Introduction: Progress Changes Tools, Not First Principles Every market cycle brings claims of novelty. New instruments. New data. New narratives. New reasons why “this time is different.” In 2026, the investing landscape feels more complex, faster, and more information-dense than ever before. Yet beneath the surface, the forces that determine long-term outcomes remain stubbornly familiar. Capital still compounds—or fails—based on time, behaviour, risk control, and discipline. Human psychology has not evolved at the pace of technology. Cycles still unfold. Losses still hurt more than gains help. Survival still precedes optimisation. Serious investors do not confuse innovation with the abandonment of principles. They understand that long-term principles endure precisely because they are grounded in structural realities, not market fashions. This article revisits ten long-term principles that serious investors should still respect in 2026—not because they are old, but because they remain true. 1. Survival Is the First Condition of Compounding No principle matters if capital does not survive. Compounding assumes continuity. Continuity requires avoiding permanent capital loss, forced liquidation, and behavioural capitulation. This principle has not changed. In 2026, investors still fail not because their ideas lack merit, but because: Serious investors continue to design portfolios and processes with one priority: staying in the game. Without survival, nothing else compounds. 2. Time Is the Most Powerful—and Fragile—Input Returns can vary. Strategies can evolve. Time cannot be replaced. Long-term outcomes are shaped less by peak performance and more by: In 2026, with ever-shorter feedback loops, respecting time requires active defence. Serious investors still recognise that time compounds only when it is protected from impatience, noise, and unnecessary action. 3. Behaviour Matters More Than Intelligence This principle remains uncomfortable—and accurate. Most underperformance is not caused by lack of insight. It is caused by: In 2026, access to information is abundant. Behavioural discipline is not. Serious investors continue to design systems that: Intelligence creates opportunity. Behaviour determines whether opportunity survives long enough to matter. 4. Risk Should Be Defined Before Return Is Considered Return-first thinking remains one of the most persistent errors. Long-term investors reverse the sequence: Only then do they consider expected return. In 2026, this principle is still widely ignored—and still decisive. Serious investors understand that returns are optional, but losses are binding. 5. Volatility Is Not the Same as Risk Despite decades of evidence, this confusion persists. Volatility is variability. Risk is permanent impairment, forced exit, or inability to recover. Smooth returns can conceal fragility. Volatile paths can still preserve capital. In 2026, serious investors continue to respect the distinction—because portfolios built to minimise volatility alone often fail when conditions change. Long-term success depends on managing what can break, not just what can fluctuate. 6. Process Outlasts Conviction Conviction is emotional. Process is structural. Conviction fades under pressure. Process endures—if designed correctly. In 2026, markets remain unpredictable. Forecasts remain unreliable. Narratives change quickly. Serious investors continue to rely on: Process does not guarantee success in every period. But it is the only thing that survives when conviction fails. 7. Compounding Is Non-Linear and Easily Disrupted Compounding does not reward consistency evenly. Its benefits are back-loaded. Its damage from interruption is front-loaded. Small mistakes early—exiting, reallocating, abandoning—have disproportionate long-term impact. In 2026, serious investors still respect that: Compounding is powerful precisely because it is fragile. 8. Relative Performance Is a Poor Guide to Long-Term Success Comparisons distort behaviour. They shorten horizons, amplify regret, and encourage convergence toward consensus. Serious investors still evaluate success through: In 2026, the pressure to compare remains intense. Serious investors resist it—because long-term success rarely looks impressive in the short term. 9. Capital Preservation Enables Optionality Preservation is not the opposite of growth. It is what allows growth to continue. By avoiding large losses, investors: In 2026, serious investors continue to treat capital preservation as a dynamic discipline—not a static posture. Preservation protects time. Time enables opportunity. 10. Endurance Is the Ultimate Competitive Advantage Most investors cannot endure: Those who can gain an advantage not through brilliance—but through persistence. In 2026, endurance remains rare because it: Serious investors still respect endurance because they understand that markets eventually reward those who can wait when others cannot. Why These Principles Still Hold These principles endure because they are grounded in realities that do not change: Tools evolve. Markets adapt. But the forces that govern long-term outcomes remain constant. Ignoring these principles does not make them obsolete. It only makes their consequences unavoidable. The Cost of Forgetting First Principles Most long-term failures are not caused by ignorance. They are caused by forgetting. Forgetting that: In 2026, many investors will rediscover these truths the hard way. Serious investors do not need to relearn them each cycle. They build around them. The Enduring Idea Markets evolve. Principles endure. Long-term success is less about adapting to what’s new—and more about refusing to abandon what has always mattered. Serious investors do not chase novelty at the expense of foundations. They compound by respecting first principles across cycles, narratives, and generations. Closing Perspective In 2026, the investing world will continue to feel faster, louder, and more complex. Some investors will respond by reinventing themselves repeatedly. Others will return—quietly and deliberately—to principles that have guided durable capital for decades. The difference will not be visible in any single year. It will be visible over time—in who preserved capital, protected discipline, and allowed compounding to work without interruption. In investing, progress does not come from abandoning first principles.It comes from having the discipline to respect them—especially when it feels unnecessary to do so.

