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Feel free to reach out to PSG Wealth Manager  Patrick Duggan  directly.

Magpies have a reputation for picking up shiny things and then dropping them when the allure dulls. Similarly, in the investment trade, one often sees investors looking to move or invest money into the next ‘big thing’ in pursuit of higher returns. This Newsletter encourages investors not to be the equivalent of an investing magpie.

Do not get bored with the basics

There is a dangerous moment in every investor's journey. It usually comes after they have achieved some success following proven fundamentals. Everything is working well, wealth is growing steadily, and then... boredom sets in.

The basics start to feel too simple. Surely someone who has accumulated significant wealth deserves a more complex approach. This is when good investors make their worst mistakes.

The truth is that the fundamentals have not stopped working. You have just stopped appreciating why they work.

Why we abandon what works

The fundamentals of wealth building are embarrassingly simple. So simple that our minds start to rebel against them. Surely something so straightforward cannot be the answer for someone of your success and sophistication.

This is where many investors go wrong. They mistake simplicity for inadequacy. They assume that if the approach is not complex, it must not be optimal. The basics start to feel beneath them.

The financial industry does not help. They have built entire narratives around convincing you that basic investing is not enough. They offer sophisticated alternatives, exclusive opportunities, and complex strategies that promise to outperform the "boring" fundamentals.

The pitch is always the same: wouldn't you prefer to be ahead of the curve rather than following the herd? Wouldn't you rather own the next big thing before everyone else catches on? Surely someone of your success deserves something more exclusive than low-cost diversified funds.

And that's how investors get led astray. They abandon proven basics for complex alternatives that promise better results but rarely deliver.

The basics that built your wealth

Let us remind ourselves what these fundamentals are:

Spend less than you earn. This creates the capital you need to invest. The best investment strategy will not be effective if you consistently spend more than you earn.

Invest systematically. Regular contributions, regardless of market conditions, harness the power of time and compounding. This is where the real wealth-building happens.

Own a diversified portfolio which includes exposures to global equities.

Stay invested through market cycles. The most critical skill is not picking winners; it is having the discipline to remain invested when everyone else is panicking.

Keep costs low. Every unnecessary fee is a permanent drag on your long-term returns.

Insure against catastrophic risks. Protect what you have built from the disasters that could derail your entire plan.

Maintain liquidity for emergencies and opportunities. Keep cash available for genuine opportunities and unexpected expenses.

These principles have created more lasting wealth than any complex strategy in history. Yet even knowing this, many successful investors still feel the pull toward something more exclusive.

Do not let familiarity breed contempt

The biggest threat to your financial future is the temptation to abandon the basics that got you here simply because they have become familiar.

Yes, the fundamentals might feel too simple. However, what makes them genuinely exciting is that they work. And when they work, they create something invaluable: financial freedom. That freedom opens possibilities that could be put at risk with a complex investment strategy.

The basics do not just build wealth; they build the foundation for the life you want to live. They free you to take the career risks that matter, support the causes you care about, and spend time on what brings you joy. All without constantly worrying about money.

This is why successful investors stick with what works even when it feels mundane. They know that simple fundamentals lead to exciting possibilities. Complexity might feel more sophisticated, but simplicity delivers long term results.

The basics work. Do not abandon that approach just because it feels familiar. We are here to help you stay focused on the principles that created your wealth in the first place.

“Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” Confucius