The high US debt levels have been a popular topic of media attention, especially since the COVID crisis, when rapid stimulus led to rising inflation and a faster-growing debt load for the nation.

While I strongly encourage excessive borrowing in personal finances, I don’t think the nation’s debt load is out of control. For one, the debt relative to the nation’s output (GDP) is relatively stable. Despite an increase over the past few years, the amount the US spends on interest payments is still below the levels of 1980-1990…

With the stock market reaching all-time highs, some investors may be tempted to wonder when the next meltdown is coming. While the media will print scary headlines, the truth is that nobody knows. While you may have heard investment mantras like “be patient,” it’s an entirely different thing to actually be patient once volatility strikes.  

So how can we be more patient? James Clear in Atomic Habits says “disciplines people are better at structuring their lives in a way that does not require heroic willpower and self-control.” Put more simply, they remove temptations…