What I Think: The Work Has Been Done 3 Years Ago
Recently, I was reviewing my investment portfolio and noticed it’s up 30% year-to-date.
Naturally, I thought, “If it’s up 30%, I must have done something right—or maybe I’m just lucky.”
But this isn’t about celebrating my returns.
What struck me is that I haven’t traded much in my portfolio over the past three years.
Every stock that’s delivering results now has been there for that long.
It made me realize that the work I put into building my portfolio—researching, strategizing, and investing—was done years ago.
The results I’m seeing today are the outcome of actions taken in the past.
Long-Term Thinking
Important lesson: most of what we experience today is the result of decisions made long ago.
We often think in terms of what happened yesterday, last week, or last month, but success and failure require a much longer perspective.
For example:
If you’re in great shape today, it’s the result of 2-5 years of consistent training—mentally, physically, and emotionally.
If you earned a college degree, that’s the result of years of learning and hard work. It’s not just about passing a final exam; it’s about the repeated effort of learning, going to class, and completing homework over time.
Look At a Longer Past Timeline
In life, we tend to associate current events with recent causes because they’re easy to see, track, and measure.
But in reality, most successes or failures are the accumulation of choices made 5, 10, or even 20 years ago.
Aim for a Longer Term Perspective
It’s essential to take a long-term view—both of the past and the future.
If you want to build a successful career or build a worldclass business, think about the decisions you’re making today.
The way you approach your work, health, and relationships today isn’t just shaping tomorrow; it’s laying the foundation for the results you’ll see in 10 years or more.
In some cases, your influence may last far beyond your lifetime, like Jesus or Steve Jobs.
Even the Substack I’m writing on today is built on a foundation of technological advancements and innovations that have developed over decades.
Think long term—both backward and forward.
When you look to the future and compare it with your actions today, you’ll better understand what to add, adjust, or reduce to achieve your long-term goals.
Be great.
Ricky