Introduction: Compounding Rarely Fails Because of Returns Compounding is often described as a mathematical phenomenon. In practice, it is a behavioural and temporal one. Most investors who fail to compound wealth do not do so because their returns were too low. They fail because time—the essential input to compounding—was interrupted, shortened, or misused. Time-related mistakes are subtle. They do not look reckless. They often feel prudent in the moment. Yet over full cycles, they impose costs that no amount of intelligence or access can overcome. In 2026, as feedback cycles shorten and impatience is increasingly rewarded socially, time-related errors remain one of the most underappreciated destroyers of long-term wealth. This article examines ten time-related mistakes that quietly but decisively destroy compounding—and why protecting time is the most important discipline serious investors must master. 1. Treating Time as Flexible Rather Than Structural Many investors believe time can be adjusted. They assume: This is false. Compounding is path-dependent. Time lost early cannot be reclaimed later without disproportionate risk. In 2026, many investors will continue to underestimate that time is not a variable—they can choose when to use. It is a structural asset that depreciates when interrupted. 2. Interrupting Compounding During Drawdowns Drawdowns are where compounding is most fragile. Exiting during drawdowns: Many investors believe they can “step aside” temporarily. In reality, most compounding is earned by remaining invested through discomfort, not by avoiding it. In 2026, many compounding failures will still be traced to well-intentioned exits made during periods of stress. 3. Overestimating the Ability to Re-Time Entry After interruption, investors often believe they will re-enter effectively. This requires: Few succeed consistently. Delays compound damage. Missed recovery phases permanently impair outcomes. In 2026, many investors will continue to discover that exiting is easy—re-entering is psychologically and practically far harder. 4. Compressing Evaluation Horizons Compounding requires patience across uneven periods. When investors evaluate performance too frequently: Short evaluation windows shorten effective time horizons. In 2026, many investors will still destroy compounding not by changing strategy—but by demanding validation too often. 5. Allowing Short-Term Success to Reset Expectations Success can be as damaging to compounding as failure. After strong returns: This resets the psychological baseline. When normal volatility returns, investors intervene prematurely. In 2026, many compounding paths will be disrupted because success reduced tolerance for time-dependent variability. 6. Treating Compounding as Linear Rather Than Cumulative Compounding is non-linear. Its benefits are back-loaded. Many investors: This leads to impatience precisely when staying invested matters most. In 2026, many investors will continue to exit just before compounding would have begun to dominate outcomes. 7. Failing to Protect Time From Behavioural Noise Noise consumes time. Excessive information flow, commentary, and comparison: Each reactive decision chips away at time. In 2026, many investors will destroy compounding by allowing noise to dictate when time is spent—and when it is withdrawn. 8. Misaligning Strategy Horizon and Capital Horizon Compounding requires alignment. When capital has a shorter horizon than the strategy: This misalignment interrupts compounding regardless of strategy quality. In 2026, many otherwise sound strategies will fail because capital was not structured to wait long enough. 9. Underestimating the Cost of Early Mistakes Time amplifies early decisions. Losses or interruptions early in the compounding journey have a disproportionate impact because they reduce the base on which time can work. Recovering requires: In 2026, many investors will underestimate how much of their long-term outcome was determined not by later decisions—but by early time-related errors. 10. Failing to Define How Long Compounding Is Allowed to Work Many investors say they believe in compounding. Few define: Without explicit definitions, patience becomes conditional. Compounding requires clarity—not aspiration. In 2026, many compounding failures will stem from never defining how long “long-term” truly was. Why Time-Related Mistakes Are So Persistent Time-related mistakes persist because: By the time outcomes reveal the damage, time is already lost. Compounding Is a Behavioural Contract With Time Compounding is not passive. It requires an ongoing commitment: Breaking this contract—even briefly—has lasting consequences. In 2026, serious investors will increasingly recognise that compounding fails not when returns disappoint, but when patience breaks. Protecting Compounding Requires Structural Design Willpower is insufficient. Compounding must be protected through: Time must be defended structurally, not emotionally. The Enduring Idea Compounding does not fail because markets are uncooperative. It fails because time is interrupted—quietly, repeatedly, and often with good intentions. Protecting time is the most important investment decision there is. Closing Perspective In 2026, many investors will continue to search for better returns, better strategies, and better insights. Few will focus on protecting the one input that makes all of those matter: time. The investors who compound meaningfully will not be those who optimise returns most aggressively. They will be those who made fewer time-related mistakes—and allowed compounding to do what it only does when left uninterrupted. In investing, time is not just a dimension. It is the engine. Once disrupted, it cannot be restarted without cost.

Introduction: Activity Is Not Stewardship Capital can be managed diligently—and still be poorly stewarded. Reports can be timely. Portfolios can be diversified. Risk can be monitored. Performance can be reviewed regularly. Yet something essential may still be missing. Stewardship is not defined by competence alone. It is defined by intent, horizon, accountability, and restraint. Managing capital focuses on optimisation, execution, and outcomes. Stewarding capital focuses on responsibility, survival, and continuity across time—often beyond the current decision-maker. In 2026, as capital pools grow larger and investment complexity increases, the distinction between managing capital and stewarding it has become more consequential than ever. This article outlines ten signs that capital is being managed—but not stewarded—and why recognising this distinction early is critical for enduring wealth. 1. Success Is Defined Primarily by Short-Term Performance When capital is merely managed, success is often framed in: These metrics dominate conversation and decision-making. Stewardship reframes success differently: In 2026, many capital pools will continue to appear successful on paper—while quietly accumulating fragility due to short-term performance fixation. 2. Risk Is Treated as a Metric, Not a Responsibility Managed capital often treats risk as something to be measured: Stewarded capital treats risk as something to be owned. This includes: When risk is reduced to statistics rather than responsibility, decision-makers can comply with metrics while still exposing capital to irreversible harm. In 2026, some of the most damaging losses will occur in portfolios that appeared “well risk-managed” on paper. 3. Decisions Are Optimised for Efficiency, Not Durability Management optimises. Stewardship prioritises durability. Managed capital often pursues: Stewarded capital accepts inefficiency where it improves survival: In 2026, many portfolios will fail not because they were poorly managed—but because they were optimised for conditions that did not persist. 4. Time Horizon Is Implied, Not Explicitly Protected Managed capital often claims to be long-term—but does not define what that means operationally. Without explicit protection: Stewardship defines time clearly: In 2026, many investors will continue to shorten horizons unintentionally because time was never treated as a structural asset. 5. Capital Can Be Reallocated Quickly—but Must Be Liquidity is a strength. But when liquidity becomes a requirement, not an option, capital is being managed, not stewarded. Managed capital often: Stewarded capital values liquidity as protection against forced action—not as permission for constant change. In 2026, many investors will confuse flexibility with responsiveness—and pay the behavioural cost. 6. Growth Is Prioritised Over Preservation Once Wealth Is Built Managed capital often shifts priorities once wealth is established: Stewardship does the opposite. As capital grows, the responsibility to preserve it increases. In 2026, many fortunes will erode because preservation was deprioritised precisely when the stakes became highest. 