If you’re new to investing, this probably feels like being thrown into the deep end. And the truth is—it won’t be the last time. Markets move in cycles. Ups and downs are part of the journey. 

This is when your investment strategy truly gets put to the test. Some approaches don’t hold up well in turbulent times. Some portfolios may crash and never fully recover. Some investors might even face margin calls, be forced to sell, and experience real financial pain.

The fact of the matter is that most investors did not have the best chance to gain meaningful experience in stock investing during the post-COVID years like 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024. Most retail investors were shaped by oversimplified advice that was passed off as wisdom:

* Buy the dips

* ⁠Growth investing FTW

* Investing in the index will be safe

* The best time to invest is always now

* ⁠Why get rich slowly when you can 10X in a year?

They didn’t learn about stocks investing — For the most part, they only know what a bull market can do for their portfolio. Or they only learned which finfluencers are popular to follow and how forgiving the markets are… until they no longer are.

Now is the time to reassess your investing strategy—and to be honest with yourself. There are many ways to invest well, but your approach must be one that can withstand shocks like this.

That’s why, in our Moneyball Investing methodology—which we teach in the Moneyball Investors Playbook course—we place a strong emphasis on risk management. These same principles are applied in the InvestingNote Portfolio.

More often than not, investing well may mean adjusting your risk posture as the market evolves. By doing so, you will be better equipped to ride out volatility—often more smoothly than the average investor. 

At its core, investing is about growing your wealth in a reliable manner over the long-term with better risk-adjusted returns. It’s not just about chasing growth. It’s about managing downside risk and, most importantly, staying in the game. Because there’s no long-term return to speak of if you can’t survive a crisis.

This is where the idea of antifragility comes in—owning high-quality stocks that not only withstand crises, but come out stronger because of them. Build your portfolio with this in mind: the ability to recover—and even thrive—during tough times.

Additionally, moments like these also act as mirrors. They reveal who we really are as investors. Are you braver than you thought? Or did you overestimate your risk tolerance? Maybe you’ve been too cautious and missed out on long-term growth out of fear of short-term volatility.

Knowing yourself is just as important as knowing the markets. Every correction, crash, and rebound teaches us something. Let this moment shape how you approach your strategy—not from a place of fear, but from wisdom and self-awareness.

If what happened over the past week didn’t bring you any conviction—let alone any joy—it might be time to relook at your strategy. The day you can embrace the market crashes with open arms is the day you will become successful as an investor. At The Joyful Investors, we always tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear.

Don’t wish for an easier market—wish to become the kind of investor who stays grounded and joyful, even in a difficult one. Because you’ve got a game plan that adapts to how the market moves.

Deal with it and BE COOL,
Kathy Soon
CIO, InvestingNote Portfolio | TA Coach at The Joyful Investors