Introduction

Values---we look for them every day. Whether we’re buying food, clothing, cars, or other essentials, comparison-shopping plays a vital role in our daily purchases. Even if we don’t do it consciously, we are all bargain hunters at heart. Yet despite this basic training learned in the supermarkets and department stores, we often ignore our instincts when it comes to making investment decisions. We instead place out hard-earned money in low-yielding investments or lock ourselves into situations that in effect limit our ability to increase our net worth. This dilemma has a solution, and that’s what this book is all about. I’m going to share with you the best kept secret. It’s an investment vehicle that i'm sure you have all heard of. However, I’m equally certain that if you do own any it’s such a small amount that you’re terribly underweighted. Quite frankly, this tool is not supposed to be a secret at all; it just seems to have turned out that way. Before I tell you what this tool is, I want to welcome you and thank you for the opportunity to let me share my secret weapon with you. They say the best place to hide something is right in front of you, because that is the last place anyone will look. Well, that’s exactly what we have here. I will give you a hint---my secret is the largest marketplace in the world.

I would like to begin by saying that I am very pleased and flattered that you chose to read my book. You undoubtedly have certain expectations and goals that you hope this book will fulfill. Therefore, I want you to know that I am totally committed, dedicated, and obligated to fill all of your expectations. I am also confident that I will. I’ll even go one step farther and say that I think you will find upon completing the book that it was everything that you thought it would be and much more.

Next, it’s important to mention that I want to put myself in your place and try to answer the one question that would be the most obvious. Why is this book different from al the other ones that are out there? When people ask good questions, they deserve good answers.

The short answer is that this book will empower you to go out and take charge of your financial destiny. However, I want to go a little farther and give you several reasons why I believe this book will separate itself from the rest of the pack. Then I will build on those points as we go along.

I want you to know what this book does try to do and what it definitely does not try to do. I offer no apologies up front for the uncomplicated solutions to everyday financial problems. Some people think that if something is not complicated, it’s not sophisticated; therefore, it won’t work. An old saying sums it up best: Keep it simple, silly (KISS). My solutions will be easy to understand, and the time frame for results will provide a gradual, steady progression toward your goals. The results will be sophisticated; the approach will be simple to undertake. That’s why it’s so important for you to be involved in the process. Who knows your goals and when there’s a change in your life better than you do? We’re all at different stages in our lives and careers; therefore, the plans will vary, and the stages will always keep changing.

Be patient and keep reminding yourself that investing is a journey in which direction is much more important than speed. Also keep in mind that you are getting this information from someone who has been involved in the investment industry for more than 35 years. I have been actively involved in all the markets on a daily basis---giving advice, trading, selling, marketing, investing, and most important, listening.

Yes, that’s correct, I said listening. Listening is the key. I’ve been in the company of countless clients and professionals. I’ve traveled to scores of cities, large and small. Remarkably, the message I hear everywhere is the same, and it is plain and simple. I want to maximize my return and preserve my principal. I plan to show you how to do that and more. So, if I may borrow a comment from the distinguished laureate Albert Einstein, “Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler.”

One thing this book won’t do is teach you to predict the swings in the markets. No one can know how all markets will move all the time. Intelligent investment advisers realize that their value doesn’t lie in predicting market timing. Instead, they earn their keep by simply helping investors reach their financial goals.

Another thing I’m not going to do is try to compare the performance of one security to that of another security in an attempt to discredit one or the other. No panacea product exists. If it did, everybody would be buying it. Instead, diversification is critical. More specifically, it’s the main ingredient everyone needs. Diversification is absolutely essential in attaining the balance you need if you expect your investments to succeed.

Hwy is it that we accept the concept of a balanced diet when we sit down to eat but ignore a “balanced diet” when we sit down to invest? Diversification and balance are helpful in all aspects of life, but they are requirements for investing. In this book, I’ll show you the balance you need. I don’t want you to change your mind about how you invest; on the contrary, I want to encourage you to use your mind. This book will dispel old myths, particularly the ones that claim the markets are meant for institutions only. The markets belong to all investors, big and small. The problem arises when investors think the markets are casinos. Markets are for investing; casinos are for gambling. Finally, I will encourage you to save more and instill confidence in your ability to accomplish that goal. The more involved you get, the greater your confidence will grow. That confidence will feed on itself, and your participation will increase, as well.