7. Accountability Is Diffuse Rather Than Explicit In managed capital structures: Stewardship demands clarity: Diffuse accountability allows poor decisions to persist without correction. In 2026, governance failures will continue to undermine otherwise sophisticated capital management efforts. 8. Behaviour Is Assumed to Be Rational Managed capital often assumes: Stewardship assumes the opposite. It designs for: By embedding behavioural safeguards. In 2026, many capital failures will reflect not analytical error—but failure to plan for human behaviour. 9. Capital Exists for the Strategy—Not the Other Way Around Managed capital often forces capital into strategies: Stewardship reverses this logic. Strategies exist to serve the long-term purpose of capital—not to extract value from it. In 2026, many underwhelming outcomes will stem from capital being used to sustain strategies rather than strategies being selected to protect capital. 10. Continuity Beyond the Current Decision-Maker Is Not Planned Managed capital often revolves around current leadership: Stewardship plans beyond individuals: If capital outcomes depend heavily on who is currently in charge, stewardship is incomplete. In 2026, enduring capital will increasingly belong to structures designed to outlast any single decision-maker. Why the Difference Matters Managing capital well can deliver impressive results—for a time. Stewarding capital well determines whether those results endure. The difference is not visible in bull markets or strong performance periods. It becomes visible during: Stewardship Is a Mindset, Not a Mandate Stewardship cannot be mandated through documentation alone. It must be reflected in: In 2026, many capital pools will claim stewardship while operating with management-first instincts. Only a few will design for stewardship in practice. The Enduring Idea Capital can be actively managed—and still be poorly stewarded. Stewardship begins when responsibility for survival, continuity, and trust outweighs the pursuit of optimisation. The difference is subtle in the short term—and decisive over time. Closing Perspective In 2026, markets will reward activity, efficiency, and responsiveness. Some capital managers will thrive briefly by embracing these pressures. Others will choose a different path—one defined by restraint, responsibility, and long-term accountability. The second group may appear less dynamic. But decades later, they will be the ones whose capital still exists—intact, trusted, and capable of compounding further. In investing, management can deliver results. Stewardship determines whether those results last.

Introduction: Stewardship Is Defined by What You Give Up Capital stewardship is often described in positive terms: What is discussed less openly is what stewardship requires you to forgo. Serious stewards of capital do not optimise for maximum flexibility, maximum upside, or maximum approval. They accept trade-offs—deliberately and repeatedly—in exchange for durability, trust, and survival across time. These trade-offs are not signs of conservatism or timidity. They are the cost of managing capital that must endure through cycles, volatility, and generational transfer. In 2026, as markets remain uncertain and time horizons compress, understanding these trade-offs clearly is essential. Stewardship fails most often not because stewards make reckless decisions—but because they are unwilling to accept the constraints stewardship imposes. This article outlines ten trade-offs that serious stewards of capital must accept—and why resisting them quietly undermines long-term outcomes. 1. Giving Up the Pursuit of Maximum Returns Stewardship does not aim for the highest possible return. It aims for sufficient returns that can be sustained. Chasing maximum returns often requires: Serious stewards accept that some upside will be left on the table in exchange for: In 2026, many failures will still originate from stewards who claimed long-term intent but remained unwilling to sacrifice peak returns. 2. Accepting Periods of Relative Underperformance Stewardship often looks unimpressive in the short term. Protective structures can lead to: Serious stewards accept relative underperformance as the cost of durability. They understand that strategies designed for survival will not always lead in momentum-driven environments. In 2026, many stewards will struggle not with losses—but with the discomfort of looking wrong while remaining right. 3. Trading Excitement for Boredom Stewardship is rarely exciting. It involves: Speculation offers excitement. Stewardship offers stability. Serious stewards accept boredom as a feature, not a flaw—recognising that excitement often signals risk accumulation. In 2026, enduring capital will continue to be managed quietly, while dramatic stories fade. 4. Limiting Optionality to Preserve Integrity Optionality feels valuable. The ability to act quickly, change direction, or exploit every opportunity is attractive. Stewardship limits optionality deliberately by: This constraint preserves integrity. In 2026, many investors will continue to confuse freedom with flexibility—only to discover that unbounded optionality weakens discipline. 5. Prioritising Survival Over Elegance Elegant strategies often rely on: Stewardship prioritises strategies that survive even when elegance fails. This means: In 2026, serious stewards will continue to favour robustness over sophistication—even if it appears less refined. 6. Resisting Narrative Alignment Narratives are powerful. They create comfort, validation, and social proof. Stewardship often requires acting out of step with prevailing narratives—or refusing to act at all. Serious stewards accept: In 2026, many capital failures will be traced to stewards who prioritised narrative alignment over fiduciary responsibility. 7. Accepting Slower Feedback and Delayed Validation Stewardship operates on long feedback loops. Decisions may take years to validate. This requires: Serious stewards accept that they will not receive immediate confirmation—and that this is not a flaw, but a reality of long-term capital management. In 2026, those unable to tolerate delayed validation will continue to shorten horizons unintentionally. 8. Designing Against Human Behaviour—Including Their Own Stewardship assumes behavioural failure. It does not rely on: Instead, it designs systems that: Serious stewards accept the humbling truth that they are as vulnerable to behaviour as anyone else. In 2026, the most durable capital will be managed by those who plan for their own fallibility. 9. Choosing Accountability Over Autonomy Stewardship increases accountability. Clear governance, documentation, and review replace informal discretion. This reduces autonomy—but strengthens trust. Serious stewards accept oversight because they understand that accountability protects both capital and decision-makers. In 2026, many breakdowns will occur where autonomy was prioritised at the expense of accountability. 10. Accepting That Stewardship Is Often Thankless Stewardship success is invisible. It is measured by: These outcomes rarely attract praise. Serious stewards accept that recognition is limited—and that the true reward of stewardship is endurance, not applause. In 2026, enduring capital will continue to be managed by those comfortable operating without constant affirmation. Why These Trade-Offs Are Often Rejected These trade-offs are rejected because: Yet rejecting them does not eliminate cost—it merely delays it. Stewardship Is a Choice, Not a Label Many claim to be stewards of capital. Few are willing to accept the constraints stewardship requires. True stewardship is revealed not in stated philosophy—but in the trade-offs one consistently accepts. The Enduring Idea Stewardship is not about doing everything possible. It is about knowing what must not be done—and being willing to accept the cost of restraint. Enduring capital is built not by maximising options, but by choosing wisely among them. Closing Perspective In 2026, capital will continue to be tested by volatility, narratives, and pressure to perform. Some stewards will chase relevance, excitement, and approval. Others will accept the quieter path—defined by discipline, trade-offs, and long-term accountability. The difference will not be visible in any single year. It will be visible across decades—in which capital endured, and which quietly faded despite moments of brilliance. In investing, stewardship is not defined by ambition. It is defined by restraint, responsibility, and the willingness to accept difficult trade-offs in service of time.

