Survive the First Five

I began playing pickleball in early September and am watching alot of videos on how to improve. There is a strategy called survive the first five. Good pickleball players’ rallies average 4 hits, and then someone will make an error. Therefore, if you can keep the ball in for four hits, the chance of you winning a point are greater because an error will occur soon. Keep it simple and keep it for five, and you will increase your likelihood of winning the point.

As an investor, you will go through 6-10 bear markets or 4-5 significant market crashes in your lifetime. These numbers are not 100% accurate because definitions are not agreed on, and investor time in the market can be very different. As an investor, survive the first 5! When the market crashes, and it will, stay invested. Better yet, keep your regular contributions going. Just like in pickleball, keep it simple, keep your money in, and you increase your likelihood of success. My belief is that your financial planner’s job is to help you not make big mistakes. We can’t control many things in trying to make you rich. We have a lot of control over our behaviours and emotions and can stop you from going broke or making the big mistakes. The next time there is a bear market or a crash, remember to survive the first five.