Benjamin Beck, CFP®If you’ve ever felt fear, frustration, or regret during a market downturn—this message is for you. Not to shame you. Not to patronize you. But to tell you the unvarnished truth. Because this isn’t just about you—it’s about human nature. It’s about the way our brains are hardwired to sabotage us when stakes are high, and emotions take over.
We are all carriers of a disease. It’s not metaphorical. It’s very real. It’s the emotional virus that infects every investor at one point or another. Like the shingles virus, it's dormant—until stress activates it. And when it activates, it can wreak havoc.
Most people—most investors—have no idea they even carry it. They don’t know that the very wiring of their brain is designed to push them into exactly the wrong decision at exactly the wrong time. It’s fight-or-flight, but applied to markets. And markets punish that behavior every single time.
There is no vaccine. There’s no permanent cure. But there is a treatment. The antidote is exposure—a consistent, repeated, proactive dosing of perspective. Of education. Of accountability. Of what we call the unvarnished truth.
We refer to this as your vitamin C. And just like real vitamin C, your body can’t store it in excess. You don’t take a massive dose once and think you’re good for life. It needs to be in your system every day. Same with this. You need to be reminded of how investing works, what your GPS says, and why sticking to the plan matters—especially when things feel uncertain.
When you’re working with us, we’re not just managing your investments. We’re administering your behavioral immune system. That is the job.
Let me tell you about John.
John called and said he was probably moving his accounts to another firm. He told me he’d "lost" $80,000. He was too close to retirement. He just couldn’t take the risk anymore. And he believed—based on no math, just emotion—that $1 million was enough to retire.
Here’s the thing: we had already had this conversation. We had built a plan. We call it the GPS—Goals Planning Statement. And unlike some generic financial plan that gets printed once and tossed in a drawer, the GPS is a living, breathing contract between us and our clients. It outlines not just what the goals are, but how we’re going to reach them. It spells out responsibilities—on both sides. And it provides the framework to hold each other accountable when things get hard.
But over time, John drifted. Like many investors, he experienced the early stages of panic. He hadn’t been getting the regular doses of vitamin C. The emotional virus started to flare. And I could see where this was headed. So we had a very direct conversation. No sugarcoating. No spin. Just the unvarnished truth.
That’s what we do here at Beck Bode. That’s what the GPS is for. That’s what vitamin C is for.
The Two Forms of Capital
Here’s another unvarnished truth: capital resolves into two forms. That’s it.
- Wealth – Capital that earns more than it’s being spent. It compounds. It grows. It strengthens.
- Money that runs out – Capital that is drawn down faster than it grows. It shrinks. It disappears.
There’s no gray area. Your capital is either growing stronger, or it’s dying.
If you want the ability to take withdrawals that increase with inflation, or even beyond inflation, there is only one viable path: long-term investing in equities. Not bonds. Not cash. Not clever short-term trades. Real ownership of real businesses with real growth.
And yet, many people walk through life trying to split the difference. They want safety without sacrifice. They want risk-free returns. They want to believe that "just enough" is enough.
Let me be blunt: if your goal is to run out of money at the exact moment you take your last breath, we are not your firm. Because that’s not a strategy. That’s a fantasy.
What the GPS Is—and What It’s Not
The GPS is not a one-and-done spreadsheet. It’s not a pitch. It’s a shared understanding between client and advisor. It details what’s required to make sure your money lasts. But it only works if you keep showing up. If you keep asking the hard questions. If you let us keep delivering the unvarnished truth.
When markets are calm, the GPS feels unnecessary. When times are good, most people ignore it. But when volatility comes, it’s the only thing that matters. And if you haven’t been reinforcing it—if you haven’t built up resistance to the fear and noise—then the GPS is just paper.
That’s why consistency matters. That’s why the doses of vitamin C matter. And that’s why you have to commit—not just to the strategy, but to the relationship that sustains it.
The Non-Negotiables
We work best with people who want to build wealth—not chase the illusion of 'safety'. If you're looking for certainty, we can't offer it. No one can. But if you're willing to do the hard work of staying the course, of accepting the volatility, and of letting your capital work for you over time—we can help you.
But only if you're willing to show up.
That means:
- Accepting that equities are essential—not optional.
- Knowing that losses are temporary, but fear can make them permanent.
- Understanding that capital is a living thing. It needs to grow to survive.
- And embracing the unvarnished truth, even when it’s uncomfortable.
The story of John turned out to be a positive one. After our direct conversation—perhaps the super dose of vitamin C he needed—John didn’t just stay the course. He leaned in. He moved another cash account over and invested during what we see as a highly advantageous time, while equities were temporarily on sale. That’s how you win as an investor. It’s not that you don’t feel the fear, or stress, or reaction. It’s that you don’t act on them. You build resilience. You stay connected to the plan.
If you're reading this, and you’re working with us already, expect more reinforcement. More communication. More reminders of what this is all about. And if you’re not yet working with us—but you’ve been walking around with this virus unchecked—reach out.
Let’s talk about building your plan. Let’s talk about what it means to live on wealth, not money that runs out. Let’s get serious.
No gimmicks. No filters. No promises of magic.
Just the unvarnished truth—and a real plan that you can actually stick to. THIS is how we win!
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Ben Beck is Managing Partner & Chief Investment Officer at Beck Bode, a deliberately different wealth management firm with a unique view on investing, business and life