Introduction: Markets Reward Those Who Can Stay Most investors believe advantage comes from insight. In reality, markets often reward something far less glamorous: the ability to stay invested, coherent, and disciplined longer than others can tolerate. Endurance is not about stubbornness. It is not passive optimism. It is the structural ability to remain solvent, rational, and committed through uncertainty, underperformance, and discomfort. In competitive markets, this ability becomes an unfair advantage—not because it guarantees superior insight, but because it allows investors to outlast behaviours that destroy others’ results. In 2026, as feedback cycles shorten and pressure to react intensifies, endurance is increasingly becoming one of the rarest—and most powerful—edges in investing. This article examines ten ways endurance creates an unfair advantage, and why time itself becomes a competitive asset when others are forced to exit early. 1. Endurance Filters Out Weak Competition Automatically Markets are crowded with participants who cannot endure. They are forced out by: Endurance does not need to defeat these participants directly. It simply outlasts them. As others exit positions prematurely or abandon sound strategies, those who remain gain from reduced competition, improved pricing, and mean reversion. In 2026, many advantages will accrue not to those who were most right—but to those who remained present long enough for outcomes to normalise. 2. Endurance Allows Participation in Full Cycles Most investors experience only fragments of cycles. They exit during drawdowns, re-enter late, and repeat the pattern. Endurance allows participation across: This matters because much of long-term return is earned during: In 2026, endurance will continue to create advantage by keeping investors invested when returns are least obvious and most unevenly distributed. 3. Endurance Preserves Compounding When Others Interrupt It Compounding is fragile. It requires continuity. Most investors interrupt compounding by: Endurance protects compounding by reducing unnecessary intervention. Even modest return streams compound meaningfully when uninterrupted over long periods. In 2026, the advantage of endurance will remain simple but profound: fewer self-inflicted interruptions. 4. Endurance Enables Access to Time-Dependent Opportunities Many opportunities reward patience. They involve: Short-horizon investors cannot access these opportunities—not because they lack insight, but because they lack endurance. Enduring investors can tolerate periods where: In 2026, endurance will increasingly act as a filter—granting access to opportunities that are structurally unavailable to impatient capital. 5. Endurance Reduces Behavioural Costs That Others Cannot Avoid Behavioural errors compound negatively. Fear-driven selling, overconfidence-driven risk expansion, and panic-driven abandonment impose hidden costs over time. Endurance mitigates these costs by: The advantage is not brilliance—but fewer mistakes. In 2026, endurance will continue to outperform intelligence where intelligence is undermined by behaviour. 6. Endurance Lowers the Need for Precision Short-horizon strategies require precision: Precision is fragile. Endurance reduces reliance on precision by allowing: This robustness matters in uncertain environments. In 2026, endurance will continue to create advantage by allowing investors to be directionally right without needing to be precisely right. 7. Endurance Strengthens Process Integrity Over Time Processes are tested by discomfort. Without endurance: Endurance allows processes to operate as designed. Over time, this leads to: In 2026, endurance will remain essential for turning sound frameworks into durable outcomes. 8. Endurance Attracts Higher-Quality Opportunities and Counterparties Enduring investors develop reputations. They are known for: This reputation attracts: In 2026, endurance will continue to function as a signalling mechanism—quietly improving opportunity flow. 9. Endurance Aligns With Capital Preservation and Survival Survival is the first condition of success. Endurance is impossible without: Investors who cannot survive drawdowns cannot benefit from recoveries. In 2026, endurance will remain inseparable from survival—and survival will continue to be the most underpriced advantage in investing. 10. Endurance Compounds Trust—Internally and Externally Trust grows slowly. Endurance builds trust by: This trust reduces pressure to act reactively and reinforces long-term alignment. In 2026, investors with endurance will continue to benefit from lower behavioural friction and stronger commitment during difficult periods. Why Endurance Feels Like an “Unfair” Advantage Endurance feels unfair because: Most investors underestimate how rare endurance truly is—until markets demand it. Endurance Is Designed, Not Willed Endurance is not a personality trait. It is a design outcome. It requires: Without these, endurance collapses under pressure. In 2026, the investors who endure will not be those with the strongest will—but those with the strongest systems. The Enduring Idea Markets do not reward constant activity. They reward those who can remain disciplined, solvent, and invested longer than others can tolerate. Endurance turns time into an advantage because most participants cannot afford to wait. Closing Perspective In 2026, markets will continue to test patience through volatility, narratives, and uneven outcomes. Some investors will respond by acting more. Others will respond by enduring longer. The second group will quietly accumulate advantage—not because they know more, but because they are structured to last. In investing, insight matters. But endurance decides who gets to benefit from it. That is why endurance is not just a virtue. It is an unfair advantage.

