• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Masters Advisors

  • About Us
  • Our Services
  • Blog
  • Client Login
  • Contact Us

The Master’s Minute

Helpful Tools and Tips

I Don’t Know and I Don’t Care

June 15, 2016 by Garrison R. North

An attitude of “I don’t know and I don’t care” can be quite distasteful. It is generally a statement made in a tone of voice used in an argument or as a snide remark. However, I believe it has a place in our industry. I would not recommend this attitude toward a person, but it might come in handy when it relates to the day-to-day activities of the stock market.

The financial services industry does not want you to take an “I don’t care” attitude toward the stock market. We are bombarded with commercials and advertisements encouraging us to “take advantage of trends” and “be an opportunistic investor.” Whether it is a discount online brokerage firm or a large advice-giving firm, many center their value propositions completely on outwitting the stock market. They want you to be constantly researching stocks, making trades and obsessing over your account balances every hour of every day. They want money to be the complete and consuming focus of your life. They also want you to believe that you can consistently predict how the market will perform.

It seems clear to me that the financial advice industry is selling an illusion of control. They try to get us to believe that we can control, predict and manipulate the stock market to work in our favor and that the more we focus on money, the more of it we can have. It really is a ludicrous sales pitch.

At Master’s we define financial planning as focusing our behaviors on the things we actually can control. How much we save, how we react when the market takes a dive, what financial goals we set for ourselves and what strategies we use to achieve those goals are behaviors that we can control. Trying to “outsmart the market” is not on that list.

Prudent investing through diversification, proper risk assessment and asset allocation is an important part of reaching our financial goals, but it is merely a means to an end. It is a necessary discipline on the path to achieving our financial goals and living a life of fulfillment that is centered on something other than money. So the next time someone asks you what the market did today, whether you think China’s economy is slowing down or when you think the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates next, reply with “I don’t know, and I don’t care” in the most polite way possible. We at Master’s will do the same.

Filed Under: Blog, Market + Industry

Primary Sidebar

Search Blog

Archives

Footer

Receive Master’s Minute Blog Articles Today

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

480 New Holland Ave
Suite 7201
Lancaster, PA 17602

  • Facebook Link
  • LinkedIn Link

Contact Us
Albridge log in | Client log in

Securities America Form CRS  |  Privacy Policy  |  Important Disclosures  |  Web Accessibility  |  Site Map

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Securities offered through Securities America Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Master's Advisors is not affiliated with the Securities America companies. Advisory services offered through Securities America Advisors, Inc. This site is published for residents of the United States and is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security or product that may be referenced herein. Persons mentioned on this website may only offer services and transact business and/or respond to inquiries in states or jurisdictions in which they have been properly registered or are exempt from registration. Not all products and services referenced on this site are available in every state, jurisdiction or from every person listed. This communication is strictly intended for individuals residing in the states of CO, DE, FL, IL, IN, KY, MD, ME, NC, NE, NJ, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WV, WY. No offers may be made or accepted from any resident outside the specific state(s) referenced. PLEASE NOTE: The information being provided is strictly as a courtesy. When you link to any of the websites provided here, you are leaving this website. We make no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at these websites. The company is not liable for any direct or indirect technical or system issues or any consequences arising out of your access to or your use of third party technologies, websites, information, and programs made available through this website. When you access one of these websites, you are leaving our website and assume total responsibility and risk for your use of the websites you are linking to. All images and Content Copyright © 2020 Masters Advisors, Inc. Securities America and its representatives do not provide tax or legal advice; therefore it is important to coordinate with your tax or legal advisor regarding your specific situation. Check the background of this firm on FINRA's BrokerCheck.

Copyright © 2023 Master’s Advisors. All Rights Reserved. Designed by TinyFrog Technologies.