As we look back on the ground we have covered in this The ImpactAssets Handbook for Investors, it is clear that while impact investing has moved from the fringe toward the mainstream, the individual investor still has many moving parts and challenges to consider. Among the questions we've explored are:

All investors have before them opportunities to align capital with community and values with value creation. By thinking—and then acting!—within a Total Portfolio Management framework, you have the potential to achieve the greatest leverage and impact possible for the assets you have under management, regardless of whether you're an investor operating on your own at a retail level or a higher net worth asset owner with a team to assist you. If you're committed to impact as well as wanting to protect your financial future, you can attain various levels of financial return together with the generation of social and environmental impacts. And you can direct your resources toward not only providing for your own future, but the future of your children and community.

As we look ahead to that future, what are final words one should keep in mind when moving along the path?

Fortune Favors the Prepared Mind

Good investing involves some level of luck—that the markets move up with you; that you select the right managers at the right time and so on—but the fact is good preparation can help you increase the odds you've made the right decisions at the right times for the right reasons. Rather than attempting to “time the market” looking to take advantage of short-term ups and downs, remember to stay focused on your long-term goals and plan for those goals through creating a sound strategy. Investors need to stay on top of the latest thinking, be clear on their objectives and work to understand the investments they are making—and that is not a question of luck!