Introduction: Horizons Rarely Collapse Overnight Most investors believe they are long-term thinkers. Very few wake up one day and decide to abandon patience, compounding, or endurance. Instead, investment horizons shorten quietly—through a series of reasonable, defensible decisions that feel prudent in isolation. Each decision trims a little time. Over years, those small trims compound into a fundamentally different approach—one that still claims to be long-term, but no longer behaves like it. In 2026, as feedback cycles accelerate and pressure to respond intensifies, horizon erosion has become one of the most under-recognised risks in investing. It rarely shows up in risk reports. It is not captured in volatility metrics. Yet it shapes outcomes decisively. This article examines ten decisions that quietly shorten investment horizons—and why protecting time requires structural discipline, not intention. 1. Increasing the Frequency of Performance Evaluation Evaluation cadence shapes behaviour. When performance is reviewed more frequently: What begins as “better monitoring” becomes a subtle demand for short-term validation. Long-term strategies evaluated over short windows are forced to justify themselves prematurely. In 2026, many investors will still underestimate that how often performance is reviewed often matters more than what the performance actually is. 2. Treating Interim Underperformance as a Problem to Be Solved Underperformance is inevitable in long-term investing. The decision that shortens horizons is not noticing underperformance—but treating it as an error that requires immediate correction. This leads to: Instead of patience. Over time, this behaviour converts a long-term approach into a series of short-term reactions. In 2026, many investors will still compress horizons by refusing to tolerate the discomfort that long-term strategies inherently involve. 3. Introducing Short-Term Benchmarks Into Long-Term Mandates Benchmarks are not neutral. When short-term benchmarks are embedded into long-term mandates: This subtly redefines success. Even if the stated objective remains long-term, behaviour adapts to benchmark comparison cycles. In 2026, many investors will unknowingly shorten horizons by allowing benchmarking to dictate behaviour rather than inform context. 4. Responding to Market Narratives as if They Demand Action Narratives arrive with urgency. They are framed as: The decision to treat narratives as action signals rather than context shortens horizons dramatically. Long-term investors observe narratives. Short-term investors respond to them. In 2026, many investors will continue to compress horizons by mistaking narrative intensity for decision relevance. 5. Increasing Discretion During Volatility Volatility creates discomfort. The common response is to increase discretion—to “stay flexible.” In practice, this often means: Discretion expands precisely when judgement is most impaired. Long-term frameworks are designed to reduce discretion during volatility—not expand it. In 2026, many investors will shorten horizons by confusing flexibility with responsiveness. 6. Allowing Outcome Bias to Influence Process Confidence When recent outcomes are good, confidence rises. When they are poor, confidence falls. This outcome-linked confidence creates: Over time, the investment horizon becomes hostage to recent results. In 2026, many investors will continue to shorten horizons by letting outcomes, rather than design, determine how long they are willing to wait. 7. Optimising Portfolios for Smoothness Rather Than Durability Smooth returns feel reassuring. They reduce scrutiny and behavioural stress. But portfolios optimised for short-term smoothness often: The decision to prioritise short-term comfort over long-term durability is a subtle but powerful horizon reducer. In 2026, many investors will continue to trade endurance for appearance—without realising the time cost. 8. Treating Liquidity as an Exit Option Rather Than a Strategic Asset Liquidity is often viewed as the ability to exit quickly. This mindset encourages: Long-term investors treat liquidity differently—as a tool to avoid forced decisions, not to enable frequent ones. In 2026, many investors will shorten horizons by using liquidity to escape discomfort rather than to preserve endurance. 9. Escalating Risk After Periods of Success Success compresses time horizons by increasing confidence. After strong performance, investors often: This resets expectations. What was once acceptable variance now feels like failure. In 2026, many horizon shifts will occur not during crises—but after success quietly raises the bar for comfort. 10. Failing to Define “How Long Is Long-Term” Explicitly Many investors claim to be long-term. Few define what that means operationally. Without explicit definitions: Long-term thinking requires clarity: In 2026, many investors will shorten horizons simply because they never defined how long they were prepared to wait. Why Horizon Erosion Is So Hard to Detect Horizon erosion is difficult to see because: The shift is behavioural, not rhetorical. By the time underperformance appears, the horizon has already changed. Time Is a Structural Asset—Or a Structural Liability Time can compound wealth. It can also magnify poor behaviour. Long-term advantage does not come from declaring patience—but from designing systems that prevent horizons from shrinking under pressure. This requires: Protecting Horizons Requires Fewer Decisions, Not Better Ones Most horizon erosion comes from excess decision-making. Long-term investors protect time by: In 2026, the investors who endure will not be those who make the best decisions most often—but those who make fewer decisions and let time work. The Enduring Idea Investment horizons are rarely shortened intentionally. They are shortened by small, reasonable decisions that trade patience for comfort—one step at a time. Protecting time requires structure, not resolve. Closing Perspective In 2026, markets will continue to test patience through volatility, narratives, and comparison. Some investors will respond by adjusting, reacting, and recalibrating—slowly shrinking their horizons without noticing. Others will recognise that long-term advantage is fragile, and that protecting it requires resisting the urge to act when action feels most justified. The difference will not be visible in any single decision. It will be visible years later—in who allowed time to compound, and who quietly gave it away. In investing, time is not just a horizon. It is the edge.

