Sunday, 29 January 2017

Our Love Changes; So Do Our Investments



Growing up, our parents and siblings meant the world to us. They are our whole universe.

OK, for some, they never really knew their parents since both are busy working their butts off for their careers.

Just substitute grandparents, maids, or iPads (I'm reaching for my Kleenex) for parents if you must...



Then once we started school, we discover friends!

They now meant more to us than our parents. Especially during our teenage years of trying to establish our own identity...

As we move through different schools and into adulthood, we just swap one set of friends for another. Surprise, surprise! We now spend more time with colleagues (who are not our friends) than friends outside of work!?

We say parents are important, but what do we do in practice? We spend our Christmas and New Year eve partying with friends and colleagues...

Lucky there are no Corporate Chinese New Year eve dinners or else who will spend time with family on CNY eve? Aren't you glad "Lor Hei" dinner does not clash with anything else?



Being accepted by the Group or Herd is paramount. Or so you thought.

That's until you met her (and/or him. Hey! What goes on behind closed doors I don't care).

Now she is everything.

No one else matters. Even parents. But you don't say it out loud of course! 

You dare now to disappoint the world just because of her.

Friends "jio" you out you not free. Mom asks you back for CNY you say you are taking a vacation with her.

You even willing to tie the "knot" together. What is personal freedom?



Then a child comes along...

And your whole universe has a new alignment.

Now that child matters more.

And you are willing to do whatever it takes to make that child's future a brighter one.

Your career becomes back in view. You want to provide your child the best money can buy, even if it meant you won't have time seeing your child grow...

You tell yourself nothing else matters...




P.S.  This love story is just a metaphor. If you had 10 or more years worth of investment and/or trading journey, see if it rang a bell?

Works better if your journey now include more than one asset class other than equities.

Even if you are a one asset class investor as in equities only, I'll be very surprised if your "parents and siblings" still matter the most?

 
 
Posted by Singapore Man of Leisure at 15:12
My interests

19 comments:

  1. Createwealth888829 January 2017 at 17:39

    Better to do well in one asset class than trying to be expert in few asset classes.

    The best in whatever are usually specialists and specialists earn more. Right?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Singapore Man of Leisure29 January 2017 at 18:02

      CW,

      Yes, specialists like Pandas and Koala bears do earn more, until they ran out of bamboo or eucalyptus leaves ;)

      Humans thrive so well because we are omnivores? Some cultures even eat spiders, scorpions, and insects...

      Now that's diversity for you!


      Anyway, this post is not about being a specialist or generalist.

      Come to think of it, can be linked to your recent post on cash flow from CPF ;)

      When you started your investment journey, equities were important like "parents".

      Now? It seems you have been spending more airtime with other asset classes like "CPF"... Wink, wink.

      Your CPF interests power man!

      Even those who selected the ERS option would not be able to beat you with their CPF Life payouts ;)

      You may want to expand on this CPF cash flow heavy asset light route versus property upgrading or having a 2nd rental property where its asset heavy but cash flow light ;)

      Don't say I got idea never share!

      Delete
  2. PassivePeon30 January 2017 at 12:44

    Hello SMOL! 新年快乐🤗

    This post is good😨 Hits so many right spots.

    On the personal front, this post is apt as I'm reading it while in Bangkok with my wife instead of my mum.

    On the investment front.. heheh. I have swayed between the various investing strategies since I started.

    Things change. Part of growing I suppose?

    Cheers,
    PP

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Singapore Man of Leisure30 January 2017 at 14:11

      PassivePeon,

      If only I can hit all the right spots in bed... Every women is different ;)


      I find it interesting to reflect on my own journey and the various asset classes I've dabbled into.

      Each time so super sure its the last, but something newer, younger, and prettier always come forth soon after...


      Then I see senior Panda specialist eat local equities only and nothing else? But with falling testosterone levels, I see even the Panda switching to boring annuity/bonds like interest returns by focusing more on CPF?

      Makes sense. Who wants to be age 75 and live through 2008 again seeing our Portfolios get eviscerated by 50%?


      I've witness a high networth accredited investor giving up equities as the returns after all that DIY time and effort is just not worth it anymore... For him, his new love is properties as they have been more loving toward him.


      Needless to say, many born-again "investors" are failed traders. Sometimes comical; sometimes quite sad. I mean there must be some "love" in the beginning... But I guess not all divorces can be amicable...


      Then they are those just starting their journeys already "male-chicken" sure they have found the right strategy and investment vehicle that will last time forever and ever...

      I wanted to say something... But nah! The journey is more fun if they discover it on their own!



