The perfect time is a myth. Start compounding today!
“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.” - Eckhart Tolle
The "Perfect Time" to Start Your Financial Journey? A Myth Costing You More Than You Know.
The simple reason "right now" is your most powerful asset. You know the script. The internal monologue goes something like:
· “I’ll start saving as soon as I’m earning a bit more.”
· “I’ll sort my finances after this big international move is over.”
· “I need to understand crypto, real estate, and the entire stock market before I start investing and risk a single penny.”
It sounds responsible, right? Like we’re being prudent. But in reality, this line of thinking is a trap - a seductive myth known as The "Perfect Time" Fallacy. I know it well myself, it's an old friend of mine that occasionally reappears.
So Why do Our Brains Love the "Perfect Time" Myth?
As humans, and especially as expats navigating complex cross-border lives, we use the "perfect time" as a psychological safety blanket. It protects us from the fear of making a mistake, the intimidation of anything too complex, and the sheer laziness that whispers, "I'll deal with it later, now is not a good time!"
For those of us living abroad, the excuses get even more creative:
· “I’ll wait for a better AED/USD/EUR exchange rate.”
· “Once I have my s*#t together, then I’ll open an investment account.”
· “I need to feel financially ‘settled’ in first.”
It’s the financial equivalent of saying, “I’ll start my fitness journey on Monday,” while spending Sunday on the couch with a family-sized bag of crisps. It feels good in the moment, but it’s not moving you toward your goals.
The Sobering Math of "Later"...
Here’s the cold, hard truth: procrastination isn’t a neutral act. It has a quantifiable, and staggering cost.
The most powerful force in investing isn't genius stock-picking, or crypto plays…it's compound interest. And it only works if you give it the one thing you can't get back: time (tick tock).
Every day you delay is a day your money isn't in the market, working silently in the background. Imagine refusing to plant an apple tree because you're waiting for the perfect sunny day, while your neighbour planted one years ago and is now harvesting endless fruit. You're not just standing still, you're actively falling behind.
The "perfect time" you're waiting for is, mathematically, getting more expensive by the minute.
Let’s put that into simple numbers for a sec…
💸 Invest AED 2,000/month for 20 years at 7% (average compound rate) = AED 1,049,930
⏳ Wait 5 years to start (15 years total) = AED 639,622
❌ Waiting cost you AED 410,308 - just by waiting to start.
That’s the real opportunity cost of waiting/delaying/procrastinating, whatever you want to call it. The point is, the cost of doing nothing is always higher than the fear of starting.
👉 Grab the mini e-book “My Personal Starter Guide”
The Antidote: "The Simple Path to Wealth"
So, how do we break free from this avoidance or over analysis paralysis? Do we need a Ph.D. in Economics and a crystal ball? 🔮
Thankfully, the answer is no. On the bright side, the solution is pretty simple, thanks to the timeless wisdom in JL Collins's book, "The Simple Path to Wealth." His entire philosophy is built to demolish the excuses that hold us back.
His message is straightforward, just how I like it:
1. Spend less than you earn.
2. Invest the surplus.
3. Avoid bad debt.
His primary vehicle for investing? A simple, low-cost, broad-market index fund.
The elegance of this strategy is that it removes the need for "perfect timing." You aren't trying to outsmart the market. The goal is to get your money into the market and let time and patience do the heavy lifting.
As the famous saying goes… It’s not about timing the market; it’s about time in the market.
This philosophy meets us right where we are, with whatever we have right here and right now.
Your most powerful assets are "You" & "Now"!
We can find wisdom in the most unexpected places. The spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle nailed a fundamental truth that applies perfectly to our finances:
"Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it."
Your current financial situation - your salary, your savings, your confusion, is your "present moment." Waiting for a better, shinier, "perfect" moment is actually working against you. Accept where you are in the now, and take the very first step forward from there.
Stop Waiting. Start Building.
The barrier to entry is far lower than you think.
· Can you start with AED200 or AED500 a month? That’s a powerful beginning.
· Can you set up an automatic transfer from your regular bank account to your investment account? That’s a wealth-building habit.
· Can you spend 30 mins this week researching a low-cost index fund? That my friend is momentum.
You don’t need to be an expert to start. But you do need to start to become one and optimise your future plan.
And if I haven't gotten the point accross here it is... The perfect time is not next quarter, next year, or after your next move. The perfect time is now. It’s the only real time you have.
So, I have to ask you: What's one small step you can take this week to make your financial future a little brighter?
Email me at [email protected]
-
-
-
Enjoyed this read?
Share it with a fellow expat who needs to hear this message and subscribe to my newsletter for Wednesday's Wisdom delivered straight to your inbox 📥 🥰
👉 www.sailwealthfinance.com/jointhenewsletter
FAQs
How little can I start with? Even AED 200 monthly gets the compounding snowball rolling.
What if markets drop next week? You’re buying more units at lower prices. That’s dollar-cost averaging doing its job.
Do I need to pick stocks? No. A broad, low-cost global ETF is the default for beginners.