Introduction: Wealth Creation Is Common. Wealth Endurance Is Rare. Creating wealth is difficult. Preserving it across generations is harder. Despite unprecedented access to financial knowledge, professional management, and global markets, most wealth fails to endure beyond one or two generations. This pattern repeats across geographies, cultures, and asset classes. The reasons are rarely technical. Wealth does not disappear because markets are unfair or opportunities vanish. It disappears because time exposes behavioural, structural, and stewardship failures that short-term success conceals. In 2026, as intergenerational wealth transfer accelerates globally, understanding why wealth so often fails to endure is no longer academic. It is essential. This article examines ten reasons most wealth fails across generations—and what separates durable wealth from capital that eventually decays. 1. Wealth Is Treated as Achievement, Not Responsibility The first failure is philosophical. Wealth is often viewed as a reward for success rather than a responsibility to be managed. This framing leads to: When wealth is treated as proof of competence rather than capital requiring care, decision discipline weakens. In 2026, many fortunes will erode because wealth was celebrated, not stewarded. 2. The Time Horizon Shrinks With Each Generation Founders often think long term. Subsequent generations frequently inherit: As emotional distance from wealth creation increases, time horizons shorten. Decisions become more reactive, more comparative, and more consumption-oriented. In 2026, many families will discover that wealth did not disappear suddenly—it was gradually shortened in horizon until compounding stopped. 3. Risk Tolerance Increases as Memory of Loss Fades Early generations remember scarcity, failure, and volatility. Later generations often do not. As memory of loss fades: This leads to exposure to risks that earlier stewards would never have accepted. In 2026, many wealth collapses will trace back to risk decisions made by those who never experienced drawdowns firsthand. 4. Behavioural Discipline Is Not Inherited Automatically Discipline does not transfer with capital. What transfers easily: What does not: Without deliberate effort, behavioural discipline erodes within a generation. In 2026, many families will realise that sophisticated structures cannot compensate for behavioural decay. 5. Preservation Is Abandoned in Favour of Growth Narratives As wealth grows, focus often shifts toward: Capital preservation is reframed as conservatism. This reversal is dangerous. Without preservation, growth becomes fragile and compounding becomes optional rather than inevitable. In 2026, many fortunes will fail because growth was prioritised after wealth was already won. 6. Incentives Become Misaligned With Long-Term Outcomes Wealth endurance requires aligned incentives. Over generations, incentives drift: This misalignment encourages: In 2026, many wealth failures will stem from structures that rewarded motion rather than stewardship. 7. Governance Weakens as Complexity Increases As wealth grows, complexity follows. Entities multiply. Strategies diversify. Decision rights blur. Without strong governance: Weak governance rarely causes immediate failure—but it compounds fragility over time. In 2026, many families will face wealth erosion not due to markets—but due to governance breakdown under complexity. 8. Wealth Becomes Identity Rather Than Capital When wealth becomes identity: This emotional entanglement leads to: Capital cannot be managed objectively when it becomes inseparable from self-image. In 2026, many fortunes will decline because wealth ceased to be treated as a tool and became a mirror. 9. Education Focuses on Markets, Not Behaviour Many families invest heavily in financial education. They learn: Far fewer invest in behavioural education: In 2026, many wealth failures will reflect a familiar pattern: high financial literacy paired with low behavioural resilience. 10. No Clear Definition of “Enough” Enduring wealth requires boundaries. Without a clear sense of: Wealth becomes exposed to endless optimisation, comparison, and escalation. Risk increases because there is no anchor. In 2026, many fortunes will erode because there was always a reason to reach for more. Why This Pattern Repeats Across History Wealth failure persists because: Markets change, but human behaviour does not. What Enduring Wealth Does Differently Wealth that endures across generations: Endurance is not accidental. It is designed. Endurance Is a Stewardship Choice, Not a Financial Outcome Markets will always fluctuate. Returns will always vary. What determines endurance is not performance—but how capital is treated when performance is strong, weak, or uncertain. In 2026, the most durable wealth will belong to those who understand that preservation of decision quality matters more than optimisation of returns. The Enduring Idea Wealth does not usually disappear because of one bad decision. It disappears because stewardship weakens as memory fades and responsibility is replaced by entitlement. Enduring wealth is less about intelligence—and more about restraint across time. Closing Perspective In 2026, trillions of dollars will change hands across generations. Some of it will compound quietly, guided by patience, governance, and humility. Much of it will not. The difference will not be sophistication or access. It will be whether wealth is treated as something to be enjoyed—or something to be stewarded across time. In investing, creating wealth is an achievement. Preserving it across generations is a discipline. Few master both.

Introduction: Not All Capital Is Created Equal Capital is often treated as a neutral input. In reality, capital has character. Some capital compounds quietly across cycles. Other capital arrives loudly, exits quickly, and leaves damage behind—both to portfolios and to decision-making processes. The difference is not intelligence or sophistication. It is time horizon, behavioural tolerance, and structural alignment. Patient, high-quality capital behaves differently. It does not demand constant validation. It does not force decisions at the wrong time. It allows long-term strategies to function as intended. In 2026, as markets remain volatile and feedback cycles shorten, the quality of capital backing an investment approach will matter as much as the quality of the strategy itself. This article outlines ten characteristics that define patient, high-quality capital—and why enduring wealth is built not just by what is invested, but by how that capital behaves over time. 1. Alignment With Long-Term Objectives, Not Short-Term Benchmarks Patient capital is aligned with purpose. It is committed to: Rather than: This alignment reduces pressure to act prematurely and allows strategies to play out across full cycles. In 2026, high-quality capital will continue to differentiate itself by measuring success over years, not reporting periods. 2. Tolerance for Interim Volatility Without Behavioural Override Patient capital accepts volatility as the price of long-term returns. It does not: This tolerance is not passive. It is informed. High-quality capital understands: In 2026, patient capital will remain rare precisely because most capital overestimates its tolerance for discomfort until tested. 3. Commitment to Process Over Outcome High-quality capital evaluates decisions by process, not just results. It asks: Rather than reacting reflexively to outcomes. This commitment allows learning without panic and adjustment without abandonment. In 2026, patient capital will increasingly distinguish itself by protecting sound processes during periods of temporary disappointment. 4. Willingness to Be Temporarily Wrong Patient capital understands that divergence is inevitable. It accepts that: This willingness to endure temporary discomfort is essential for accessing long-term advantages. In 2026, high-quality capital will continue to be defined by its ability to withstand periods when validation is absent. 5. Behavioural Discipline Embedded Structurally Patient capital does not rely on emotional resilience. It embeds discipline through: This structural discipline prevents reactive decision-making under stress. In 2026, high-quality capital will remain scarce because most capital still relies on willpower rather than design to manage behaviour. 