As a kid I loved maps. I’m not sure what it was about a map that had such strong appeal to me - maybe it was exploring new places or the excitement of an adventure. And long before everyone had a GPS in their iPhone, I used an atlas to traverse the Southeast US in my travels as a college basketball referee. I loved mapping out my route to Lander University in Greenwood, SC or Southeast Louisiana University in Hammond.

As a financial advisor, I often use stories to communicate how we assist in navigating the journey to a successful investment experience. I recently reflected on my fondness for maps when talking with a prospective client about the importance of investment discipline. I noted that many amusement parks use the “You Are Here” technique to help parkgoers navigate the unfamiliar surroundings.

I noted that the same technique is helpful in putting one’s investment experience into context. I pulled out the chart above and asked the gentleman to consider how last year’s temporary declines in the market might parallel the “You Are Here” blip noted in 2015.

It’s inevitable that one’s investment journey has both peaks and valleys. It’s also undeniable that investing in a basket of the world’s best companies will yield an onward and upward march of one’s wealth.