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The foundation for any investing objective is the adoption of investing principles that define the spirit of who you are, how you think, and what you believe.

Paraphrasing the wisdom of others and applying it to your investment business is an excellent starting point.

You must have a GOAL: The result or achievement toward which effort is directed; aim; end. Webster’s Dictionary

Principle: "The definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result."

If you are not satisfied with your saving and investing accomplishments to date, you must change. No change, no surprise, same results.

Principle: "You get what you settle for."

Settle for no understanding, no insight, no discipline, then you will have ignorance, clutter, and folly.

To accomplish your goal you must have CONTROL: To exercise restraint or direction over. Dominate, regulate, and command. To test or verify. A person who acts as a check to prevent the flourishing or spread of something undesirable. Webster’s Dictionary

Principle: "E+R=O." outside Events (no control)+ your Response (complete control) = the Outcome. Change response to change outcomes.

The best way to change investment outcomes is to manage what can be controlled, you, your investment plan, and your advisor.

To have control you must have DISCIPLINE: Training to act in accordance with rules. Activity, exercise, or a regimen that develops or improves a skill. To bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control. Webster’s Dictionary

Principle: "Profit is planned. It is not just what happens to be left over at the end of the month."

Establish investment goals at the beginning of the year and have an investment performance review at the end of the year and adjust accordingly.

Principle: "The investor must have a clear understanding of the associations of savings and investing decisions to pleasure and pain."

Make the correct goal/investing associations. Avoid the pain of using short-term investing solutions to solve long-term investment goals.

To have discipline you must have a PLAN: A scheme or method of activity developed in advance. A battle plan. A design, a drawing, an outline. Critical path; the best way. Webster’s Dictionary

Principle: "if it is measured it will get done."

The plan, the blueprint monitored and measured, with checkpoints along the way, to accomplish the financial objective.