The Geometry of Wealth: How to shape a life of money and meaning
About this ebook
In The Geometry of Wealth, behavioral finance expert Brian Portnoy delivers an inspired answer, building on the critical distinction between being rich and being wealthy. While one is an unsatisfying treadmill, the other is the ability to underwrite a meaningful life, however one chooses to define that. Truly viewed, wealth is funded contentment.
At the heart of this groundbreaking perspective, Portnoy takes readers on a journey toward wealth, informed by disciplines ranging from ancient history to modern neuroscience. He contends that tackling the big questions about a joyful life and tending to financial decisions are complementary, not separate, tasks.
These big questions include:
• How is the human brain wired for two distinct experiences of happiness? And why can money “buy” one but not the other?
• What are the touchstones of a meaningful life, and are they affordable?
• Why is market savvy among the least important sources of wealth but self-awareness is among the most?
• How does one strike a balance between striving for more while being content with enough?
This journey memorably contours along three basic shapes: A circle, triangle and square help us to visualize how we adapt to evolving circumstances, set clear priorities, and find empowerment in simplicity. In this accessible and entertaining book, Portnoy reveals that true wealth is achievable for many - including those who despair it is out of reach - but only in the context of a life in which purpose and practice are thoughtfully calibrated.
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About the author
Brian Portnoy, PhD, CFA, is an expert at simplifying the complex world of money. His insights and advice are driven by a passion for teaching and investing, and based on a 25-year career in both money management and academia.
Brian is the Director of Investment Education at Virtus Investment Partners, a diversified investment company with $80 billion under management. He leads the firm's thought leadership initiatives on sound investing and smarter decision-making for both financial advisers and individuals. He has worked throughout the hedge fund and mutual fund industries, having held senior strategy, investment, and research roles at Chicago Equity Partners, Mesirow Financial, and Morningstar.
He is the author of The Investor's Paradox: The Power of Simplicity in a World of Overwhelming Choice (Palgrave, 2014). Through the lens of behavioural finance, the book provides a practical road map for navigating the complex landscape of countless investment strategies. He regularly blogs for Forbes.com, has spoken to audiences globally about investing and decision-making, and has lectured on the history and future of hedge funds at the US Securities and Exchange Commission as part of its Leading Authors series.
After graduating from the University of Michigan, Brian pursued his research and teaching interests in political economy at the University of Chicago, where he earned his doctorate. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) charter holder and a member of the Economic Club of Chicago. Brian lives with his wife and three children on the north side of Chicago.
