☕ Feeling lost or behind in this market?

Good morning! 👋 

While Keith is enjoying some well-earned time off on two wheels, I wanted to share some thoughts on a common question we’ve been hearing lately:  

“What do I do if I feel completely lost or behind in this market?” 

Honestly, it’s a fair question. 

These markets aren’t easy - not in tone, pace, or direction. 

As Keith often reminds us, markets move for far more reasons than whether a company is “good.” Sentiment, positioning, headlines, big traders and macro forces all play a role. 

Information is flying from every angle. Every chart, every headline, every scroll on social media seems to scream “act now!” Trying to figure out what really matters - let alone what to buy - can feel overwhelming.  

On that note actually, earlier this year, Keith wrote about how much a “digital detox” can help investors, give it a read if you haven’t already or if you think you’d benefit from a quick reminder. 

But here’s something that might surprise you: Even the most seasoned investors didn’t start out knowing what they were doing. No one does. We all start somewhere - and we all learn through experience. 

And while today’s market may feel chaotic, it’s not uniquely so and zooming out and looking at history can really help. 

• In the 1600s, tulip bulbs traded like fine art - driven by emotion, not logic. 

• In the 1700s, British investors rushed into the South Sea Company on hype, not fundamentals. 

• In the 1980s, Japan’s stock and real estate markets soared to extreme valuations, inflated by speculation and easy credit - only to crash and spark a decade-long slump. 

• The Dot-Com bust. The 2008 financial crisis. Same pattern: euphoria, panic, and mass psychology. 

• Even in March 2020, when the world shut down overnight, the market still finished the year at new highs. 

Markets don’t reward the smartest or the fastest. They reward the most disciplined. 

Because underneath all the volatility, panic, and noise, the markets have a very defined upside bias over time. 

Why? 

• Because the world’s best businesses adapt, grow, and compound. 
• Because innovation doesn’t stop. 
• Because progress, messy as it is, keeps marching forward.   

As always, let’s MAKE it a great day. 

You got this – I promise! 

Hayley E (Analyst) 😀