Reflections, 12 February 2024

Becoming Antifragile in Stock Investing by Embracing The Volatility

Written by Chris Susanto,
Founder of Re-ThinkWealth.com and VIM

Who is this article for:
Investors with a long-term perspective.

The concept of “Antifragile” is popularized by Nassim Nicholas Taleb in his book that is aptly named “Antifragile”.

What is Antifragile?

Becoming antifragile goes beyond just being strong or resilient.

The core idea is that certain systems actually benefit from disorder, uncertainty and stress.

When we apply the concept of being antifragile to investing or value investing per se, it means that we have to focus on strategies that not only are able to withstand market shocks but profit from them.

Why is Being Antifragile Important?

The stock market can be quite a roller coaster ride, would you agree?

The stock market can even leave the most experienced investors feeling anxious at times.

Volatility is part and parcel of the stock market.

But why do some people profit from chaos while others flee to safety and lose money?

Can we embrace volatility and even thrive on it? Becoming antifragile is a very important mental model to consider.

Here are some of the key principles of antifragility in stock investing:

a. Don’t go all in. While we have stocks in our portfolio, remember we still need cash and lower-risk assets for life’s unforeseen necessities.

b. Exploit volatility. Instead of fleeing and panicking during market downturns, view them as opportunities to buy quality stocks at discounted prices. If history is any guide, every bear market is followed by a bull market. And those who stay invested, often gets rewarded.

c. Know what you are investing. Do your homework before investing in anything. It is, after all, your hard-earned money. Never stop building and improving your investment skills.

d. Focus on optionality. Don’t try to predict the stock market; it is a fool’s errand. Develop strategies allowing us to benefit from multiple potential outcomes and scenarios. One example is investing in companies with many revenue streams and adaptable business models (aka, hard to die!).

e. Embrace a long-term mindset. Being antifragile is not about getting rich fast. It’s about how not to die. It’s about building a portfolio that can weather any storm and emerge stronger over the long term. Be patient and avoid reacting to short-term noises or fluctuations.

Remember, the stock market is inherently unpredictable

By incorporating antifragility, hopefully, we can navigate the volatility of the stock market with greater peace of mind. Turning uncertainty into opportunity.

Ultimately, it is crucial to understand that the biggest risk in investing is ultimately ourselves. Therefore, we need to conduct thorough research before investing in anything.

I will end this article with the famous “Invictus” poem by William Ernest Henley:

Enjoy (:

“Out of the night that covers me,
      Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
      For my unconquerable soul.
 
In the fell clutch of circumstance
      I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
      My head is bloody, but unbowed.
 
Beyond this place of wrath and tears
      Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
      Finds and shall find me unafraid.
 
It matters not how strait the gate,
      How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate,
      I am the captain of my soul.”

Disclaimer:

The information provided is for educational and general information purposes only and is not intended to be personalized investment or financial advice. We make no promises as to the accuracy or usefulness of the information we present.

Important: Please read our full disclaimer.

Disclosure:

I/we have no stock, option, or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Share the Love

Like the article that you just read? Share it!

About the writer

About the writer

Chris Susanto is the Founder of Re-ThinkWealth.com. He is also a Board Member and Vice Chairman at Bansea and an Independent Director of Bansea Fund 2. Bansea, founded in 2001, is Asia’s oldest angel investment network.

Some of the places where Chris has been invited to speak or has added value as a mentor or writer include Singapore Polytechnic, SMU Institute of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (IIE), Seedly TV, Dollars and Sense, The New Savvy, Value Walk Blog, Investment Moats, NUS Tembusu College, NUS Investment Society, CGS-CIMB Singapore, Singapore Financial Conference by NTU IIC, The Financial Coconut Podcast, Money FM 89.3 and Internationally in Myanmar. He is also a part of the SMU BFI (Business Families Institute) network.

Chris also runs an investment education/coaching business called VIM/Value Investing Mentorship™. If you are interested in building your skills as a value investor, learn more about it here.

Want to read more articles?

Here’s My Opinion on Bitcoin

Here’s My Opinion on Bitcoin

Bitcoin is a currency that was founded/discovered pretty recently in 2009 by a person (still unknown) using the alias Satoshi Nakamoto.The good thing about transacting using Bitcoin is that there will be no middleman required to do the transacting. There is also no fees tagged to transacting with Bitcoin and no requirements […]

What is moat in Warren Buffett’s terms & why it’s important

What is moat in Warren Buffett’s terms & why it’s important

Moat is important because it protects a company from losing their market share easily which will erode its earnings power over time. This is important for us as investors because we would want the company we invest in to have its earnings grow over time – then the share price will follow – and not the other way round. So, we […]