1) 80% of gains come in 20% of time. So an investor needs enormous patience and conviction to hold stocks or Mutual funds for 10 or 20 years.
2) Why not all investors get rich? They like to get rich without going through many years of discipline and patience. Process leads to outcome.
3) An inferior strategy you can stick with is likely to produce better results than a superior strategy you cannot stick with.
4) Prices change frequently. Value change over a period of time. There lies the opportunity.
5) Compounding is back loaded. It works well only over a longer period of time. There is no substitute for time in compounding.
6) 99% of the time, doing nothing is the best thing to do in the market. It is good to be a Rip Van Winkle investor. Activity hurts. Sit still.
7) You cannot predict or control markets. What you can control is how much you save, investment process and behaviour. Focus only on that.
8) Random outcome doesn’t invalidate the need for a process. Sound process and consistently sticking to the same increases the chance of luck.
9) Investors are human. That’s why markets would never be fully efficient.
10) Markets usually run ahead or fall behind. Rarely in equilibrium. Over or under valuation can last for long time. Don’t time the market.
11) Buying and selling is easy. It is holding on through ups and downs is difficult, but ultimately most rewarding.
12) Shelby Davis started investing only at age 38 with $50,000. Died at age 85 with $900 million. 23.2% annual return for nearly 5 decades.
13) Shelby Davis is considered the second greatest (5 decades of successful investing is very rare) stock investor after Warren Buffett.
14) Shelby Davis story shows starting late is not a big liability, provided you live long.
15) Tiny drops of water make the mighty ocean. Invest regularly. Invest for the long term. You can create huge wealth.
16) Not investing in equity is more risky than investing in it. Remember, you need to beat the inflation and retain your purchasing power.
17) We see past bear markets as missed opportunities. However, thinking about future bear markets is gut wrenching. Strange investor psyche.
18) If someone keeps reviewing the value of his house every day, we may suspect his mental health. But that’s what we keep doing with our equities.
19) Equity investments are subject to behaviour risks. Always keep a check on our emotions while investing.
