As a former hurdler, the lesson came early. You can't control the weather, the competition, or how your legs feel on race day. But you can control your preparation, your strategy, and your mindset. Investing works exactly the same way.
As of late May 2026, major US stock indexes are sitting near all-time highs, despite ongoing war, elevated oil prices, rising inflation, and Fed rate cuts likely off the table. Most people didn't see that combination coming. But here's the thing: you don't need to predict it. You just need a process.
Here are five lessons that can make you a better investor.
1. Most experts are not worth your time.
What gets presented as fact is usually just opinion. Don't make investment decisions based on predictions. Put them on mute and focus on your own process.
2. Headlines are built to trigger emotion.
Fear-mongering and hype are two sides of the same coin. If you enjoy the drama, treat it as entertainment. Just don't let it anywhere near your portfolio.
3. Process matters most when it feels the hardest.
The right move rarely feels comfortable. Your gut and your process will rarely agree. When they conflict, trust the process.
4. The market is forward-looking.
A terrible economic backdrop might actually be the best time to buy. The market is already pricing in tomorrow right when today looks the darkest.
5. You don't need to predict the future.
As Mark Twain put it, "It's not what you don't know that gets you in trouble. It's what you think you know that just ain't so." Build a process that doesn't depend on predicting the unpredictable.
The investors who make it through difficult markets aren't the ones with the best crystal ball. They're the ones with the most disciplined process. Not prediction. Process.
