The stock market can be volatile. This we all know. If you were investing in 2008, then you know precisely how upsetting it can be when the volatility means big losses. So, imagine a day when one of your equities drops by 40 percent in mere minutes. On August 24, 2015, this happened. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) declined about that much only minutes after the opening bell rang.

What would your reaction be if you had owned one of those ETFs? Would you:

• Sell it at the loss and move it into a money market or bond?
• Take the opportunity to buy given the low stock price?
• Do nothing?

This is not a cautionary tale but rather an exercise in fastidiousness or, at the very least, awareness of who you are as an investor and what that means for your portfolio strategy.

Successful people often feel as though they should always be working no matter what else they are doing. This is especially true for those in C level positions and business owners. If you asked yourself how many times you have shaved a few hours off of a good night’s rest to get more done, the answer would probably be countless. If you thought about how often you have skipped out on a leisure activity like a nice round of golf to put more time in at the office, you might get melancholy just thinking about how many times that has happened. It just so happens that sleep and golf may be two of my favorite things which is why, when I came across a study that touted the benefits of these two activities, I needed to share with our readers.

Working on Too Little Sleep? You May as Well Be Drunk.

We often correlate long days and late evenings with success at work. And while there is no doubt that extended hours are typically the practice of successful entrepreneurs and business people, it is important that you are getting enough sleep too. We need sleep to recharge our batteries. Lack of sleep promotes a lack of clarity, poor decision making, and ultimately, poor health.[i]

You may be better prepared than you think. Find out where you stand.

If you search “retirement readiness” on your favorite search engine you will come across a great many articles that tell of the lack of preparedness of current and future generations and that everyone is drastically underinformed on what they need to do to find security in their retirement plans. But is that really true? Are people really as unprepared as the headlines suggest?

What do Retirement Planning and Starting a Business Have in Common? Mistakes can cost you…big time.

If you read articles from magazines like Fast Company or the Economist, you will have come across stories of poor decisions made by startup entrepreneurs that have tanked their lofty endeavors. You might read the story and think “How could someone be so naïve?” but hold your judgment for a moment and ponder your own financial decisions. Planning for retirement is as big a deal as starting a business and generations that are nearing or in retirement seems wrought by the same naiveté as those idealistic startup owners.

We talk a lot about saving for retirement. Where to invest your money, what vehicles will help you maximize your savings, what investments will lead you to your retirement goals. While all of these discussions are extremely important, it is equally critical to plan for how your money will be spent throughout your retirement.

Withdrawing money from different types of accounts requires a strategy in order to maximize the assets that you have worked so hard to acquire. There are tax implications and unrealized growth potential that require attention and planning to both save your money and help it continue to grow long after you stop working. Here are some helpful considerations that can help you enjoy your retirement with longevity and confidence.