Thankful for A Great Year!

​It all started with a 12’ tree. We were preparing a special Christmas celebration with our entire family at our Duck Creek cabin. No detail was overlooked as Launa and I stacked our truck with games, presents and a mountain of food. Our meticulous planning left us confident this would be our family’s most memorable Christmas ever. We drove up weeks early to decorate the cabin and set up that beautiful tree so that everything would be perfect.
 
Finally, the time arrived when we were all to leave from our various locations and join up at the cabin. Then it happened. The worst storm in anyone’s memory hit Cedar Mountain, Utah, knocking out all power and shutting down every road. In less than 24 hours, more than nine feet of heavy snow had fallen. There was no way anyone was getting in or out of Duck Creek for quite a while so other options would have to be considered. Our beautiful tree in the cabin living room would have to celebrate Christmas on the mountain without us. We called our kids and instructed them to come instead to our home. Of course, they were disappointed.
 
Life does not always go as planned. Investors are certainly well aware of this. Wars, natural disasters, elections, recessions and now viruses require us to constantly adjust our strategy. The key is to realize that, like a family reunion, change does not mean we cannot obtain our goals. It just means we may need to adjust our plans a little.
 
Too often investors get fixated on wanting to do things in a certain way and are resistant to make necessary changes that a changing world requires. They mistake the road to their goals, for the goals themselves. The year 2020 will go down in history as one that required maximum flexibility in many areas of life. Those who are able to adjust to the changes will be in a position to enjoy what life offers them and even be better off due to opportunities that always arise.
 
Change is often unwelcomed, but it brings the potential for growth in areas we may not have previously considered. It can open investing opportunities that might have never been possible. Some of the greatest companies in the world were born during a crisis.
 
When we put up our 12’ tree in our cabin that year we were expecting a memorable Christmas. Had we let the storm get us discouraged it would have ruined our reunion. As it turned out, we decided to make the best of it and had a wonderful time, creating many lifelong memories. It was different than planned, but no less memorable. I believe 2020 will likewise be remembered as a very special year and those who maintained a good attitude combined with a willingness to be flexible, will look back and find much about it to be thankful for.