The Peace of Mind Investor:
Life Simplified. Money Clarified
By A. Andrew Raub

What does peace of mind mean to you? I’ve asked that question numerous times and have found that people define peace of mind in many ways: no worries, good health, freedom to pursue dreams, freedom to just relax, a sense of direction, enough money to live on at retirement, and so on. As you can imagine, peace of mind means different things to different people, but it almost always has a financial perspective to it. Your life and your finances go hand in hand. 

Most people go through life confused, far from having peace of mind. Most are regularly concerned about financing retirement or being prepared for unexpected illness or catastrophe. They are also bombarded by an overwhelming amount of information and choices to wade through. Many people run the risk of reaching their later years and not being able to say, “I accomplished what I intended. I lived well.” Why is this? Lack of planning? Bad health? Financial pressures? Unplanned life changes? Yes—these and more. Many factors contribute to the foggy uncertainty about your future and your finances. The problem is, most people believe that confusion is all there is.

Life Simplified

Let me ask you a question. What is really important to you? I don’t mean things like retiring with a million dollars or building your dream home. Those are great goals, but I want to look even deeper than that. What are you really passionate about? You see, before you can plan your finances and your future, you’ve got to define what your priorities are. Not doing so will lead to constant conflict and a great deal of stress.

Good investing and financial planning involve much more than just money. Life and priorities must come first—money second. I’ll give you an example. Let’s say that your priority is freedom, which to you means playing golf with your spouse most days, gardening and spending time with your grandchildren. However, what you are actually doing is managing your own investments and estate all the time—which keeps you from doing what is most important in your life.  You may have adequate control and oversight of your finances, but are you happy? Are you content? Fulfilled? No, probably not—because your life does not match your priorities.

 So, let me ask you again. What are your priorities? They could include independence, peace, security, marriage, family, creativity, health, friends, making a difference, adventure, or something else. Whatever your priorities, you must define them if you want to find real peace of mind.

Money Clarified

Real peace of mind also involves your finances—the “money second” part. After you have defined your priorities, you can create goals that will support and fulfill them. If your priority is making a difference, you might have a goal of giving money to your favorite charity. If you prioritize security, one of your goals might be retiring with adequate income for the rest of your life. After you’ve defined your priorities and goals, then you will need to look at how to achieve them. See where the finances are coming in? The truth is, life decisions are also financial decisions.

Peace of Mind Investing™ is born from this truth. Peace of Mind Investing™ is knowing where you want to go and putting together a plan to get there. It’s priorities first, money second. It’s life simplified and money clarified.

Becoming a Peace of Mind Investor takes away the confusion and stress of managing your finances. That’s why I’m excited to share what it means to be a Peace of Mind Investor. We’ll take a look at how your personality and life experience can influence your investing strategy, uncover some investment “myths” and address common issues facing many retirees. Together we’ll see how life can be simplified and money clarified through Peace of Mind Investing.

I look forward to the journey!