Thinking Differently About the Recent Headlines
Yesterday, I spoke with a client who felt genuinely rattled by recent events in Minnesota and by the broader sense that the country is heading in the wrong direction. If you’ve felt that same tension in your chest—like the ground is shifting under your feet—you’re not alone. These moments can make even the most thoughtful investors wonder if they should “do something.”
Here’s the part that matters: that feeling is human.
It’s your brain trying to protect you from uncertainty, and uncertainty is uncomfortable. The problem is that markets don’t reward comfort—they reward discipline.
Headlines hit emotions faster than they hit fundamentals
When the news cycle turns intense, it can feel personal. Not because it changes your portfolio overnight, but because it changes your sense of safety and control. And when we feel out of control, our instincts push us toward action—any action—just to feel like we’re regaining the wheel.
That’s also when investors are most at risk of making expensive decisions. Not because they lack intelligence, but because emotion can override process. The biggest damage usually comes from breaking discipline at exactly the wrong moment.
The airplane analogy
I used an airplane analogy with that client that I think fits moments like this.
In aviation, the way you fly depends on the conditions. When visibility is good, pilots can lean more on what they see outside the cockpit. When visibility drops—clouds, turbulence, low ceilings—they shift to instrument-driven flying, guided by training and procedure.
Either way, pilots don’t just take off and “see what happens.” They begin with a flight plan: route, fuel, alternates, and clear steps for what to do if conditions change. And when the weather turns, they don’t abandon the plan in a rush. They follow a checklist, rely on instruments, and keep flying with discipline until conditions improve.
That doesn’t mean “no changes.” It means intentional changes. A pilot may adjust altitude to find smoother air or reroute around a storm cell—but those moves are pre-planned and made within a framework, based on instruments and procedure, not fear.
Investing works the same way.
When everything feels calm, it’s easy to stay rational. When conditions get cloudy—scary headlines, uncertainty, fear about the future—your discipline and your “instruments” matter more than the headlines.
What are your investing instruments?
In periods like this, the goal isn’t to predict what happens next. The goal is to keep your decisions anchored to what you can control. Here are the “instruments” that tend to keep investors on course:
A clear plan that matches your goals, time horizon, and needs
A portfolio built for volatility, not one that assumes smooth returns
Quality and fundamentals over narratives and noise
Liquidity where it belongs, so you’re not forced to sell at the wrong time
Rebalancing and risk rules that keep emotion from setting your allocation
A long-term perspective, because time is the investor’s unfair advantage
Notice what’s missing: prediction.
We believe the best portfolio is the one you can stick with when you’re not feeling your best.
“This too shall pass” isn’t denial—it’s perspective
I’ve been an advisor for 25+ years. Over that time, I’ve heard serious concerns about the direction of the country from both sides of the political spectrum, in many different seasons. The characters, the headlines, and the talking points change—but the emotional pattern is remarkably consistent.
And so is the investing lesson.
In the end, it’s fundamentals, quality, conviction, a plan for volatility, and the ability to maintain a long-term perspective that wins.
That doesn’t mean you ignore what’s happening or pretend it doesn’t matter. It means you recognize that your portfolio is not a ballot, a headline, or a news alert—it’s a tool to fund your life. When emotions run hot, the most powerful move is often the simplest one: return to the plan, check the instruments, and keep flying.
If you’re feeling uneasy, that’s a signal
If the headlines have you on edge, it may be a good time to revisit your plan—calmly. Not to react, but to confirm you’re positioned to endure volatility without making decisions you’ll regret. Sometimes peace of mind comes less from changing the portfolio and more from remembering why it was built the way it was.
This too shall pass.
The question is whether we can let it pass without handing the steering wheel to fear.
Disclosure: This is general commentary and not personalized investment advice. Any strategy should be evaluated based on your goals, time horizon, and risk tolerance.
