Why “Why” Doesn’t Matter

Imagine the stock market plunges 10% in a single day. You, your friends, and even your advisor might spend hours - or days - trying to explain why it happened. It doesn’t matter. It happened. It’s over. You don’t have a relationship with the stock market.

In most areas of life, “why” matters. If you say something dumb to your spouse, you might be apologizing for weeks. Blame a teammate for a mistake, and you’ll spend months rebuilding that trust. But with the market’s ups and downs, “why” doesn’t matter.

When your portfolio takes a hit, knowing why it happened won’t change the outcome. Understanding the reason won’t “fix” it. Markets move, often unpredictably, and chasing explanations for every dip is just wasted energy. If your investments are aligned with your risk tolerance, some dips are expected. Remember, the market tends to drop at least once every four years on average. And one every ten, the drop is ugly.

In the end, the market is going to do what it does. Most of the time, the smartest move is to stick to your plan. The “why” won’t change your long-term goals or your overall strategy. So, next time the market drops, skip the debate. Focus on what really matters: your plan and your path forward. Ignore the rest.