I often walk my three All-American breed dogs through the woods behind my parent’s house. There, they can run free, chase squirrels and splash through the creek. It is their chance to be dogs the way dogs were created to be, even if it is only for a little while. While they are having fun, I walk with my eyes focused on the ground so I don’t trip or are surprised by something, especially a slithery snake. But, by moving forward with my eyes to my feet, I miss everything that is all around me. I miss the big picture. This time of year if I look up, I can see the sun shining through shimmery leaves of yellow, green and gold. The frogs occasionally leap from the side of the creek to safely in the water (as if I would want to even think about catching them). Sometimes I even see a few deer.
It occurred to me when I was walking yesterday, that this is what short term market moves and the media have trained consumers to do with their investments. To watch for immediate “dangers” – a day with a negative market, adverse political news at home and abroad, and any other event that might be perceived as robbing us of our wealth. The media feeds on our fears and keeps our eyes looking out for tripping hazards instead of looking up and seeing the big picture, the long term perspective on investing. If we can instead look at the long term, and the success that disciplined investing in a well-thought out portfolio has always produced in the long run, our financial futures will be much more successful, our walks through life more enjoyable.
