.jpeg)
Last week, I spent seven days in Mother Ivy's Bay in north Cornwall.
It was a family holiday with my wife, Jane, and our two young boys, but I managed to get some solid time on the oars, too.
My training for my December 2025 row across the Atlantic, to this point, has consisted of lots of gym work – but limited time in an actual boat.
On this Cornwall trip, it was time for some more rowing on the sea.
On day two, I set off from the beach with the goal of rowing around a small island about 2,000m offshore.
All was going well until I was about 1,000m from land – and a series of negative thoughts began to permeate my mind.
"Would I be able to swim back from here?"
"How long could I survive in the water at the current temperature?"
None of which makes much sense.
Why would I leave a purpose-built coastal rowing boat and swim home?
Logic leaves you.
My negative thoughts defeated me halfway across to the island, and I made some self-serving excuse to head back to shore.
How often are our irrational limiting thoughts the architect of our own downfall?
Wednesday, I set off again. This time I made for the right-hand side of the island and began to row the boat around.
It was hard going.
The sea conditions became very different as the big rolling waves that had travelled across the Atlantic reached raised floor bed and rocks.
It was a big push, but I made it all the way around the island, and back to a slightly concerned Jane and two indifferent boys playing on the beach.
So, what made the difference the second time?
It was my self-talk. I reassured myself over and over again, "The boat can handle it."
It reminded me of some of the conversations I had with financial planning clients when news of Covid first reached our shores in 2020.
"Will I lose all my money if the stock market collapses?" was a common query.
Like my purpose-built boat, I knew our Navigate portfolios and the companies we had invested in could handle it.
If I had to sum up our investment strategy in very simplistic terms, it would be big American companies that have dominated their sector for decades.
Companies like Nike, Coca-Cola, Gillette, and Microsoft.
I reassured the clients – these are big, global companies and they have seen off recessions, competitors, and all manner of "crises" in their time.
They can handle it.
And that proved to be so.
Our Navigate 60 portfolio has increased by 16.33% since Covid and Navigate 100 by 37.77%.
--
There's always the potential for experiencing fear, irrational thoughts, and an impending sense of doom as life tests you with your version of rough seas and rocky conditions.
It’s your perspective, your self-talk, and how you choose to handle the situation you’ve been presented with that makes the difference in the end.
Until next time.
Tom
--
P.S. If you've got a big idea you want to finance – or, you're simply ready to take the next step on your personal wealth journey, here's how I can help.
The best way to learn how to get from where you are to where you want to be when it comes to your lifestyle and your finances is to request a 1-to-1 Wealth Strategy Session.
During this session, we'll look at things like lifestyle planning, pension savings, investment allocation, risk & insurance, when you can retire, and with how much, and anything else that may be on your mind.
To request your free session, click here and fill out the form.
