Steve's Investing Strategies Blog

The Power of a Stock Basket: Lessons from Graham, Templeton, and My Personal Journey The ultimate lesson of portfolio diversification is simple: when you invest in a basket of high-quality stocks, it doesn’t matter if one or two go under. As long as a few of your picks skyrocket—the way NVIDIA did for me—the winners will massively overshadow the losers. This philosophy has guided my investing journey for decades. Looking back at an email I sent in July 2018, I reflected on my typical stock picks and a core document that shaped my career: "The Investment Owner's Contract." Living by the "Investment Owner's Contract" From January 2006 until I retired in June 2012, I dedicated my portfolio to a core group of companies: Google, Amazon, eBay, Adobe, and Apple , later adding Netflix and Tesla . For years, I believed "The Investment Owner's Contract" was tied to Warren Buffett's philosophy. However, while helping a fellow leader in my son's B...

To protect yourself from emotional buying and selling, you need an ironclad Investment Policy Statement (IPS) combined with automated investing . Writing down your rules now—and automating your purchases—will remove the emotional decision-making when the market swings. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ] Here are actionable ways to build long-term wealth and shield your portfolio from your emotions: 1. Write an "Investment Owner’s Contract" Benjamin Graham, the father of value investing, famously suggested that investors write an Investment Owner's Contract . Draft a physical or digital document outlining exactly how long you will hold your investments (e.g., 5, 10, or 20 years) and what qualifies as an emergency exit (job loss, major medical expense). When you feel the urge to sell during a market panic or buy when things are soaring, read your contract to reaffirm your long-term intentions. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ] 2. Automate Your Purchases (Dollar-Cost Averaging) The most effective w...

(First published early 2024: revised 7/4/2026) Navigating Market Volatility with a Long-Term Mindset When the stock market takes a dip, it is completely normal to feel a sense of anxiety. However, history's greatest investors have given us a timeless playbook to handle these exact moments. 1. Embrace Dollar-Cost Averaging The "father of value investing," Benjamin Graham, championed dollar-cost averaging —the practice of consistently investing a fixed amount at regular intervals, regardless of market conditions. By sticking to this discipline, you automatically buy fewer shares when prices are high and more shares when prices are low, effectively smoothing out the impact of short-term volatility over time. 2. Tune Out the Noise In a downturn, financial pundits and media commentators often flood the airwaves with conflicting advice. Peter Lynch famously noted: "Far more money has been lost by investors preparing for corrections, or trying to anticipate corrections, tha...