6. Respect for Downside and Capital Survival Patient capital is survival-oriented. It prioritises: This does not mean avoiding risk—it means choosing risk deliberately. High-quality capital recognises that without survival, no strategy—however elegant—can succeed. In 2026, patient capital will continue to differentiate itself by placing survival before optimisation. 7. Low Sensitivity to Narrative and Consensus Patient capital is not narrative-driven. It does not: This independence allows decisions to be guided by structure rather than sentiment. In 2026, high-quality capital will increasingly stand apart by remaining steady when narratives are loudest and least reliable. 8. Capacity Awareness and Restraint Patient capital respects limits. It understands: High-quality capital does not push strategies beyond their natural boundaries in pursuit of scale or momentum. In 2026, many failures will stem from capital that demanded growth faster than structure could support. Patient capital avoids this trap through restraint. 9. Consistency of Commitment Across Market Cycles Patient capital does not change character across cycles. It remains consistent: This consistency allows strategies to function as designed, without constant recalibration to suit prevailing conditions. In 2026, patient capital will continue to be distinguished by its reliability when conditions change—not just when they are favourable. 10. Long Memory and Institutional Perspective High-quality capital has memory. It remembers: This historical perspective tempers overconfidence and reinforces discipline. Patient capital does not assume “this time is different” lightly. In 2026, capital with long memory will remain a competitive advantage in environments that reward humility over hubris. Why Patient, High-Quality Capital Is Rare Patient capital is rare because: Most capital believes it is patient—until volatility demands proof. Capital Quality Shapes Outcomes More Than Strategy Quality A sound strategy paired with impatient capital will fail. A modest strategy paired with patient capital can endure and compound. This is why: In 2026, investors will increasingly recognise that capital quality is not a soft consideration—it is a structural input. Designing for Patient Capital Serious investors design environments that attract and retain patient capital by: Patient capital is not persuaded by promises. It is attracted by coherence. The Enduring Idea Not all capital compounds equally. Patient, high-quality capital succeeds not because it predicts better—but because it behaves better over time. Its advantage is not speed or insight. It is endurance. Closing Perspective In 2026, markets will continue to reward immediacy, narratives, and activity. Some capital will follow—arriving quickly and departing just as fast. Other capital will remain patient—quietly compounding through cycles, volatility, and uncertainty. The difference will not be visible in any single year. It will be visible over decades—in who preserved discipline, protected time, and allowed compounding to work uninterrupted. In investing, strategy matters. But capital quality decides whether strategy is given the chance to matter at all.

Introduction: Short-Termism Is Not a Style—It Is a Structural Leak Short-termism is rarely declared. Few investors set out to prioritise short-term outcomes at the expense of long-term wealth. Instead, short-termism enters quietly—through evaluation cycles, incentives, feedback loops, and emotional responses to noise. It is not a strategy. It is a structural bias. And over full market cycles, short-termism does not merely reduce returns. It damages the very mechanisms through which wealth is built: compounding, discipline, patience, and capital survival. In 2026, despite decades of evidence, short-termism remains one of the most persistent and underestimated threats to enduring wealth. This article outlines ten ways short-termism damages long-term wealth—not dramatically, but incrementally and persistently—until outcomes are irreversibly altered. 1. It Interrupts Compounding at the Worst Possible Moments Compounding requires continuity. Short-termism encourages: Each interruption resets the compounding process. The damage is rarely obvious immediately. It appears years later, when long-term outcomes lag despite “active” decision-making. In 2026, many investors will still underestimate that missing a small number of compounding years can outweigh dozens of good tactical decisions. 2. It Converts Normal Volatility Into Actionable Signals Markets fluctuate. Short-termism treats fluctuation as information rather than noise. This leads to: Volatility that should be tolerated becomes something to be fixed. In 2026, many investors will continue to mistake activity for prudence—eroding long-term wealth through unnecessary intervention. 3. It Forces Decisions Before Information Has Time to Mature Most information is incomplete in real time. Short-termism demands rapid interpretation and response: Long-term investing requires patience for information to evolve. In 2026, many decisions will still be made too early—not because of urgency, but because short-term horizons do not allow uncertainty to resolve naturally. 4. It Encourages Outcome-Based Learning Rather Than Process-Based Learning Short-term evaluation rewards outcomes. Long-term wealth depends on decision quality. Short-termism causes investors to: This corrupts learning. In 2026, many investors will continue to refine the wrong behaviours because short-term results remain the primary teacher. 5. It Increases Behavioural Error Under Stress Short-term horizons amplify emotional response. Losses feel larger. Gains feel urgent. Fear and regret intensify. This leads to: Long-term horizons dampen emotional intensity by reframing fluctuations as expected variability. In 2026, short-termism will remain one of the main drivers of behaviourally induced wealth destruction. 6. It Aligns Incentives Against Capital Stewardship Short-termism reshapes incentives. Performance is judged frequently. Accountability is compressed. Visibility is immediate. This encourages: Capital stewardship requires the opposite: patience, restraint, and tolerance for interim divergence. In 2026, many investors will still claim long-term orientation while operating under short-term incentive structures that undermine it. 7. It Promotes Fragile Portfolio Construction Short-term optimisation often focuses on: These portfolios appear robust—until conditions change. Long-term portfolios prioritise: In 2026, many portfolios will reveal hidden fragility because they were built to perform over quarters, not cycles. 8. It Narrows the Opportunity Set Long-term opportunities often: Short-termism filters these out. Investors favour: This leads to systematic exclusion of opportunities that reward endurance. In 2026, many investors will continue to miss their best long-term opportunities because their horizon disqualifies them at entry. 9. It Undermines Trust and Commitment Long-term wealth requires commitment. Short-termism weakens commitment by: Over time, investors stop trusting their own frameworks. In 2026, many underperforming outcomes will trace back not to poor ideas—but to inability to stay committed long enough for those ideas to matter. 10. It Replaces Endurance With Activity Endurance is quiet. Short-termism prefers visible action: This creates the illusion of control and responsiveness. But long-term wealth is built by enduring—not by constantly reacting. In 2026, investors who equate activity with prudence will continue to discover that motion is not progress. Why Short-Termism Persists Short-termism persists because: Its costs are delayed, diffused, and difficult to attribute. Long-Term Wealth Is Built by Designing Against Short-Termism Serious investors do not rely on willpower to think long term. They design systems that: Long-term thinking is enforced structurally, not aspirationally. The Enduring Idea Short-termism does not fail loudly. It leaks value quietly—interrupting compounding, distorting behaviour, and weakening discipline over time. By the time damage is visible, time has already been lost. Closing Perspective In 2026, markets will continue to reward speed, commentary, and responsiveness. Some investors will mistake this for progress. Others will recognise that long-term wealth is built by resisting short-term pressures—not occasionally, but structurally. The difference will not show up in headlines or quarterly comparisons. It will show up decades later—in who preserved time, discipline, and capital long enough for compounding to do its work. In investing, time is the advantage. Short-termism is how it is squandered.

