Making Friends with Your Financial Fears By Mark Ford, wealth coach, The Palm Beach Letter
I was sitting on that porch one afternoon, sipping whiskey, when it suddenly occurred to me that I would never have a nicer house or a nicer life than I had right then. I knew – or I sensed – that one day, I'd be wealthy and live in a mansion and all that, but I knew that it would never be better than the plaster-coated mud house.
So I said to myself, very consciously, "Mark, life will never be better than this." I said that because I knew that when I started making big money, I would become afraid of losing it, and I somehow knew that the fear of losing what I didn't need could hurt me. I didn't want that kind of hurt.
My intuition was right. I came back to America and became a writer for a newsletter on Africa. Six years later, I was a multimillionaire. I bought a $170,000 house and then a $550,000 house and then a $5.5 million house. But I never forgot the truth I had discovered then. I have loved all of the houses I've owned since then, but none better than that first house, which I could have bought for $1,000.
That thought helped me a great deal over the years, and it still helps me today. Whenever the fear of losing wealth invaded my consciousness, I was able to remind myself of how little I really needed to be happy.
So now, when I get that fear – and I have it from time to time – I simply remember how beautiful my life was when I was making $50 a week and living in a $1,000 mud house.
Warren Buffett seems to understand this, too. In fact, he's famous for still living in a house he bought 50 years ago for $31,500. He enjoys his wealth, but he doesn't fret over it. He makes better financial decisions because he doesn't let the fear of loss control him.
You may be thinking, "That's fine for you to say. You are rich. You can afford to lose money."
But that's exactly my point. Because I am not afraid to be poor, I don't make foolish mistakes born out of fear. I don't let good investments – investments that are sound and well-priced – pass me by. I don't put all of my eggs in one basket. But I do take action.
That's what I forgot to tell my reader: The most important secret of wealth preservation is to make peace with your fear of becoming poor.
You can't control the economy. You can't control the forces that affect your business. But you can control your emotions. By making friends with fear, you will enjoy the wealth you have and make smart, wealth-building decisions.
You don't want to be forever on the sidelines, watching other people make money. And you don't want to put all your money in gold, hoping for Armageddon.
To make friends with fear, you have to imagine yourself living a simple life, one that can be supported by a modest income, enjoying your work and the time you spend with your family and friends. Imagine that until you feel comfortable with it. What will happen is that your anxiety will disappear and, counter-intuitively, you will make better financial decisions.
If you are scared to start a business, imagine yourself failing. Then imagine feeling OK with it. Imagine yourself smiling to your spouse and saying, "Well, that didn't work out."
If you are scared to invest in safe stocks, like we recommend in the Palm Beach Letter, imagine your portfolio dropping 25%. (It won't, but you must imagine it.) Imagine yourself thinking, "OK, I've been stopped out. Now I will pick myself up and start over again."
If you are afraid of investing in real estate, imagine the worst thing that could happen. You sell the property and take a 10% to 15% loss. (This is highly, highly unlikely.) Imagine yourself being OK with that.
Use moving stop losses to protect your performance portfolio. Diversify your investments to include debt instruments, precious metals, and real estate. And take full advantage of legal structures and tax-minimization strategies.
But don't live in fear. Life can very sweet – and rich in pleasure – even if you do lose money, which will probably not happen if you aren't afraid.
Mark Ford
I was sitting on that porch one afternoon, sipping whiskey, when it suddenly occurred to me that I would never have a nicer house or a nicer life than I had right then. I knew – or I sensed – that one day, I'd be wealthy and live in a mansion and all that, but I knew that it would never be better than the plaster-coated mud house.
So I said to myself, very consciously, "Mark, life will never be better than this." I said that because I knew that when I started making big money, I would become afraid of losing it, and I somehow knew that the fear of losing what I didn't need could hurt me. I didn't want that kind of hurt.
My intuition was right. I came back to America and became a writer for a newsletter on Africa. Six years later, I was a multimillionaire. I bought a $170,000 house and then a $550,000 house and then a $5.5 million house. But I never forgot the truth I had discovered then. I have loved all of the houses I've owned since then, but none better than that first house, which I could have bought for $1,000.
That thought helped me a great deal over the years, and it still helps me today. Whenever the fear of losing wealth invaded my consciousness, I was able to remind myself of how little I really needed to be happy.
So now, when I get that fear – and I have it from time to time – I simply remember how beautiful my life was when I was making $50 a week and living in a $1,000 mud house.
Warren Buffett seems to understand this, too. In fact, he's famous for still living in a house he bought 50 years ago for $31,500. He enjoys his wealth, but he doesn't fret over it. He makes better financial decisions because he doesn't let the fear of loss control him.
You may be thinking, "That's fine for you to say. You are rich. You can afford to lose money."
But that's exactly my point. Because I am not afraid to be poor, I don't make foolish mistakes born out of fear. I don't let good investments – investments that are sound and well-priced – pass me by. I don't put all of my eggs in one basket. But I do take action.
That's what I forgot to tell my reader: The most important secret of wealth preservation is to make peace with your fear of becoming poor.
You can't control the economy. You can't control the forces that affect your business. But you can control your emotions. By making friends with fear, you will enjoy the wealth you have and make smart, wealth-building decisions.
You don't want to be forever on the sidelines, watching other people make money. And you don't want to put all your money in gold, hoping for Armageddon.
To make friends with fear, you have to imagine yourself living a simple life, one that can be supported by a modest income, enjoying your work and the time you spend with your family and friends. Imagine that until you feel comfortable with it. What will happen is that your anxiety will disappear and, counter-intuitively, you will make better financial decisions.
If you are scared to start a business, imagine yourself failing. Then imagine feeling OK with it. Imagine yourself smiling to your spouse and saying, "Well, that didn't work out."
If you are scared to invest in safe stocks, like we recommend in the Palm Beach Letter, imagine your portfolio dropping 25%. (It won't, but you must imagine it.) Imagine yourself thinking, "OK, I've been stopped out. Now I will pick myself up and start over again."
If you are afraid of investing in real estate, imagine the worst thing that could happen. You sell the property and take a 10% to 15% loss. (This is highly, highly unlikely.) Imagine yourself being OK with that.
Use moving stop losses to protect your performance portfolio. Diversify your investments to include debt instruments, precious metals, and real estate. And take full advantage of legal structures and tax-minimization strategies.
But don't live in fear. Life can very sweet – and rich in pleasure – even if you do lose money, which will probably not happen if you aren't afraid.
Mark Ford
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