Is your portfolio beautiful? When you get a statement that shows you have a cozy stash that will see you through your post-paycheck years, do you just like to look at it?
Over the years, DW and I have done a lot of home improvement projects. Some of them have turned out surprisingly well, and combine function with aesthetic appeal. When we complete a floor replacement, with every tile level and straight and square, I like to look at it and marvel at its symmetry. "Good job, Mrs. Mdlerth," I'll say. "Let's toast this accomplishment."
Similarly, I wonder how many of us view our retirement portfolio as a thing of beauty? Most of us put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into building it. Do we get the same satisfaction from looking at our IRAs and TSPs and stock accounts, recalling how much effort it took to make them into something?
Over the years, DW and I have done a lot of home improvement projects. Some of them have turned out surprisingly well, and combine function with aesthetic appeal. When we complete a floor replacement, with every tile level and straight and square, I like to look at it and marvel at its symmetry. "Good job, Mrs. Mdlerth," I'll say. "Let's toast this accomplishment."
Similarly, I wonder how many of us view our retirement portfolio as a thing of beauty? Most of us put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into building it. Do we get the same satisfaction from looking at our IRAs and TSPs and stock accounts, recalling how much effort it took to make them into something?