      I am not them; they are not I :)

      Delete
    2. PassivePeon31 January 2017 at 20:16

      Hahaha. The skill to hit all the right spots in bed is much more valued leh. Personal opinion😉

      Oh! U swayed among various asset class before? How could u shift the goal post so frequently😨

      So unlike me, I am flexible and adaptable, that's why i gravitate towards REIT sometimes, and ETF at times. Lol.

      I think those adaptable trader/investor must have been "betrayed" by their love at some point of time, hence the changes.

      But again, who am I to comment on them.

      My journey have yet to end either and I might still have a longgggg way to go if I'm not devastatingly "betrayed".

      This game of life is fun!👍🏻

      Delete
    3. Singapore Man of Leisure1 February 2017 at 10:11

      PassivePeon,

      There are no goal posts for me to move...

      You are mistaking me for someone else?

      I'm a leaf in the wind ;)


      For the past 3-4 years, I've spent more time trading with Forex. Equities not so much although I still trade the Simsci futures from time to time.


      For my case is not about "betrayal" per se. (Although I've made a mess trying to trade volatility; now I know that vehicle is not for me!)

      Its more about "evolution". I'm expanding my skill sets.

      Sometimes the best way to know for sure is to get our feet wet ;)


      Delete
    4. PassivePeon1 February 2017 at 10:24

      Hi SMOL,

      Oh!

      I'm learning to trade Forex too. I must say that I had plenty of misconceptions about it initially and it's through getting my feet damp (damp only, not thoroughly wet yet; a reflection of my level of competence) that I corrected some of my misconceptions.

      Ah yes, my bad. Grass hoppers do not shift goal post. They just happen to hop around the field😉

      Delete
    5. Singapore Man of Leisure1 February 2017 at 12:25

      PassivePeon,

      Have fun!

      One good spinoff from Forex is we move from a parochial to having global perspective ;)

      Delete
  3. Small Time Investor30 January 2017 at 17:19

    Hi Smol

    There's part of man that is made "adjustable " ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Singapore Man of Leisure30 January 2017 at 18:37

      Small Time Investor,

      Well, it better be!

      Our women's 下半身幸福 depend on it ;)


      I've picked up quite a few of Taiwan's Jacky Wu's naughty innuendos :(

      Delete
  4. Sillyinvestor30 January 2017 at 19:57

    Smol,

    小龙女only love 杨过，but yang guo kajiao various girls even though deep inside him she only has her. The end is both got together.

    Think the world want to be yang guo not小龙女。

    Dun know what I am talking about ? Nvm! I dun too muhahahahah

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Singapore Man of Leisure30 January 2017 at 21:20

      Sillyinvestor,

      Who wants to be 杨过? He so boring!

      韦小宝, now we are talking!

      Or at least 张无忌 mah ;)


      Delete
  5. Singapore Man of Leisure31 January 2017 at 10:03

    temperament,

    That's the catalyst for this post ;)

    I still remember the story you told us of that German billionaire who killed himself after he lost big time writing options to earn the "passive" income.

    Same goes for AIG making good money selling CDS as hedging insurance to bond investors. That's until 2008 Lehman struck...


    CW has been holding it in for some years now... Finally capitulated by showing his CPF statement in dollars and cents ;)

    See? Those whose returns more than $100K will use $; those whose returns less than $100K will use %...

    It also meant CW remembered his falling asleep in 2008 where his portfolio got a minus 50% whack.

    He has cashed out quite a lot of his CPIS holdings and now holding it in CPF cash earning interests from big daddy while he waits ;)

    You think why he so carefree travelling here and there?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Unknown31 January 2017 at 11:13

    Yahoo lol, if only I knew how to hold a little longer like CW, most probably I will be a Millionaire too.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Singapore Man of Leisure31 January 2017 at 12:10

    Golden Rabbit,

    I am sure you are just as "carefree" as CW ;)

    Making less is way better than losing money.


    That's the "dream" of most retail investors - invest $100K hope in 10-20 years later become 10 bagger :)

    Individual stocks and properties 10 baggers I believe as I've seen it being done.

    STI ETF I find it harder to visualise... STI at 30,000 points?


    Somehow I don't think you got to the top of the mountain with that "Look ma! No brains!" strategy ;)


    ReplyDelete
  8. Unintelligent Nerd31 January 2017 at 21:22

    Hi SMOL,

    Old is gold. Deep in my heart, I know I will wander the wilderness like Moses and return back to my first love (indexing).

    Don't ask me why. My intuition tells me that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Singapore Man of Leisure1 February 2017 at 09:52

      Unintelligent Nerd,

      And it shall be.

      If we desire market returns, we get market returns ;)

      Delete
  9. WTK27 August 2018 at 11:16

    Smol,

    I agree on this part. My affection for the gals type also changes as time passes on. I guess that the only constant is change.

    Ben

    ReplyDelete

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