From listening to the media and online commentators, we have identified two key observations that can impact your efforts to build assets and wealth over time.

The first is the way many individual investors place one-way bets on their market investments. As long as the investment is making money, all is good. But the minute the investment sinks for a couple of days or goes negative (relative to their starting capital), they quickly sell.

As famed investor, Warren Buffet says, in the short term the investment...

It’s challenging to be patient in a fast-paced, immediate gratification world, but some things are worth the wait. Consider, for example, how a powerful financial reality (compound interest) can help investors accumulate a lot of assets over time to reward their patience and perseverance. Here’s how it works:

You invest $1000 at a 5% annual interest rate. You’ll have earned $50 in interest by the end of year one, making your original investment worth $1050. By simply leaving it alone and reinvesting, you’ll earn 10% on your initial $1000 investment, plus 5% on the $50 in interest earned in year one. By the end of year five, your investment will be worth...

For many nearing retirement, lifestyle choices become more significant in determining their comfort level for the rest of their lives. They must decide whether it is better to make some of those choices now or have their circumstances force lifestyle changes later in retirement. That’s the dilemma faced by many people who have come to enjoy their way of life, but now realize that sacrifices will have to be made in order to maintain a similar quality of life in retirement.

Even for those pre-retirees who were diligent in their efforts to accumulate retirement assets, there is a realization that adjustments will have to be made. Through a combination of recent economic...