A few things that have (re)occurred to me recently…
What you pay attention to is what you get
I feel that not truly understanding, or even nominally appreciating, the power of thought is a major contributor to the current state of human affairs.
Everything is made of thought. Thought is what we are as an activity of awareness.
If I pay attention to the thought “that person really winds me up”, guess what? I feel wound up and am likely to act accordingly.
If I pay attention to the thought “I really want to hear what this person has to say” I am likely to put aside distractions and listen.
The thoughts that you pay attention to will determine how you feel and how you are likely act.
How could it possibly be otherwise?
The thing about 1 in 100 year events
Pandemics, wars, natural disasters etc.
They are everywhere, their number is infinite, it must be.
It’s little surprise we experience them so often.
In fact, it’s a surprise we don’t experience them more often.
It’s also surprising that we’re surprised when they happen, given how common they are.
“Perfect is the enemy of good”
To me “perfect” and “good” are very different things and often confused.
A good investment strategy is one you can stick with.
The perfect investment strategy theoretically produces the best returns but only exists in hindsight and, even if you could plot it in advance, would not be stuck to.
As you strive for perfection you reduce the chances of getting “good”.
I’m happy with “good”, it’s good enough for me.
We can’t be all things to all people so we have one sensible portfolio and then seek out people who can understand and appreciate our approach rather than adapt for the next person through the door.