During a family Christmas gathering, I was asked to give investment advice. Luckily, I had stumbled into this situation many times prior and was properly equipped with the best possible answer. My response is never what the recipient intended to hear, or even what they were looking for, but that’s kinda the point.
That said, here’s the investment advice I always give when asked such a blanket question.
“How do you see the world over time? Are you optimistic about the future? Pessimistic about our economy? What do you believe is the world’s largest problem to solve?”
When you frame advice in the form of questions in this way, the recipient has no choice but to look inward and truly understand their own thesis.
Far too many people are chasing outcomes without a sturdy foundation of thoughts and beliefs. This is not only dangerous in the long term, but it makes the investor susceptible to perpetually chasing the next shiny object. This forces the investor to never align their money with their values.
When you are able to align the two, it’s a beautiful thing. So I encourage everyone to understand their own positioning and believe in a version of the future enough to put your funds on the horse you won’t just watch race once – but instead visit at the stables and build a connection with over time.
It’s not about being right. It’s about being intentional.