Good investing is like good parenting
One summer day in Texas before my Dad unexpectedly passed away, we were sitting on his back porch having a beer together. He was being quiet, and believe it or not, I’m not much of a chit chatter. I’m perfectly content to sit together in silence and not say anything.
Finally, my Dad says “you know what? I have three children, and not one of them is in jail. Life is good.”
This may seem like the perspective of an unambitious man, but my Dad was anything but that. He grew up in an abusive household, leaving at 18 with almost nothing to join the military in hopes of a better (or at least different) life for himself.
Yup that’s me with the glasses, look I had hair!
45 years later he had ascended to the highest rank possible for an enlisted man, had a family, and lived in one of the nicer neighborhoods in San Antonio. He completely changed the arc of his family in his lifetime.
Sadly though, he didn’t get to enjoy much of the fruits of his labor after retirement. 3 years later, he passed away in a freak accident.
At first, I didn’t really understand what he meant that day. But the older I get, the more those words make sense.
When we’re young we sometimes have grand plans and ideas of what our life will be. Everything seems so simple, so black and white. I’m going to do this, and then this will happen. We feel like we’re in control.
When you become a parent you realize how silly that way of thinking is.
Back when you took portraits in sweater vests and such…
Becoming a parent means transitioning from being the main character in your life’s story to totally rewriting the plot to focus on the successful ending for someone else. Only…you’re not in total control of that ending. You can only influence it.
Investing in stocks is a very similar experience. Obviously though, you can’t just get rid of a poor performing child like you can a stock. Even if some days you wish you could. 😀
But stock investing is a good reminder of how life works. You can do everything right, have your plan and research mapped out, pick the best company and then…the unexpected happens that changes everything.
That’s why investing in stocks (and being a parent) isn’t just a formula you enter into a spreadsheet where you can predict the result. It’s more like a Jackson Pollack painting. It’s messy, it almost feels random, and you can’t really fully appreciate it until it’s done and you’ve taken a couple steps back.
What this teaches us is that being right in any one moment has very little overall impact on the full picture. It’s only in the consistency of effort over time that certain values and (hopefully) better outcomes start to be visible.
But even then…it’s never guaranteed.
Enjoying a fish fry…this was one the last pics I have with my Dad
This is why the most important attribute of any parent (or investor for that matter) is simply the willingness to keep showing up and putting in the work for a chance at giving them a better life.
That’s why even with all that my Dad accomplished on his own, his thoughts while drinking a beer on a nice day were focused on the fact that all three of his children were simply doing okay.
I was lucky to have him as my Dad. I miss him, a lot.
So for all you Dads out there, I hope you have a wonderful Father’s Day and get to spend it with your loved ones. If you’re lucky enough to still have your own Dad around, tell him you love him and how happy he should be that you’re not in jail. 😊
Have a wonderful week, and I’ll see you next Sunday!
Portfolio Updates for the Week
No updates this week. I have some dividends hitting next week, so likely will be buying then.
New Content for the Week
Are Apple’s Plans Enough to Bring Growth Back?
Watch on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts
Here’s the Issue with These Common Investing Myths
Watch on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts
