyed.

34. Health matters, a lot.

35. The real richness is life is having a future to look forward to. Most people obsess about money because the alternative to that is accepting our own mortality, and it’s easier to worry about dollars than death. But if you got to wake up today and enjoy a cup of coffee, if you have plans for the weekend and Christmas and are thinking of taking a trip next year, you’re already very wealthy. There are people with money who don’t have that.

I once saw a Reddit post that said, “Imagine someone offered you $10 million dollars. But the catch was once you accept, you won’t wake up tomorrow. Would you take it? Of course not. Is there any sum you would accept if it meant you couldn’t wake up the next day? Probably not. In fact, the more money you’re offered, the more useless it becomes if you simply die the next day. This means every day of your life is more valuable than any amount of money on earth.”

As of today I’ve had 12,775 days on this planet. I probably have another ~18,000 to look forward to. That’s the richest I’ve ever been.

As we step into a new year, it’s worth reflecting on a fundamental truth about investing: the economy, markets, politics, and global events are inherently unpredictable. The only certainty is that surprises will continue to come our way.

Let's review some of the surprising (and not so surprising) events that 2024 brought our way:

• The stock of the leading U.S. chip manufacturer (Nvidia) tripled.

• The U.S. Fed reduced its essential interest rate a quarter of a point one day in December, just like everyone expected they would. And the S&P 500 went down pretty close to three percent that day.

• The VIX—which journalism describes as the fear index, but which I prefer to think of as the stock market’s blood pressure—went up 172% in one day, in part because of the unwinding of something nobody had ever heard of before called the yen carry trade. (If that actually were someone’s blood pressure, he’d have had a stroke.)

• The stock of a company that buys and holds a particular cryptocurrency—that’s all it does—went up about 480%. There was more, but you get the point. The year 2024 was replete with utterly astonishing surprises—both positive and negative—that seemed to come out of nowhere. Like every other year.

By the way, does anyone remember that interesting year 2022, when inflation spiked to nine percent? And set off the fastest, steepest sequence of Fed rate hikes that produced the worst year for the traditional 60/40 portfolio since 1937? (That’s not a misprint.)

Or how about 2020, when a deadly hundred-year plague shut down the world economy, and caused the S&P 500 to decline 34% in 33 calendar days? It's helpful to note that all of these events cover a mere four years.

Now layer in just a few of the massive political/geopolitical shocks of this same period:

• The war in Ukraine.

•Hamas’s invasion of Israel, and the latter’s response throughout the region.
• The sudden and total collapse of the 50-year regime in Syria.

• A sitting U.S. president driven from his reelection campaign on grounds of incapacity, about 100 days before the election.

• The resounding reelection to the presidency of a person awaiting sentencing in a felony case.

It's enough to make you need a time out just to absorb it!

I can go on and on like this. But the twofold conclusion should be obvious.

1.  The economy, the markets, politics and geopolitics are for all practical purposes perfectly unpredictable. The only constant is complete surprise. 

2. If we let utterly random current events of any kind alter our investment policy, we never really had an investment policy, and are thus doomed to fail as investors.

If this blog accomplishes nothing else, I hope it convinces you to start the year by sitting down with me and saying in effect, “I get it now. I can never be a successful investor by trying to anticipate the news, and even less by reacting to the news. Let’s continue our plan. The one I can stick with through good news, bad news, and totally random news.”

Allow me to suggest that all of investing can be encapsulated in that simple duality: are we going to run our investment portfolios based on a plan, or in response to an endless stream of news that comes relentlessly at us from deep left field?

This is the year to make that decision.

Heck, today’s the day to make that decision.

As look ahead to 2025, many of us are eager to embrace change and growth. But why do we have to wait until the clock strikes midnight on January 1st to start?

Living your best life doesn’t have to mean a radical transformation or a grand resolution; sometimes, it’s about making simple, thoughtful choices every day that add up to a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life.

Here are some approachable, practical ways to make 2025 a year of positive, sustainable change and there's no reason we can't start now!

1. Prioritize Mindfulness and GratitudePracticing mindfulness doesn’t have to mean hours of meditation. Start with a few minutes each morning to set your intentions, breathe deeply, and take in the present moment. Reflecting on what you’re grateful for, even just one thing a day, helps shift your mindset towards positivity.

2. Simplify Your SurroundingsCluttered space, cluttered mind: a cleaner, simpler environment promotes a more relaxed and focused state of mind. Declutter your home and workspace, focusing on quality over quantity. You don’t need to overhaul everything at once; start with one room or even a drawer at a time.

3. Move Your Body Every DayIf you know me, you know exercise is foundational to my wellness. But exercise doesn’t need to be an intense, hour-long session at the gym. A short daily walk, a quick yoga routine, or a dance break can all contribute to your physical and mental health.

4. Focus on Financial WellnessLiving your best life includes feeling secure about your finances. Financial wellness doesn’t require a complete overhaul or strict budgeting. Start by assessing your financial situation and setting small, achievable goals—whether it’s building an emergency fund, paying down debt, or saving for a future goal. Consider consulting a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional who can help you establish a clear plan. Financial wellness is about building a sense of stability and peace of mind for the future.

6. Set Realistic Goals and Celebrate Small WinsSetting realistic, achievable goals and breaking them into small steps helps create a sense of progress without overwhelming you. That's what planning is all about, whether it's financial or otherwise. Make it a habit to celebrate small wins along the way. These victories build momentum and keep you motivated.

7. Embrace Lifelong LearningA commitment to learning—whether it’s picking up a new skill, hobby, or reading a book on a topic you’re interested in—keeps your mind engaged and curious. Continued learning enriches your life and keeps you adaptable in a rapidly changing world. Try to learn something new each month or set aside time each week to explore something you’re passionate about.

8. Get Enough Rest and RecoverySleep is foundational to physical and mental health, yet it’s often one of the first things we sacrifice. Try setting a regular sleep schedule and aim for 7-8 hours each night. Quality sleep enhances focus, reduces stress, and improves your mood. Beyond sleep, make time for relaxation throughout the day—whether that’s taking short breaks, practicing deep breathing, or stepping outside for fresh air.
​Wrapping Up: Start Small and Be PatientLiving your best life in 2025 doesn’t require drastic measures. Small, intentional changes are often the most sustainable and meaningful. Most importantly, focus on the journey and celebrate your progress along the way. Here’s to a year filled with mindfulness, simplicity, connection, and well-being - and not waiting for an arbitrary (or not-so-arbitrary) date to get started.