Timeless Wisdom: Preparing for Sudden Change with Smart Investments

A note to young leaders. Lessons from my father.
In these turbulent times, I can’t help but recall my father’s counsel to me when I was a teenager:

“Don’t be fooled by the illusion of long-term stability. Change happens gradually, then all of a sudden. Nowhere, not even Australia, is immune.”

“And when the sudden change happens, it will always take you by surprise. So, as soon as you can afford it, park 10% of your wealth overseas and don’t touch it, just let it grow. You never know when you might need it.”

My father’s wisdom was hard won. When the civil war erupted in Lebanon in the mid-1970’s, all my father’s cash reserves were instantly frozen, his engineering consulting business was suddenly worthless and his real estate investments (all in Lebanon at the time) were worth only 30 cents on the dollar.

So, as soon as I could afford it, I invested some of my family’s funds in a residential portfolio in Austin, Texas. I wrote about it here: https://lnkd.in/g9gAFZKg

Austin residential, much like Sydney, proved to be a great long term investment. But it‘s greatest dividend was peace of mind.