This One Chart Changed How I Invest Forever
A few years ago, I saw a chart that broke my brain.
It showed what would happen if you invested $10,000 into the S&P 500 in 2003 and just… did nothing.
No buying the dip.
No selling the top.
No guru advice.
Just stayed in.
That $10K turned into $64,844. Not bad. But here’s the wild part:
If you missed the 10 best days in the market…Your $64K drops to $29K.
Miss 20 best days? You’re down to $17K.
Miss 30? You barely beat inflation.
Miss 60? You lost money.
Same investment. Same timeframe.
Only difference? You got cute and tried to time the market.
Here’s the stat that made me sit down:
7 of the 10 best days happened within two weeks of the 10 worst days.
Translation: You can’t get the up without stomaching the down.
In fact, one of the worst days of 2020 (March 12) was immediately followed by one of the best. So if you panic sold that day? You missed the bounce.
What I Took From This
This chart made something click: Trying to avoid the pain means you also miss the gain. It’s like skipping leg day and wondering why you can’t dunk.
Now, I don’t try to time anything.
I just buy and hold. Same amount, every month. Rain or shine. My only job?
Stay in the game. Because the real enemy isn’t market crashes. It’s emotional decisions.
So What Should You Do?
Here’s my whole investing strategy in 5 words: Automate it. Don’t touch it. The market doesn’t reward brilliance. It rewards patience. And this chart is the proof.
