Investing in the Age of Algorithms
Why Discipline Beats Distraction
If you've started thinking seriously about investing your money, there's a good chance the internet has already caught on. The algorithm — and I’m not just talking about a single one on YouTube or Facebook, but the entire meta-algorithm that shapes our digital lives — will start feeding you ideas. You’ll see ads, articles, and influencers offering “the best investing system,” “the most powerful AI trading bot,” or “the secret strategy Wall Street doesn’t want you to know.”
It’s overwhelming. And it’s meant to be.
These offers aren’t all scams, but most of them are noise. They promise speed, certainty, and effortless gains — which are the exact opposites of what real investing is about. In my experience, nothing substitutes for the basics: solid knowledge, good habits, emotional regulation, and long-term thinking.
The Myth of the Magic App
Let’s be honest — if there were a perfect algorithm that consistently picked winning trades, you wouldn’t be hearing about it in a YouTube ad. Hedge funds and investment firms spend millions annually trying to gain fractions of a percent in edge. They're not giving that edge away for $29.99 a month.
There are a lot of tools out there — some useful, most not. But no tool can save an investor from the deeper work: learning to manage risk, understanding market cycles, and above all, staying disciplined when things get hard.
What Astrology Has to Do With It
I approach this through a blend of traditional investing and astrological self-reflection. Now, to be clear, I don't use astrology to time the markets or predict prices. That’s a losing game. Instead, astrology helps us understand ourselves — our habits, fears, and emotional triggers.
When the market drops, do you panic? When it surges, do you overextend? These are the kinds of behaviors that undermine even the best portfolios. Astrology, for me, is a way to observe those patterns with clarity — like holding up a mirror. If you’re not into astrology, that’s fine. Any system of self-reflection can serve this role. The point is to know yourself and manage your reactions.
The Importance of Process Over Hype
Since the late '90s, I’ve been building a data-driven system focused on identifying the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500. Every day, I download and analyze data — not just for the S&P 500, but for over 4,000 publicly traded companies.
My focus, though, is consistent: tracking and updating a core portfolio of top performers. Companies rise in and fall out of that list, and I adjust accordingly. This isn’t a quick-flip strategy. It’s a long-term discipline aimed at slow, powerful wealth accumulation.
The goal isn't to beat the market every single week — it’s to build a strategy that compounds steadily, aiming for something like 20–25% returns annually. That may not sound as sexy as “100x crypto gems,” but over a decade, it’s transformative. Many professional advisors don’t beat this benchmark, and it’s often due to high fees, fund churn, and emotional overreactions.
Avoid the Distractions. Stay the Course.
When you start on your investing journey, you're going to be inundated with information. The digital ecosystem will serve you ads, apps, and advice constantly. But remember: attention is the currency these platforms are trading in. Just because it shows up in your feed doesn’t mean it deserves your time.
Investing isn’t about shortcuts. It’s about practice — the habit of saving, investing regularly, and reviewing your process. Over time, that beats the hype machines every time.
So if you’re just getting started, don’t worry about having the perfect tool or the best insider tip. Start small. Be consistent. Build your understanding. And above all, stay focused on the process.
Because in the end, the best investor isn’t the one with the flashiest algorithm — it’s the one who can keep their cool, stick to their system, and grow their wealth brick by brick.