Sitting still is a Strategy..

I have been investing in equities since 2005, and honestly, the early years felt overwhelming. Not because I had cracked how markets work — but because a lot of what went right was just… luck.

Over the past two decades, my journey has taken a very different turn.

I have been fortunate to learn from some exceptional mentors who have shaped the way I think about investing. Along the way, I’ve picked up tools like DCF, reverse DCF, Dupont Analysis, EPV, various ratios like — cash conversion ratios, FCF yield to name a few— each valuable and relevant in its own right.

But if I’m being honest, none of that was the real game changer. What truly made a difference was constantly asking:

what can go wrong here?

That shift in mindset mattered far more than trying to arrive at some “perfect” intrinsic value (which is subjective anyway).

One of my biggest advantages was practicing benign neglect — choosing inaction over forced decisions. That period wasn’t about doing more, but about:

• Reading businesses
• Learning from great investors
• Actively seeking opposing views (to avoid falling into your own echo chamber)
• And quietly building capital while waiting for the right moment

Then came 2020.

As Louis Pasteur said, “Opportunity favours the prepared mind.” That was my moment. I went in with conviction — and fortunately, those bets have held up well so far.

And now, it feels like we may be staring at another such opportunity. Not that anyone is rooting for chaos — but markets tend to reward those who have done the work when uncertainty shows up.

So, the real question is:

Can you tune out the noise? Can you ignore the endless commentary on social media? And most importantly — can you build your own conviction before you act?

Because in the end, that’s what separates reacting… from investing.