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We chat with renowned financial advisor Michael Kitces at the Morningstar Investor Conference in Chicago.\n\nKitces answers a big question: Is the economy worse than we think? He explains that a few big companies like Nvidia, Meta, and Alphabet are holding up the S&P 500. But this doesn\u2019t mean the economy is bad. It's common for a small group of companies to drive the market. Since it\u2019s hard to predict which companies will do well, he stresses the need for diversification.\n\nKitces tells us to focus on long-term growth instead of trying to time the market. He shares a famous quote from economist John Maynard Keynes: "Markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent." This means it\u2019s better to invest broadly and wait for the market to grow over time.\n\nKitces also says that career development is important. He believes boosting your income through career advancements can have a bigger impact on your financial health than trying to get the highest returns on your investments. He says, "Spending more time focusing on my career and getting a raise... will actually be more meaningful than trying to improve the returns on my own money."\n\nWe discuss the importance of index investing and proper asset allocation. Kitces advises owning a diversified portfolio that includes international and small-cap funds. Even if these funds aren\u2019t performing well in the short term, diversification helps spread risk and capture growth from different sectors and markets.\n\nKitces talks about the cyclical nature of markets. Some people worry that the market will go down just because it\u2019s been up for a long time. He explains that markets don\u2019t "die of old age." Many factors influence market cycles, and it\u2019s hard to predict when a downturn will happen. This reinforces the idea that staying invested and diversified is usually the best strategy.\n\nFinally, we talk about inflation and interest rates. Kitces explains that it\u2019s hard to predict when inflation will return to the Fed\u2019s target rate of 2 percent. This means that interest rates might stay high for a while. It\u2019s important to keep a long-term perspective and not make drastic changes based on short-term market movements.\n\nThis episode offers practical advice on investment strategies, the importance of diversification, and why focusing on your career can be more beneficial than trying to outsmart the market. Kitces\u2019 insights help anyone who wants to reach financial freedom.\n\nTimestamps\n[Note: Time codes will vary on individual listening devices based on advertising run times.]\n\n1:23 - Becoming a famous financial advisor.\n2:08 - Role of a small number of companies in holding up the S&P 500.\n5:11 - NVIDIA's role in AI and cryptocurrency.\n7:38 - Importance of diversification.\n11:27 - Irrationality and efficiency of markets.\n16:26 - Role of international and small-cap funds in diversification.\n18:10 - Impact of regulatory frameworks on AI development.\n32:11 - Demographic advantages of emerging markets.\n40:01 - Cyclical nature of markets and investor fears.\n51:30 - Inflation and wage growth.\nFor more information, visit the show notes at https://affordanything.com/episode525\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices