Life Is a Stock Chart

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Quote

“Could you imagine we’d work our whole lives, just to spend our retirement like this?” - Some guy

Life Is a Stock Chart

Work hard, play hard.

We have all heard the saying, but today we are going to make sure you don’t forget to do the second part of this iconic line.

The common (and unfortunate) trend is for people to put their heads down and grind for 30 years working 60-hour weeks, practice extreme frugality, and skip out on once in a lifetime experiences just to “make it.”

Once they reach that point, and stop punching the clock at retirement, some realize that during that time they completely forgot to have a little fun.

Here is a unique analogy to put this phenomenon into perspective.

Stock Chart Life

Take a look at the S&P 500 chart shown above.

Sure, it has gone up over the long run, but there have been drawdowns and flat periods mixed in that time. Those “pullbacks” represent all the things we actually care about.

Trips you took with family.

Cool experiences you paid for with friends.

Maybe the 5-year flat period is right when you started a family and you had no clue how a little human could cost so much.

Maybe you disagree, but these will be a lot more important than a number sitting in a bank account.

“Frugal” Bubble

Those that have lived their life as a stock chart that goes straight up will likely face a “bubble” moment somewhere down the line.

Years and years of stacking cash, skipping night outs, and turning down the fun experiences. The number racking up in one’s bank account is exciting, but the number of memories and stories you have to tell your kids one day…not so much.

Then the bubble moment comes.

Were all those gains worth it?

Or did you reach the top just to wish you could take part of that fortune and trade it for a few more memories with your kids, another trip with your best friends, or maybe a year of vacation doing whatever you wanted?

Scary maybe, but it’s a question we will all have to answer at some point.

Don’t take what you have for granted, a couple of bumps in your net worth on the way up won’t make a big difference long term.

(and just like a stock chart, it’s healthy)

Conclusion

Before you become an absolute slob at your day job let me be clear.

I’m not saying to not work. But I am saying to be aware of the “hustle” culture that tells us to ignore all fun. Sure, there will be times when one has to grind and make a career for themselves, but if you don’t look up you’ll be 10 years down the road and realize you left a decade worth of experiences in the dust behind you.

This might sound weird coming from a 24 (soon to be 25) year old as that is generally considered young. You better believe I felt old though when my girlfriend recently told me “Dang Cade you are halfway to 50.”

Ideally, for me, I’ll be able to tell my kids “Your dad worked hard, but I played harder.”

Have some fun out there, Cade.

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Nothing in this email is intended to serve as financial advice. Do your own research. Thanks for reading, if you have any questions, comments, suggestions, etc. about the email don’t hesitate to send me a reply