In investing (or any discipline that relies heavily on graphs, for that matter), the trendline is an important reminder of the big picture. While I could become easily mired in the daily and weekly ups and downs of Microsoft stock, for example, if I zoom out far enough, a clear trend emerges: things are going up, and continuing to go up. While this is a gross oversimplification, the implication is that Microsoft stock has a favorable direction in the longer term, and is perhaps worth a buy.

The problem is when you get stuck zoomed in too far. Look at any given day or week, and you will see Microsoft stock dropping 5% or 10%. With this closed-in view, things looks dismal. It signals emotions like fear and doubt. It seems that perhaps the ship has sailed, that you ought to sell or avoid buying, that Microsoft is going down in flames. And yet, if you simply zoom out a bit further, you find that a few weeks later the line rises again and reaches new peaks, and the trendline continues upwards.

While I would never suggest that I’m here do dish out great investing advice, it behooves everyone to look for the trendlines in more than just stock portfolios. Rather than agonizing over the moments -- the days and weeks -- draw your attention to the trendline. Recognize that there will absolutely be up and downs, but it’s the direction of the line that covers months and years of time, not days and weeks, that should guide our decision-making. The goal is to go from the bottom left of the graph towards the top right -- the trajectory may be linear, but the path never will.

- PS

8/23/18

• 30 min AMRAP

• 25 cal row

• 20 push-ups

• 15 pull-ups

• 10 alt. pistols

• 5 HSPU