Big idea: Trying to perfectly time the market is almost impossible. Starting earlier usually matters more than timing it perfectly.
Many people wait for:
- 'the next dip'
- 'the right moment'
- 'better conditions'
But markets often move unexpectedly.
Some of the strongest growth days happen right after the biggest drops — and missing even a few of those can impact long-term returns.
Big rebounds often arrive while things still feel uncertain, which is why so many people miss them.
Why waiting feels safe (but rarely helps)
Waiting can feel logical. But while you wait:
- your money isn’t invested
- you miss potential gains
- compounding is delayed
- you stay in “decision mode” instead of “action mode”
📊 Quick fact: If you had invested in the S&P 500 for 20 years and missed just the 10 best trading days , your overall return would be cut by more than half compared with staying fully invested the entire period — simply because those top days matter so much.
Most people miss those top days not on purpose, but because they pulled out during uncertainty or waited too long to re-enter.
Time in the market, not timing the market
Long-term investors benefit from staying invested through ups and downs — not from predicting them.
Why should I care?
Because waiting for the perfect moment often means never starting.
And you don’t need perfect — you just need to begin.
Remember, the biggest impact you can have is by starting early and staying the course. That’s why time in the market is key.
Try this today
Ask yourself: “If the market dropped 5% tomorrow, would I really know it was the bottom?”
Probably not — nobody does.
And even if it was (or wasn’t), we can’t predict what the market will do next.
