Love That See Ya
The worst race I ever ran was the 10-mile GW Parkway Classic (and I hope whoever changed it to the PNC Alexandria Half realizes what a mistake they made) the year after I PR’d the same race. The reason is I was overconfident, went out way too fast, and then limped the last two miles to the finish. The only consolation was that around mile 9.1, I got passed by an 80-plus-year-old (I was probably 30) on his way to taking first in the senior division. That at least gave me hope I might stay fast for a few more decades (if I run smart).
The point is that I’ve come to know my pattern. When I think I know what I’m doing, I like to start fast and go hard, but that can leave me having to really figure it out in order to get across the finish line. So it goes with each season of these whatever-they-are. I tend to burn out toward the end, get rejuvenated during the break, start working ahead, hit a sweet spot, and then hit a lull. The lull is real. None of us can be all go all the time. The key is having habits that help you push through.
The lull is real.
I’m lucky I get to invest. I think it’s something a lot of people wish they could do. The catch-22, though, is that being able to do it means not doing it a lot. What I mean by that is that when I was younger I thought Warren Buffett’s “fat pitch” maxim was dumb. Because why wait for the perfect opportunity when you could go out and find one?
But in my experience, the best opportunities find you, not the other way around. I’m not sure why that is, and I’m not recommending passivity, but it’s something to be aware of. That said, there are plenty of people in our space who seem to think they can manufacture returns. And maybe they can. More power to them. Track record, returns, and time horizon are all more esoteric than we’d like to think.
But the lull is real.
A few weeks ago, I linked to that Edward Jones ad Hassan sent me – the one that said being rich is about knowing what counts. I tossed it aside as saccharine, but I can’t get the idea out of my head. If the lull is real, you have to know what counts. And when you see what counts, because the lull is real, don’t miss it.
Speaking of what counts, I wish you a joyous holiday season with family and friends. This concludes Season 6, and Unqualified Opinions tentatively plans to see you in the spring – though we may be down an editor and illustrator since SGW (drumroll please) is due in February.
Congratulations, Sarah! Should we even contemplate sending these whatever-they-are out without her? Although she did tell me no maternity leave is required for drawing dots. Love that.
See ya.
– Tim
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