Wise & Wealthy: Rethinking retirement and finishing what you start

Welcome to Wise & Wealthy: A weekly newsletter full of proven ideas to become smarter and wealthier. I send this every Monday and every other Thursday.

#24 – August 11, 2022

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Wise

It’s often more important that you see your plans through until the end than to have the perfect plan. During my first year of college, many of my classmates were doubting themselves.

My friends would constantly look at other degrees and think, “What if I should get a different degree?” I didn’t hesitate because I cared about finishing what I started more than having the perfect degree.

That’s because most things aren’t permanent. You could get a business degree and end up as an artist. Or get a restaurant job and become an investor in a few years.

Sure, sometimes we pick the wrong thing, and it’s a better choice to pursue something else that’s better. 

What matters is that we finish the majority of the things we start. That way we can truly count on ourselves. 

↳ Stoic Letter 61: On finishing what you start


Wealthy

Here’s what the structure of modern life looks like for most: Study, work, then retire. We assume that it’s always been like that.

But this mindset was developed during the late 19th century when the Prussian statesman Otto von Bismarck implemented the first national old-age social insurance plan in 1889.

The idea was that people should have something to work towards. It was a way to control the population with a carrot on a stick.

But since our lifespans are much longer now, and we live in a knowledge economy, people can provide value for as long as they can and want. Most of my father’s friends who are older than him still do the advisory type of work.

We no longer have to retire and become part of the passive section of the population. We can keep making a contribution. We can stay active!

↳ It’s Time to Rethink Retirement


One interesting thing

Thinking differently allows us to view things from a different perspective. Something we need now more than ever. There’s simply too much herd behavior.

I’ve always liked contrarian ideas and thinking. I’m not the type who likes to follow the herd.

One of the best books I’ve read on applying that thinking to investing is Contrarian Investment Strategy by David Dreman. He says this about going against the crowd:

“The success of contrarian strategies requires you at times to go against gut reaction, the prevailing beliefs in the marketplace, and the experts you respect.”

It’s not easy to do unpopular things, but often, it’s exactly what we need to get exceptional results.


Thanks for reading! I hope you found this edition of Wise & Wealthy useful.

All the best,

Darius

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