Smart Investing means Treat investments like business (continued...)

• Smart investing means having a strategy for attaining your investment goals:

This is where goals meet reality. When you look at investment alternatives while smart investing that might help you achieve your goals, you face tough questions. 

You may want an average annual return of 15%, but is that realistic given the historical returns from stocks and bonds? And, are you willing to assume the level of risk that comes with targeting that return? If not, you may want to be investing smart and adjust your goals and strategies. Perhaps you'll need to save more - or lower your goals. Smart investing does not mean the highest investment returns possible.

• Getting the right professionals to do the job is key to smart investing:

For affluent investors who are investing smart, having professional investment management is a given. The question is, who? Some wealthy individuals take the path of least resistance, passively standing by while local bank trust department, family tax adviser or former fraternity brother make the real decisions.

If you are serious about investing smart, it's worth the effort to find an investment advisor upon whose expertise and judgement you can rely. The best place to start looking is by listening to successful people talk about their own advisors. Never consider a Financial Advisor who you've never heard overwhelming praise about. If they can do their job correctly, then their clients will be more than just "happy" about their performance.