Why is it so damn hard to invest in the things that matter to me?

Posted by Stuart Mills, Practical Acts, on LinkedIn on 26th August 2025

That's a question I've been grappling with for a long time now. It’s a feeling of disconnect - that gap between what I say I value and how I actually live and invest. It's the silent struggle many of us face:wanting to do more but not knowing where to start or how to make it all fit together.

I found myself reflecting on this over the long weekend, a few days of transition that had me thinking about what a life fully invested in authentic progress truly means.

The challenge to invest ourselves fully is the core premise of our upcoming book, Wealth With A Why. Itis the story of how Stephanie Mills and I are confronting this disconnect head-on, by asking ‘can we do better with our money?’. 

We open the book with the lines:

“It's easy to feel like global challenges are just too big and complex for us as individuals to make adent…. but the truth is we’re not powerless.” 

This realisation was a game-changer for us, shifting our perspective from feeling overwhelmed to feeling empowered.

We didn’t write this book on our own. We were guided and encouraged by a number of incredible collaborators — a collective of institutional wealth managers, financial planners, philanthropic innovators,and social entrepreneurs whose energy and passion were infectious. They helped us to understand the spectrum of capital framework, which became our compass, showing us that all financial decisions, from pensions to philanthropy, are part of a single, purposeful financial journey. These collaborators, our"talented ties," helped us build a holistic approach to wealth that goes beyond money alone, ensuring that our efforts are intentional, connected, and meaningful.

This article is just the beginning of sharing our story. The full journey, the guideposts, the lessons learned,and the questions we now know to ask, are all chronicled in this guide, Wealth with a Why, which is launching soon.

For now, I invite you to visit our new website at https://wealthwithawhy.co.uk/ to learn more. Stephanie and I look forward to learning with you how to invest, give, and live for a thriving future.