Hello Reader,

Two things I genuinely enjoy in my free time (which may say something about me):

reading Buddhist books… and listening to investing podcasts.

Recently, those two worlds collided in a way that really stuck with me.

I’ve been re-reading The Wisdom of No Escape by Pema Chödrön. One of the core ideas she explores is that we often try to escape discomfort — and that doing so isn’t all that wise.

It isn’t that the things we use to distract ourselves are inherently bad.

It’s that they pull us away from the present moment — especially when that moment is uncomfortable.

Her point is simple, but challenging:

Around the same time, I was listening to an investing podcast where a finance professor was walking through decades of research. His conclusion was essentially this:

for most people, staying invested in the stock market is usually the best option.

Not because it’s risk-free.

Not because it always feels good.

But because, when you look forward, there’s no clearly better alternative.

Markets are volatile. They’re uncomfortable. They test our patience and our nerves. And yet, again and again, the data suggests that trying to escape that discomfort — timing the market, sitting in cash indefinitely, constantly changing course — almost always leads to worse outcomes.

Wisdom isn’t about finding a perfect, painless solution. It’s about recognizing when the best path forward is simply to stay present, stay engaged, and resist the urge to escape.

That doesn’t make it easy.

It doesn’t make it certain.

But it may still make it wise.

As always, feel free to hit reply if this sparked a thought or question — I read and respond to every email.

Best,
Dave

PS: if investing via a retirement plan is something on your mind, join my friend Julie Herres and me for a live webinar on April 24! The Retirement Ladder Webinar: A $50k-$1M Investment Playbook​