Some of the greatest athletes weren’t always the most physically gifted throughout history, but they won with confidence and minds.
I’m not gonna name names because I’m still recovering from the Super Bowl. Still, everyone is probably thinking of the same NFL player who may not be the most physically gifted, but where he lacks in that department, he more than makes up with confidence and mental skills… to the tune of 7 Super Bowl championships.
I can think of another player who fits the mold of someone who wins with his mind and confidence: Wayne Gretzky. Not many people remember, but Gretzky briefly played with the St. Louis Blues in 18 games in the 1995 to 1996 season. So the “Great One” did grace Missouri with his presence at one time – even if it was brief.
Gretzky does not look like the greatest scorer in the game’s history. He was 6’0″ and 185 pounds, and he was not particularly strong. While he was a magnificent skater with incredible balance, he was not the fastest player. He had a hard slap shot, but he did not rip the puck like Bobby Hull or Bobby Orr. But when Gretzky saw an opening, he could hit his spot like nobody before or since.
The key to Gretzky’s greatness was when he saw an opening – whether to score or to pass – he could take advantage of that opening like no other player in history.
His experience and confidence to put the puck in the perfect place – either to pass to a teammate for a score or to score himself – was what set him apart from everyone else. It’s how he was able to lead the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships and how he was able to retire as the NHL’s leading goal scorer – a record that stands to this day.
As investors, 2021 is our opening. After more than a year of lockdowns, social distancing, and economic decline, the rebound is near. The CDC is relaxing guidelines. Vaccines are out and working – with one-shot and oral versions looking to hit the public soon. Nationwide, states are eager to get back to business – the cost to the average citizen’s financial well-being no longer worth the restrictions.
Texas and Mississippi’s governors announced that they were rescinding their statewide mask mandates and allowing restaurants and other businesses to return to 100% capacity in early March. Along with Iowa, Montana, and North Dakota, which recently lifted their mask orders, these states are part of an emerging trend of some states bucking national and international public health recommendations. Alabama and Utah plan to do the same in April.
The tipping point is near. Will you take advantage of the opening and hit your shot with confidence, or will you shrink to the background and let others seize the glory? And in failure, it’s not how hard you’re hit but how high you bounce… and 2021 and 2022 will be your chance to bounce high… very high.
Will you take advantage of the imminent rebound?
The opportunities in the alternative investment classes in the private markets will be plentiful. Private companies are getting back to raising capital just like businesses big and small and workers getting back to business.
There will be no lack of passive income opportunities in 2021 and beyond. It can provide investors with the opening they’re seeking to accelerate their financial independence path in the right hands.
How am I advocating different from playing the stock market or dipping into the cryptocurrency pool like everyone else is doing?
Because with proper due diligence, planning, and partnering with the right experts in their fields, many of the potential risks inherent with many private investments can be mitigated – ensuring a higher probability of success. The same can’t be said about public investments subject to many factors out of our control like herd behavior and emotions fueled by social media and the news.
Going against the herd reminds me of an article I read in Golf Digest about Tiger Woods – who I wish a speedy recovery. The article discusses how golfers consistently aim to hit higher shots because higher shots mean better shots. In their minds, higher shots land softer, after all, and it takes plenty of speed to launch something way up there.
Tiger doesn’t follow the crowd. His default is lower shots. Why? They’re not as flashy, but his thought process is that sending the ball high allows for something you cannot control: weather conditions. Keeping the ball down gives Woods more control, which is the key to plotting your way around the golf course.
The ultra-wealthy have been hoarding cash to take advantage of the rebound. Like Tiger Woods, who prefers to eliminate variables he can’t control, like wind and weather, to improve the odds of success, ultra-wealthy investors also buck the trend by avoiding factors out of their control like mob behavior and emotions. That’s why they’ve been hoarding cash to take advantage of private investment opportunities in 2021 and beyond.
2021 will provide an opening for confident investors to take their shot and win.
Are you ready to take your shot?
