Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Choosing Your Path: Finding Your Own Investment Mix

 Over the past few posts, we explored three distinct paths to growing your savings — through the stories of Ramesh, Priya, and Arjun. Each of them represents a different approach to building wealth based on life stage, goals, and comfort with risk.

Ramesh followed the slow and steady path, choosing safety through FDs, RDs, EPF, and government-backed schemes. He values peace of mind and stability more than high returns. 

Priya took the middle road — investing consistently through SIPs in mutual funds, index funds, and NPS. She balances security with meaningful growth, allowing compounding to do its work. 

Arjun chose the adventurous route — putting a portion of his money in small-cap funds, equities, and high-growth opportunities. He is comfortable with volatility because he has time and the temperament for it.

Three personalities. Three strategies. Three correct answers — because investing is personal.


So Which Path Should You Choose?

The truth is, most of us aren’t only Ramesh, Priya, or Arjun. We are a blend. And the right mix changes as life changes. A simple thumb rule many wealth planners use:

Life StageApproach BiasWhy
Early career (20s–early 30s)Mostly Priya + a bit of Arjun Long horizon, capacity to take risks
Mid-career (30s–40s)Priya with some Ramesh Responsibilities grow, need stability
Pre-retirement (50s+)Mostly Ramesh Capital protection becomes priority

The goal isn’t to copy anyone — it’s to right-size your investing style to your life.


The Next Step: Know Your Number

Before deciding the mix, you need clarity on:

  • What are you saving for?

  • When do you need the money?

  • How much do you need by then?

Wealth creation begins not with returns, but with clarity. Only when you know your destination can you choose the right route and speed.In the next post, we’ll calculate exactly how much you need to reach your financial goals — and how to work backward to decide how much to invest, and how aggressively.

Think of it as building your personal financial roadmap — one that gives you confidence, clarity, and control over your financial future.Your money doesn’t just grow based on what you earn. It grows based on what you choose to do with it, consistently.

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