It’s human nature that people want to protect themselves from making what they perceive as difficult decisions, especially when it involves money. Our brains seem to be hardwired for procrastination, leading us to believe that things will be easier 6-12 months from now, or sometime in the future. But the future never comes. And the reality is, people who wait for the perfect time will eventually have to face the challenges and pressure of making a decision to act, even if it’s a few months or years down the track.
I observe so many investors or potential investors use a lot of external factors and elements as an excuse for themselves to believe why they shouldn’t be taking action now. “The market is too volatile”, “interest rates are going up/down”, “Christmas is coming” or “I haven’t found the perfect property yet”.
On the surface they all sound plausible but in reality, they are just another excuse people use for not doing anything that is conducive to their future financial well-being.
If it’s to be, it’s up to me. Your health and wellbeing of your financial future is your responsibility and yours alone. Don’t fall into the trap of playing the blame game or creating excuses for why you can’t (or won’t) invest now. Some people can spend years blaming others or giving themselves excuses for their inaction. Years they could have otherwise spent building up a portfolio.
If you’re finding it difficult to make the decision to invest, what if I framed the decision process like this:
Do you want to finish your working life with enough assets and security to enjoy decades of relatively healthy living you have in front of you doing all the things you’ve always wanted to do?

Or do you want to finish your working life with little to show for it, relying on others for your financial needs, worrying every day whether you have enough to live on, let alone enjoy your retirement years.
Suddenly the answer – and the motivation to invest – seems very simple.
Even if you’re not financially set up to invest right now, you can still start your investment journey by firstly deciding on what you want your life to look like, then developing your knowledge, starting a savings plan and surrounding yourself with the right people to help you get started.