Being Inconsistent and Timeless Investing Wisdom

Welcome to Be 1% Better Every Monday: A weekly newsletter full of proven ideas to become smarter and wealthier. I send this every Monday.

Inconsistency

I used to think that consistency was about perfection. “If I can’t be perfect it’s just a waste of time,” I would say.

This type of thinking originates from two places:

1. A fear of failure: If we talk ourselves out of trying, we can ensure we never fail.

2. Unrealistic expectations: We tend to overestimate our own abilities.

But for the past years, I’ve adopted a different mindset, which I refer to as “strategic inconsistency.” 

Instead of trying to live up to an unrealistic ideal, we should focus on progress, not perfection. 

In other words, every little step we take toward our goal is a step in the right direction, no matter how small.

I still think consistency is one of the most important factors in achieving our goals. However, I also think that you can be successful even if you’re inconsistent at times.

Investing Wisdom

In my other new article, I share 8 pieces of wisdom from 8 legendary investors.

My favorite is this from Charlie Munger: 

Munger emphasizes the importance of humility and continuous learning in investing. 

Recognizing the limits of your knowledge will not only keep you grounded, but it will also help you to avoid money mistakes. 

Charlie Munger and Warren Buffett have built their entire careers on a simple idea: Stay away from the things you don’t understand.

Sometimes that means you miss out on an opportunity. And that’s okay. But this principle can also inspire you to learn more. That’s more important.

One interesting thing

Doing research for an article, I stumbled upon a beautiful quote from the19th century German poet Ludwig Jacobowski:

Look back on everything in life with joy.

I love this mindset from Jacobowski, who passed away at the young age of 32.

Thanks for reading! I hope you found this edition of Be 1% Better Every Monday useful.

All the best,

Zohvib