The Mindful Investor: How a Calm Mind Can Bring You Inner Peace and Financial Security

Book description

Mindfulness: How to Have a Better Relationship With Your Money

Money. The word itself has a power of its own. It can induce feelings and start a train of thought instantly. Unfortunately, often these feelings and thoughts are negative and stressful. We believe that achieving a healthy relationship with money is necessary because it's attached, in some way, to almost every aspect of our lives. In reality, most people have enough money, even after the recent market collapse. What they don't have is the level of calm, clarity, and focus required to live peacefully with money. Mindfulness can help achieve it.

The Mindful Investor is an indispensable guide for individual investors, business people, and professionals who are looking for a better way to manage their money.

-From the Preface

 

Praise for The Mindful Investor

"As The Mindful Investor suggests, what's often needed most is not more money, but more perspective about money. Starting where Maria and Graham have suggested-at the end-is a great way to look back from a place when money truly won't matter anymore, and I can't think of a better first step to take when planning for today."

Scott Kriens, Chairman, Juniper Networks

 

"Having seen many thousands of business books over the course of my professional life, I was delighted to discover that The Mindful Investor offers a refreshing new approach to personal finance. Having benefited personally from Maria's teaching of Mindfulness meditation techniques, I can say that this is a book whose time has come and a must-read for anyone looking for an alternative to the madness of the markets."

Jane Cooney, President, Books for Business

 

"What a breath of fresh air. The world would be a better place if everyone used the tools and processes outlined in this easy-to-read, inspiring, and practical book."

Rob Quartly, Juno Award Winning Filmmaker and Entrepreneur

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. Acknowledgments
  3. Preface
  4. The Authors
    1. 0.1. Maria Gonzalez, BCom, MBA
    2. 0.2. Graham Byron, CFP
  5. 1. How We Got Here and How We'll Get Out
    1. 1.1. THE HOUSE OF CARDS FALLS
    2. 1.2. A BETTER WAY
  6. 2. An Introduction to Mindfulness Meditation
    1. 2.1. TRAIN YOUR BRAIN
    2. 2.2. KEY TERMS
      1. 2.2.1. Equanimity
      2. 2.2.2. Concentration
      3. 2.2.3. Clarity
      4. 2.2.4. Purification
    3. 2.3. THE PRICE OF STRESS
    4. 2.4. BENEFITS OF MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
    5. 2.5. IN SUMMARY
      1. 2.5.1. The Research
  7. 3. Mindfulness Techniques
    1. 3.1. RELAXATION TECHNIQUES
      1. 3.1.1. The Breath
      2. 3.1.2. Body Relaxation
      3. 3.1.3. Strategies for Mindfulness in Action
    2. 3.2. INTERNAL AWARENESS
      1. 3.2.1. Pain and Suffering
      2. 3.2.2. Formal Technique
      3. 3.2.3. Strategies for Mindfulness in Action
    3. 3.3. EXTERNAL AWARENESS
      1. 3.3.1. Formal Technique
      2. 3.3.2. Strategies for Mindfulness in Action
    4. 3.4. CREATING/IMAGINING POSITIVE OUTCOMES
      1. 3.4.1. Formal Technique
      2. 3.4.2. Strategies for Mindfulness in Action
    5. 3.5. CONSTANT CHANGE
      1. 3.5.1. Strategies for Mindfulness in Action
    6. 3.6. NOT KNOWING/DON'T KNOW
      1. 3.6.1. Strategies for Mindfulness in Action
  8. 4. The Five Hindrances that Impede Success
    1. 4.1. THE HINDRANCES
      1. 4.1.1. Attachment
      2. 4.1.2. Aversion
      3. 4.1.3. Ignorance, Confusion, and Delusion
      4. 4.1.4. Envy and Jealousy
      5. 4.1.5. Pride
    2. 4.2. DEALING WITH HINDRANCES
      1. 4.2.1. Mindfulness Exercise
  9. 5. The Starting Point
    1. 5.1. COUNTERPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR PROFILES
      1. 5.1.1. The Conspicuous Consumers
      2. 5.1.2. The Postponers
      3. 5.1.3. The Pleasers
      4. 5.1.4. The Hoarders
    2. 5.2. YOUR MISSION STATEMENT
  10. 6. The Financial Plan
    1. 6.1. THE FINANCIAL PLAN
      1. 6.1.1. Retirement Dates
      2. 6.1.2. Pensions
      3. 6.1.3. Spending Needs/Budget
        1. 6.1.3.1. Deferred Gratification
        2. 6.1.3.2. Money and Kids—the Parental Mind
    2. 6.2. THE RESULTS
      1. 6.2.1. Welcome to Monte Carlo
    3. 6.3. YOUR PLAN
  11. 7. Portfolio Construction
    1. 7.1. BUILDING BLOCKS
      1. 7.1.1. Investor Psychology
      2. 7.1.2. The Investment Trinity
        1. 7.1.2.1. Cash (and Equivalents)
        2. 7.1.2.2. Bonds (Fixed Income)
        3. 7.1.2.3. Stocks
      3. 7.1.3. Selecting Investment Products
      4. 7.1.4. Diversification
    2. 7.2. STRUCTURING YOUR PORTFOLIO
      1. 7.2.1. Core and Explore
      2. 7.2.2. Balanced Portfolio
    3. 7.3. DUE DILIGENCE
    4. 7.4. FINAL THOUGHTS
  12. 8. Client/Advisor Relations
    1. 8.1. STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
    2. 8.2. EVALUATION
    3. 8.3. THE RELATIONSHIP PROCESS
      1. 8.3.1. The Introductory Meeting(s)
      2. 8.3.2. The Formal Agreement
      3. 8.3.3. Ongoing Maintenance
    4. 8.4. HALLMARKS OF A WELL-RUN PRACTICE
  13. 9. When Things Go Wrong
    1. 9.1. ILLNESS
    2. 9.2. DEATH
    3. 9.3. DIVORCE OR SEPARATION
    4. 9.4. JOB LOSS
    5. 9.5. DEBT
    6. 9.6. BUSINESS FAILURE
    7. 9.7. STOCK MARKET CORRECTION
    8. 9.8. FRAUD
      1. 9.8.1. Ponzi Schemes
      2. 9.8.2. Telemarketing Fraud
    9. 9.9. PUTTING LOSS INTO PERSPECTIVE
  14. 10. Estate Planning
    1. 10.1. LIFE INSURANCE
    2. 10.2. DISABILITY INSURANCE
    3. 10.3. CRITICAL ILLNESS INSURANCE
    4. 10.4. YOUR WILL
      1. 10.4.1. Updating Your Will
      2. 10.4.2. Living Wills
    5. 10.5. TRUSTS
      1. 10.5.1. Testamentary Trusts
      2. 10.5.2. Spousal Trusts
    6. 10.6. CHARITABLE GIVING
  15. 11. Final Thoughts
  16. A. Making Decisions with Mindfulness
    1. A.1. DEFINE
    2. A.2. EXPLORE
    3. A.3. ALLOW
    4. A.4. LAUNCH
  17. B. The Budget
    1. B.1. BUDGET
  18. C. Finding a Mindfulness Teacher
  19. Endnotes
    1. C.1. CHAPTER 1
    2. C.2. CHAPTER 2
    3. C.3. CHAPTER 3
    4. C.4. CHAPTER 8
  20. Bibliography
  21. About the Author

Product information

  • Title: The Mindful Investor: How a Calm Mind Can Bring You Inner Peace and Financial Security
  • Author(s): Maria Gonzalez, Graham Byron
  • Release date: January 2010
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470737668