Building Sustainable Wealth Takes Offense as Well as Defense

Paul “Bear” Bryant famously said, “Offense sells tickets, but defense wins championships.” This saying holds true not just in sports but also in wealth building and investing. Unfortunately, many investors and advisors focus heavily on chasing gains and growth—on the “offense”—but don’t pay nearly enough attention to the downside risks that can erode wealth over time. Without strong defensive strategies in place to protect what you’ve earned, the risk of losses wiping out hard-earned gains becomes dangerously high.

This imbalance between offense and defense is a main reason why most 65-year-olds today only have enough savings to last about 9.7 years into retirement, even though people are living 18 to 20 years on average after retiring. Financial markets are notoriously volatile—they can plunge quickly but often take a long time to recover. A sudden 20% drop in your portfolio can erase years of steady growth almost overnight. For retirees, especially at age 65 and beyond, there simply isn’t enough time to make back those losses before funds run out.

The best defensive strategy is to avoid those losses in the first place. Protecting your wealth early on is just as important as accumulating it. Time is a critical factor in sustainable wealth building—not only in your younger years but also as you approach and enter retirement. A smart, well-rounded approach balances both growth and protection to ensure that what you build today can endure tomorrow.

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Scoring points, turning a profit, and enjoying impressive returns are undoubtedly exciting milestones in any wealth-building journey. However, no matter how strong your offensive game is, without a solid defense to protect those gains, you risk losing everything you’ve worked so hard to achieve. This is exactly the point Paul “Bear” Bryant was emphasizing when he talked about what it takes to win championships — it’s not just about scoring, but also about preventing losses.

Many financial advisors love to highlight their successes and winning streaks, but very few openly discuss their losses or how they’ve managed risk. Bryant had a telling observation about different types of players: “I have had players who are good, and who know they are good; I have had players who are bad and know they are bad; I have had players who are good, but don’t know they are good; I have had players who are bad, and don’t know they are bad. It is this last group that has won more games for me than the first three groups combined.”

This insight serves as a powerful warning for investors. Too often, people get distracted chasing the latest hot stock picks, joint ventures, or “can’t-miss” opportunities. But the real secret to long-term success lies in the discipline of protecting what you earn — keeping more of your money and shielding it from unnecessary risks. Without that defense, even the most impressive gains can slip away in an instant. Bryant’s wisdom reminds us that the true winners are often those who understand their weaknesses and actively guard against them.

Whole life insurance is the only way 70% of wage earners in America can affordably build an estate. For the other 30%, whole life insurance, with its contractual guarantees, is the most respected defensive tool in the financial world which can actually protect wealth which has been built or inherited.  These contractual guarantees are only available to those who own certain whole life insurance contracts yet, most advisors don’t even understand how these contracts work, let alone acknowledge the defensive protection they provide.

“Bear” Bryant’s axiom, “Expect the unexpected,” offers a powerful lesson in cultivating a strong defensive mindset — especially for anyone focused on building sustainable wealth. It’s often the small, seemingly insignificant details that can make an enormous difference over time. Yet, most people tend to overlook these “little things,” choosing instead to chase the excitement of big events like the next market surge or the latest headline-grabbing trade.

True winners understand the value of focusing on the little things. Take, for example, quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who reminded his team that they only had 8 more quarters of football to play before becoming Super Bowl Champions. The mistake Green Bay made in the past was thinking too far ahead, beyond the current quarter being played. By doing so, they overlooked the fundamental reality that to win the Super Bowl, they first had to win each individual quarter — one step at a time.

This analogy holds perfectly true in wealth-building. Instead of fixating on the grand outcome or chasing the next big break, winners stay disciplined by paying attention to the incremental steps, managing risks, and protecting their gains consistently. It’s a reminder that success isn’t just about big moves, but mastering the smaller, day-to-day actions that collectively lead to victory.

It takes a good offense and a tough defense to win consistently.  You can have the best offense in the league, but if your defense is not tough enough, you will lose more than you can possibly win.  This is why owning enough participating whole life insurance is critical in building sustainable wealth.  Many an advisor can rack up winning streaks, but few have any ability or plan to retain the wealth they generate. Participating whole life insurance is like a defensive Pit Bull which once it takes hold of your money never lets it loose, thus guaranteeing your gains will not be lost due to market conditions, taxes or fees.

Those who understand that a strong defense is essential to winning championships will continue to invest in and maintain participating whole life insurance — no matter how impressive their offensive gains may be. In fact, having a solid defense in place actually gives your offense more time and opportunity to score big over the long haul. But that’s a topic we’ll save for another day.

As you focus on building the wealth needed to support your lifestyle now and in the years ahead, don’t overlook the importance of defensive strategies. Protecting what you’ve earned is just as critical as growing it. If you’re ready to strengthen your financial defense and safeguard the wealth you’re working so hard to build, give us a call at 702-660-7000. We’re here to help you create the best possible defense for your financial future.

Tomas P. McFie DC PhD

Tom McFie is the founder of McFie Insurance and co-host of the WealthTalks podcast which helps people keep more of the money they make, so they can have financial peace of mind. He has reviewed 1000s of whole life insurance policies and has practiced the Infinite Banking Concept for nearly 20 years, making him one of the foremost experts on achieving financial peace of mind. His latest book, A Biblical Guide to Personal Finance, can be purchased here.