In the fast-moving and greedy world of the financial markets, it's easy to lose sight of common sense and get caught up in the excitement. Sure, a few lucky and select individuals reap out-sized profits, but the rest of us dart-throwers and wishful-thinkers get nowhere fast.

We waste time trying to time the market, buying low and selling high, playing all sorts of convoluted games with stocks and options, but in the end we find ourselves sitting in a corner licking our wounds.

The story of A Dying Banker’s Last Instructions really hit home with me today. Here's a guy who's been through it all and has nothing to lose by laying it out for all to see. I suppose the specter of death clarifies and crystallizes things a bit. Writing an investment book for this banker was probably as cathartic as it was rewarding.

The message in simplistic terms: diversify your portfolio, be patient and let time do its magic, and rebalance every now and then. We knew this already a thousand times over but it can never be over-stated, specially when it comes from an insider who's been given the gift of freedom to speak his mind without recourse.