But First! I Had My First “Success” on YouTube!

I can’t even tell you how difficult it’s been to get traction on YouTube. So to finally have a video cross 1k views feels good and I have to boast a little.

Should You Pull Your Money Out of the Market Right Now?

The U.S. just went to war with Iran.
Inflation is creeping back up.
Interest rates are staying higher for longer.

And the market dropped…

2.5%.

Not 25%.
Not 50%.

2.5%.

But even a small drop is enough to make people panic and start asking:

Should I Pull All My Money Out

Before you listen to the media (who profits from fear) or influencers (who profit from clicks), let’s talk about what actually matters:

We’ve got exciting updates, fresh faces, and some serious miles ahead. Whether you’re training for your next race or just getting started, we’ve got something for everyone.

What do smart middle-class investors do in moments like this?

The Reality: War Feels Worse Than It Is (Financially)

War is serious. No question.

But the market doesn’t behave the way people think it does during global conflict.

Historically:

• WWII: ~17% returns

• Korean War: ~19%

• Vietnam: ~8%

• Gulf War: ~15%

• Iraq War: ~12%

• Afghanistan: ~8%

Even more interesting:

👉 In 19 out of 20 major conflicts since 1900, the market recovered in about 28 days

And on average:

• During war: ~12–13% returns

• One year after: ~15–16% returns

Let that sink in.

There’s a big difference between:

• “This is a serious global event”

• And

• “I should blow up my financial plan”

So What Should You Actually Do?

f you’re a middle-class household (roughly $70K–$350K income), here’s what smart investors focus on:

1. Keep Investing (and don’t touch your portfolio)

This is where most people mess up.

They think:

“I’ll pull out now and jump back in later”

That rarely works.

The stock market averages about 10% per year.
But if you miss just the 10 best days, your return gets cut in half.

Miss the 20 best days?
You’re barely growing at all.

Here’s what that looks like:

• $10K invested for 30 years → ~$198K

• Miss the 10 best days → ~$49K

• Miss the 20 best days → ~$22K

Same market. Same timeline.
Just different behavior.

👉 The difference isn’t intelligence—it’s discipline.

In fact, studies show women outperform men in investing by about 1% annually… largely because they don’t trade as much.

“Set it and forget it” isn’t lazy—it’s effective.

2. Protect Your Cash Flow

Smart investors don’t panic—but they do get sharper.

Inflation quietly eats your lifestyle.

An $8,000/month lifestyle can turn into $9,000–$10,000 fast if you’re not paying attention.

Here’s a simple reset:

• Print your last month of spending

• Use 3 colors:

  • Needs

  • Wants you’ll keep

  • Waste

Then compare:
👉 Total spending vs income

Your goal:
Keep spending around 80% so you can invest 20%

Even small changes matter:

• An extra $100/month invested = $226K over 30 years

Also:

• Avoid upgrading your life right now (cars, houses at high rates)

• If you have high-interest debt → pay that off

👉 Paying off debt is a guaranteed return

3. Adjust Only If You’re Near Retirement

There is one exception:

If you’re within ~5 years of retirement.

At that point, you should already be shifting into a more conservative strategy.

A simple framework:

• 0–3 years → cash (HYSA, money market, CDs)

• 3–7 years → bonds

• 7+ years → stocks

Why?

So you’re not forced to sell investments during a downturn.

Also:
👉 Every $1/month in debt requires about $300 in retirement savings to support it

Which is why eliminating debt becomes even more important here.

The Bottom Line

Fear is normal.

But reacting to fear is what destroys wealth.

The families who build generational wealth don’t do it by timing the market.

They do it by:

• Staying consistent

• Ignoring noise

• Investing through uncertainty

Your kid’s future isn’t built on what you do when the market is up.
It’s built on what you do when everything feels uncertain.

Stay the course.

That’s it for this week.

As always, if you need anything, just let me know!

Dan