If you’re like most people, it’s easy to assume that a better life comes from adding more.

More house. More travel. More experiences. Maybe even a higher-paying job.

With the exception of the job itself, every one of those “mores” requires more money, which quietly reinforces a powerful belief:

For a moment, that can even feel true.

The new thing arrives, the trip happens, the upgrade feels great.

And then life settles back to normal.

We return to our old baseline and start scanning the horizon for the next thing that promises to finally “do the trick.”

At some point, this never-ending pursuit should make us pause and ask... what if we’re looking at this all wrong?

Before we dive in, did you catch this week's podcast?

The S&P 500 Trap: Why the "Safe" Choice Is Actually Risky "Just buy the index." It's the simple advice that built your wealth and got you to the finish line. But the strategy that got you to retirement won't necessarily keep you there. 🎙️ Listen now on ​Apple​, ​Spotify​, or ​YouTube​.

Addition by Subtraction

As savers, we spend decades asking:

"How do I grow my money?"

But Charlie Munger suggested that to succeed, we should often invert the question and ask:

"How do I avoid ruining what I've built?"

Applied to investing, this saves us from financial ruin.

Applied to retirement, it might just save our sanity.

Many of us believe the path to a dream retirement involves adding more—more trips, more toys, more experiences.

But the inversion principle suggests the secret is actually subtraction.

It’s not about what you add to your calendar; it’s about removing the things that drain your energy and patience.

This is where your savings serve a new purpose.

Author Carl Richards defines "capital" as a mix of Time, Money, Energy, and Attention.

If we use our money specifically to protect our time and energy, we can start to ask a different set of questions about what "wealth" really means.

1.) Time

Time is the one asset you cannot earn back. Yet, we often give it away cheaply.

What regularly costs you time you do not enjoy?

• The long commute or traffic jams you dread.
• Endless home maintenance that eats up your weekends.
• Constant errands that never seem to end.

The Question: Is there anything you could simplify, automate, or delegate to recapture that time?

If you can pay $50 to save an hour of frustration, that is often a trade worth making.

2.) Money

We often track where money comes in, but we are less critical of where it leaks out.

Where is money leaving your life without adding meaning?

• "Zombie subscriptions" you haven't used in months.
• A second car or vacation property that feels more like a chore than a privilege.
• Hobbies you are still funding out of habit, not joy.

The Question: What could you cancel, sell, or scale back?

The goal isn't just to save the cash, but to redirect those dollars toward experiences that actually move the needle on your happiness.

3.) Energy

As we age, physical and mental energy become our scarcest resources.

What consistently drains your battery?

• Yard work or deep cleaning that leaves you physically exhausted for days.
• Complex administrative tasks you procrastinate on for weeks.
• Toxic relationships that leave you emotionally depleted.

The Question: Could you outsource the heavy lifting?

Remember: Hiring a cleaner or a landscaper isn't "being lazy." It is using financial capital to protect your energy capital.

4.) Attention

In the information age, focus is a luxury good.

What has a grip on your mind but leaves you feeling worse?

• Doomscrolling the 24-hour news cycle.
• Reflexively checking email during dinner.
• Social media feeds that trigger envy or annoyance.

The Question: What boundaries can you set?

Maybe it’s deleting an app, turning off notifications, or establishing strict "check-in" windows. Reclaiming your attention is the first step to being present in your retirement.

Most of us can quickly list a handful of things we dread, tolerate, or constantly feel behind on.

Now, imagine how different your days would feel if even one or two of those things were simply... gone.

That is addition by subtraction.

Over time, many of us allow things that were supposed to live at the edges of our lives to move quietly into the center.

Possessions that were meant to bring joy become maintenance projects.

“Toys” turn into to-do list items.

Your free time gets carved up by repairs, upgrades, and logistics.

On top of that, tools like email and social media—which didn't exist a few decades ago—now consume an enormous share of our day, quietly hijacking our attention from the people and pursuits that bring real satisfaction.

The core idea is simple:

The path to lasting contentment often has less to do with adding new good things, and more to do with removing the persistent bad ones.

And the first step is surprisingly small.

Bottom Line

Ask yourself:

Not five things. Not a complete life overhaul. Just one.

Maybe you cancel that streaming service you never watch.

Maybe you finally hire someone to clean the gutters.

Maybe you delete the news app from your phone or say “no” to a recurring commitment that no longer fits this stage of your life.

Make that one change, then give yourself time to feel the difference.

Day by day, you may find yourself a little lighter, a little less burdened, and a little happier.

Not because you added something new. But because you finally let a few things go.

📚 What I've Been Reading

• You Are Insignificant—That's a Good Thing (Westenberg)​
• How to Tap Home Equity In Retirement (Vanguard)
• Why Asset Location Matters (Morningstar)
• The 7 Pillars of Market Bubbles (Acadian)​
• Do Gamblers Invest Differently? (Klement On Investing)
• Never Bet Against America (Uncharted Territories)​
• Thanksgiving Message From Warren Buffet (Berkshire)​

Thank you for reading!

Please reply to this email with comments, questions, and/or feedback.

Stay wealthy,

Taylor Schulte, CFP®