- 4.5 billion years ago earth was formed. Over that time it evolved from a ball of gas and liquid to the awe-inspiring planet we share with an abundance and diverse range of plants and animals.
- We evolved as a species 300,000 years ago when we split from our common ancestors. Over that time we have evolved from a primitive hunter-gatherer to a population of over 7 billion. Humans have landed on the moon, built cities, climbed the highest mountains and explored the deepest oceans as well as discovered cures for diseases and created the internet.
- The Great Wall of China took over 2,000 years to build.
- It took Michelangelo 5 years to paint his masterpiece on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel
Great things take time.
And so it does with growing wealth and ensuring financial independence and security.
Warren Buffett’s billion-dollar fortune has come as a result of 80 years of investing. A greater influence than his investment wisdom.
You might only have a tiny percentage of Buffett’s fortune, but it will have taken a career to grow it. And that might be all you need.
The truth is building up enough well to retire on your terms and staying wealthy is a simple task. The investment industry makes it look complex.
People get wealthy through the simple repetition of regular investments over many decades. They do so with sustained patience and discipline in the face of a multitude of reasons to sell their holdings; wars, pandemics, a ‘better’ opportunity to get rich quick (I’m looking at you cryptocurrency acolytes).
If you are reading this thinking, “I’m retiring soon, I don’t have time.” Remember, retirement is likely to be a multiple decade phase. Patient and disciplined investing will help you maintain the wealth you have accrued to date and enable you to maintain your desired lifestyle and provide financial security for as long as you may live.
In a similar vein, read this article on the four levers to financial freedom.
