MANY people dream of financial freedom, but the path to achieving it is often misunderstood. It’s not a destination you can reach overnight, but rather a carefully navigated journey.

To succeed, you must focus on the long term, make smart adjustments, and understand the importance of managing risks and diversification.

When pursuing financial freedom, it’s easy to get sidetracked by short-term setbacks or to be tempted by quick-fix schemes. It’s essential to set goals to stay on track. Define what financial freedom means to you — whether it’s retiring comfortably or achieving a specific return (such as a certain percentage above inflation) — and let that goal guide your decisions.

Recent trends like speculative investments in cryptocurrency highlight the importance of staying disciplined. These investments often promise high returns, but they come with a wide range of unpredictable outcomes.

From that perspective, the wealth planning value of these assets is poor, as it introduces a probability of failure to reach your long-term goals. Chasing quick profits can undermine your long-term plans, especially if you end up losing money in risky ventures. Instead, focus on reliable, long-term strategies that provide the highest probability of success.

While there are no shortcuts to financial freedom, small, calculated changes can yield significant results over time. Instead of pursuing high-risk investments, you can enhance your portfolio by identifying opportunities within conventional asset classes that offer value. For instance, during periods when some asset classes may appear overpriced, shifting towards undervalued ones can improve your outcomes without introducing unnecessary risks.

Your goals, risk tolerance and time horizon should shape the strategies you employ to reach your destination. It’s equally important to be aware of the risks involved in any investment decision. Risks vary depending on the type of investment, so create a plan that balances stability and growth.

Rather, opt for assets that align with your goals and have shown reliable performance over time to reduce uncertainty and increase your chances of success. Risk management is not about eliminating risks entirely but about making informed choices to avoid unnecessary pitfalls.

Diversification is one of the cornerstones of a well-structured financial plan. Equities, bonds and property are all examples of asset classes that can play complementary roles in a portfolio. For example, equities often act as the growth engine for long-term returns, while bonds can provide stability during periods of market uncertainty. Each asset class plays a specific role in your portfolio, contributing to its resilience and overall growth potential.

Speculative investments, on the other hand, often lack diversification benefits and reliability, making them unsuitable for a solid financial plan. Trustworthy, research-backed options provide a more stable foundation for achieving your goals.

Inflation erodes purchasing power over time, so consider investments that outperform it. Stocks are an excellent example of inflation-protected assets. When you invest in companies, their earnings rise in tandem with the price of items sold, offering a natural protection against inflation.

In contrast, speculative assets are strongly dependent on sentiment and provide no intrinsic inflation protection. Prioritising investments with built-in inflation protection will shield your portfolio from one of the most persistent risks to your wealth.

Focus on your long-term goals, diversify your investments and choose strategies that align with your needs while protecting your wealth from inflation. By taking a steady and consistent approach, you can navigate the challenges of the journey and ultimately achieve the financial independence you seek. The long-term effects of disciplined investing compound over time and can be significant.

* Adriaan Pask is the chief investment officer at PSG Wealth.

** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, Independent Media, or IOL.