There are a lot of quotes out there. But not all of them apply to taking the reins over your own financial destiny as some people do with a Self Directed IRA.

Fortunately, we sifted through a lot of the wisdom and found some of the most relevant quotes when it comes to investing and Self Directed IRA investing with yourself as the captain in charge of where your financial boat goes. Here are some of our favorite words of wisdom that relate to investing, money, and, of course, controlling your own destiny:

“To achieve satisfactory investment results is easier than most people realize; to achieve superior results is harder than it looks.”

-Benjamin Graham, the Intelligent Investor

Why is this such an important quote? Because it shows you just how common it can be to achieve “satisfactory” investment results—and, after all, isn’t that all we really want? Sure, some of us might pursue even bigger gains, but if you end up happy with your investments, then that means you were probably successful to one degree or another. And as Benjamin Graham notes, it’s more than possible to become a successful investor even if you’re not an expert. You don’t have to be afraid of the markets out there—you simply have to know a few time-tested strategies of diversification and thinking long-term.

“Mutual funds are an overrated investment heavily promoted by Wall Street.”

-Peter Schiff, Crash Proof

Okay, maybe we don’t agree with everything the controversial financial mind has to say, but it’s not too wacky to consider that a portfolio consisting only of mutual funds isn’t always going to do as well as you think. If you happen to need your money during a bear market, you’re out of luck. If you happen to invest just as the market turns, you’re out of luck. Diversification out of funds and out of stocks is important if you want a wider net. This doesn’t have to mean that you get out of funds and stocks entirely, of course. But you should think about what a “wide net” means to you.

“It’s tangible, it’s solid, it’s beautiful. It’s artistic, from my standpoint, and I just love real estate.”

-Donald Trump

The real estate mogul clearly has a passion for real estate, and why not? The reasons he gives make sense. Real estate is a tangible investment that you can see and touch. It’s the kind of investment that never goes out of style, because everyone always needs a place to live and a place to do business. With a Self Directed IRA, investing in real estate is easy…in fact, there are ways to use leverage to invest in real estate for retirement if you know the proper rules.

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.”

-Benjamin Franklin

Knowledge truly is power, especially when it comes to money. Knowing your options is key. One of the best things we love about self-directing an IRA is that it helps people understand what goes on in their portfolio. It forces them to consider their goals, their ideals, their principles, and it forces them to create a portfolio on their own. It helps people educate themselves about all of the investment types that are out there. And that’s why we work so hard to include our Self Directed IRA Investment Knowledge Center. There’s plenty of knowledge there—and knowledge is the best investment—which will help you along your journey to retirement and financial independence. And if you’re interested in learning more, you can continue to browse AmericanIRA.com or simply call us at 1-866-7500-IRA(472) to get in touch.