Character or Bust

Investment Analysis Clubs Saul’s Investing Discussions
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Monkey is absolutely terrified of sounding like a shill, screeching from the top branches while other animals just want to sleep, but so it goes. He is what he is.

The hardest thing, the very hardest thing, and it’s not even close, about investing, is your capacity to see clearly and to control your emotions so they don’t end up yanking you by the genitalia with which your were bequeathed at birth.

In other words, character, as much else in life, is your destiny. The stock market’s grizzly gorilla days bring to the forefront that which is easy to pretend to have.

Or that which others have truly cultivated by remaining present, disciplined, curious, and imperturbable.

Exhibit #6,953: the trolls and their “we told you so” despite underperforming us by hundreds of banana bushels.

In other words, equanimity is one of the true pillars of character, and if you don’t have it, you will absolutely get hosed by a mind that cannot deal with what appears to you as an unfair, unjust, irrational, cruel market.

Those who have cultivated equanimity—- via meditation, or perseverance, or experience, or some combination thereof—-can skip the lizard brain’s panic signals and see:

We own the fastest growing companies that provide essential value and essential functions with a business models that make all historical businesses weep with envy.It is different this time because it’s way, way, way better than it has ever been before.

Look yourself in the mirror.

It’s okay to feel distress; but are you letting it rule your decisions? If so, you’re its prisoner and you won’t beat the market.

If not, carry on. This too shall pass and the trolls will retreat under their bridges soon enough. May we extend them compassion and hope they can turn inwards and see their anger and contempt and arrogance is not the only way forward.

Hugs,

Monkey
@cxddesign

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Never in the history of the US stock market has the market not recovered from a depression, recession or a correction. – Free

And every past civilization no longer with us has said something like that before they disappeared.

Rob
Rule Breaker Home Fool
He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.

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It is all very disappointing to observe but also very predictable:

TMF did so much work via Live to educate retail investors in 2020. Tremendous amount of work! Heck, TMF even switched their minimum holding period recommendation for buy-and-forget investors from 3 to 5 years.

TMF explained what, when, why, how, and so what. Again and again and again.

But most people do not care. Tell me the ticker, man! FSLY to the Moon? Yes or no? Give me buy and sell dates as well. Who cares about learning? Education is for losers! I am buying tickers/trading news/Jay Powell/momentum/candles, whatever. Studying a business? Projecting business performance into the future relative to other businesses? Trying to get a basic understanding of why big flows of money move left to right and right to left in the short term all the time? Meh, we are chill. Not gonna overexert ourselves lest we get a headache. Studying is for losers.

Well, it all comes down to education ultimately.

The only difference from school is that here people either lose money or fail to make money, so they get all up in arms instead of just surfing social media and pass on homework.

At the end, there is only that much that you can do. This time is not different. Most retail will transfer their shares to funds only to get back at much higher levels, if that.

But it is never too late to start learning. Most people who try end up a great deal better for it.

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