Part 9: How do we invest well?

Ah yes, the million-dollar question.
You’ve addressed how your retirement will look. You’ve figured out whether you’re buying the house in Seville or leaving some money for your grandson. Now you’re going to want to know how to guarantee a reliable stream of income from your investments. Alright then, let’s dive in.
 
 

Horror-scopes

 
For centuries, mankind looked to the movements of the stars and interpreted their meanings. They applied those observations to their actions down here on earth. And they made some pretty terrible decisions.
 
The thing is, prediction and prognostication don’t sit at all well with mathematics and evidence. And it’s these which are the forces that govern smart investing. Yes, sometimes people can ‘beat the market’. But in the same way as a run of lucky picks in heads or tails, it doesn’t last. It can’t last.
 
And for that reason, trying to beat the market may as well be astrology. We’ve been in this business a long time and it continues to reinforce what we’ve always believed. Smart investment begins with a tailored plan that’s matched to your goals, your financial situation, the level of risk you’re comfortable with and the time horizon you’re working to. It ends many years later when, after investing for the long-term, you reap the rewards of persistence, discipline and keeping a cool head.

We’re not interested in trendy

 
Warren Buffett knows it too. As he put it, “Forecasts may tell you a great deal about the forecaster; they tell you nothing about the future.” The legendary Jack Bogle, founder of Vanguard and creator of the world’s first index mutual fund, put it even more succinctly: “The math will never let you down”.
 
Your Metis LifePlan won’t give you the ‘hot picks’. It won’t give you ‘top tips’ or any of the ‘secrets the professionals don’t want you to know’. What it will give you is structure and a clear way forward that’s based on the things you want to achieve.
 
It’ll give you a way to turn ideas into eventualities, a framework within which to cope and adapt with whatever the years ahead should bring. Most of all, it’ll give you a constant reminder that whatever you’re aiming for, whenever you need it, Metis Ireland will be right beside you. We’ll be keeping you on track and making sure you #StickWithThePlan.
 
Next week is our final instalment, asking “what next?”
 
We know you must be sad that the series is over, so if you want a copy of the entire guide for future bedtime reading you can sign up to download it in full here.

Talk to us

 
We’d love to help. Whether you’re just beginning to think about retirement, your plan is already under way, or it’s finally time to stop putting it off.

Call us for an introductory chat and we’ll see where you’re up to. If you like what you hear, we can meet and go through your vision for retirement as you see it.

It’s free and you don’t need to come with a plan. That’s what we’re here for.