Low-brow Cajun Advice for Financial Autonomy

I'm fascinated with axioms - principles that are not just personal but also universal. I recently stumbled upon one: as time passes, the allure of sophistication fades, leaving behind the enduring charm of simplicity. I discovered this listening to older folk who say that as the reaper gets closer, satisfaction and reliability are more attractive than sophistication and complexity.

Here’s how I see the problem.

Complexity and sophistication have their place and value, but when misused, they can create unnecessary complications. This applies to everything from fashion and food to finance and space exploration. For example, when designing a bridge to span a mountain valley, or engineering a reusable space rocket, considering complexity is essential. However, if we add complexity just to appear sophisticated, we must ensure the potential rewards outweigh the risks. It’s wise to keep complexity where it serves a purpose, not as a means to simply feel or seem more refined.

Complexity Sells, Sophistication Kills

Take for example the world of finance, where complexity is often sold as a solution—whether it’s the intricacies of a tax strategy or the jargon of investing—but sometimes all we need is a straightforward approach that delivers consistent results. The average nonprofessional doesn’t have time, nor the interest, to earn a bachelor’s degree in economics to build a tax-efficient portfolio that estimates the required rate of return to meet future financial goals. The same with NASA and space exploration. Most of us don’t care about the calculus used to counter zero gravity - we just want to see the moon landing.

In moments where clarity feels foreign and our objectives need principled reconciliation, I’ve found solace in my Cajun roots. For starters, I've learned how to embrace simplicity as a force multiplier and enjoy the daily graces right in front of me. But maybe most importantly, Cajun wisdom has garnished me with the strength of being resourceful and the personal growth that comes from ingenuity.

Take for example making a gumbo. Sounds easy. After all, the major ingredients are liquid and protein. First, there’s the roux (pronounced “roo” and rhymes with “too”). Yes, you’re basically burning flour in oil, but in reality, it requires an understanding of chemistry to get the color and taste just right. Then there’s the protein choice. While you can use any ingredient under the sun, the combination of certain meats and staples just works better together. Not to mention the careful addition of spices, herbs, and peppers demanded by individual taste buds.

The point here is that complexity has a place, in cooking gumbo, landing humans on Mars, and writing a money story. Knowing where complexity belongs in your life is the difference between experiencing some level of satisfaction and feeling successful.

Ingredients for Autonomy

Blog author Brian Feutz said it well:

“Time chips away at the extremes, and one day we’ll find.......that happiness and sadness have transformed into a state of comfortable satisfaction. Happiness is fleeting. Satisfaction lasts forever.”

If you enjoy learning about the intricate levels of financial planning and working out the formulas for retirement living expectancy (RLE), required minimum distributions (RMD), tax equivalent yield to maturities, the wage replacement ratio (WRR), or bond convexity, jump right in.

But, if you enjoy the taste of gumbo and don’t feel emotionally attached to knowing the how-to, then eating with friends and family who make great food will probably suffice. If I can ever afford to take a space flight to another planet, I will trust the engineers have done their job. Trying to build my own rocket to combat zero gravity is not worth the mental anguish, and it may save my life, not to mention the financial autonomy I truly desire.