Aftershock: Protect Yourself and Profit In The Next Global Financial Meltdown, Second Edition

Remember, Your Net Worth Is Not Your Self Worth

It’s never a good idea to equate your personal worth with your net worth, but in a booming, multibubble economy on the rise, it may not cause you too much harm. On the other hand, in a bursting multibubble economy on the way down, this bad habit may come back to haunt you. Most people will see their net worth fall dramatically in the months and years ahead. Reading this book can help minimize your losses and maximize your gains, but please don’t focus so much on your wallet that you forget what really makes life so worthwhile. We are not being corny when we remind you of what you already know: It’s not really about the money. It may seem like money buys happiness, especially when the money is rolling in. But remember, the potential for happiness is actually always available to us because it comes, not from money or from things, but from other people. We need to remember this when money is flowing in our lives, and even more so when it is not.

As much as this book focuses on money, and as much as everyone will be terribly focused on money over the next few years, the best advice you may get won’t be financial. Be sure to focus on your family and friends. Your family will need your support, and your friends may need you now more than ever—and you may need them more as well. Mutual support is the key to a good life in both the best of times and the worst of times.

Look for what makes you happy and find your glass half full. You don’t ...