With our current headlines of geopolitical issues, China trade wars, viruses, there’s always a reason to get out of the market. There will always be “scary” headlines. However, it’s important to realize that you have to do something with your money.
Compared to the world of 30 years ago, the road to investing is filled with distractions. Advances in technology have made it possible to be active 24 hours a day, amplifying what’s called a fear of missing out (FOMO) in our lives.
As the saying goes, investing in real estate is all about location, location, location. Investing in a globally diversified equity stock market has a similar imperative: Patience, patience, patience.
Returns may or may not come when you want them to come, but successful investors are usually patient people. For example, when the S&P 500 had disappointing returns in the first decade (2000-2009), one would have had a less than zero return, yet that doesn’t mean it was a bad place to invest. Why? Simply put, it’s because we don’t know when the returns for asset classes will happen — but it may not offer any of the immediate gratification we’ve all come to expect in this society.
There’s an image in people’s minds of the stock market being a roller coaster. In other words, you start at one point, go through a wild ride with a lot of ups and downs, twists and turns, and then, at the end of the ride, you basically don’t feel well and end up in the same spot.
Market-related anxieties, fears, and hopes are always going to be out there — along with headline news stories. The headlines might make your head spin. Stop worrying! These concerns are already factored into the price of the stocks and businesses.