Introduction: Capital Preservation Is Not the Absence of Ambition Capital preservation is often misunderstood as caution, conservatism, or lack of conviction. In practice, it is none of these. For serious long-term investors—particularly institutions, family offices, and fiduciaries—capital preservation is not about avoiding risk. It is about avoiding irreversible loss. It is not a retreat from growth, but a prerequisite for it. And yet, despite decades of market cycles, repeated drawdowns, and well-documented failures, capital preservation remains persistently misunderstood. In 2026, this misunderstanding continues to be one of the primary reasons why wealth compounds briefly for many—and endures for very few. This article examines ten reasons capital preservation is still misunderstood, and why reframing it correctly is central to long-term investing, fiduciary responsibility, and enduring wealth. 1. Capital Preservation Is Confused With Low Returns One of the most common misconceptions is that preserving capital means sacrificing returns. This framing is misleading. Capital preservation does not imply: It implies controlling downside so compounding can operate uninterrupted. Investors who suffer large drawdowns often underperform not because returns were insufficient—but because losses disrupted compounding. In 2026, capital preservation will remain misunderstood as a return trade-off, rather than what it truly is: a compounding enabler. 2. Volatility Is Mistaken for Capital Risk Many investors equate volatility with risk. Capital preservation focuses on something else entirely: A portfolio can be volatile and still preserve capital.It can also be smooth—and quietly fragile. In 2026, capital preservation will continue to be misunderstood because volatility is visible and measurable, while capital loss often reveals itself only after it has occurred. 3. Preservation Is Seen as a Tactical Choice, Not a Structural One Capital preservation is often treated as a tactical response: This reactive framing misses the point. Preservation is not a market-timing decision. It is a structural design principle embedded into portfolio construction, risk management, and governance. In 2026, many investors will still approach preservation episodically—rather than building it into the architecture of their decisions. 4. Investors Underestimate the Asymmetry of Loss and Recovery Losses and gains are not symmetrical. A 50% loss requires a 100% gain to recover. Larger losses demand exponentially higher recovery just to return to baseline. Capital preservation exists to manage this asymmetry. Yet many investors continue to focus on expected returns without fully accounting for the mathematics of loss. In 2026, capital preservation will remain misunderstood because recovery is assumed to be automatic—when in reality, it is conditional and fragile. 5. Preservation Is Viewed as Fear-Driven Rather Than Responsibility-Driven Capital preservation is often framed psychologically: For fiduciaries, preservation is not emotional. It is ethical. Capital often represents: Preserving capital is an act of responsibility, not emotion. In 2026, capital preservation will continue to be misunderstood by those who view investing only through a personal lens—not a fiduciary one. 6. The Cost of Not Preserving Capital Is Delayed and Invisible The damage from failing to preserve capital is rarely immediate. It shows up later as: Because the cost is delayed, it is often ignored. In 2026, capital preservation will remain misunderstood because its benefits are quiet and long-term—while its absence becomes visible only after cycles turn. 7. Preservation Is Confused With Market Timing Some investors believe capital preservation requires predicting downturns. This belief discourages its adoption. In reality, preservation does not rely on: It relies on: In 2026, many investors will still avoid preservation strategies because they incorrectly associate them with forecasting rather than design. 8. Behavioural Risk Is Underweighted Capital is rarely lost solely due to markets. It is often lost because of behaviour: Capital preservation frameworks explicitly account for behavioural failure. They design portfolios that investors can hold—not just theoretically, but emotionally. In 2026, capital preservation will remain misunderstood wherever behavioural risk is treated as secondary rather than central. 9. Preservation Is Misframed as a Late-Cycle Concern Many investors believe preservation becomes relevant only: This is backward. Preservation matters most early, when compounding has the most time to work—and the most to lose from interruption. In 2026, capital preservation will continue to be misunderstood as an endgame strategy, rather than a foundation. 10. Success Bias Masks the Need for Preservation Strong markets reduce perceived risk. During extended periods of success: This success bias leads investors to dismantle preservation mechanisms precisely when they are most needed. In 2026, capital preservation will remain misunderstood because success is mistaken for safety. Why Capital Preservation Remains Unpopular Capital preservation is: Its success is defined by: These qualities make it easy to dismiss—and costly to ignore. Reframing Capital Preservation Correctly Capital preservation should be understood as: Preservation does not compete with growth. It protects the conditions under which growth can persist. Capital Preservation Is About Time, Not Fear Preservation is fundamentally about time. It ensures that: In long-term investing, time is the most valuable asset. Capital preservation protects it. The Enduring Idea Capital preservation is not about avoiding risk. It is about avoiding irreversible loss so that time can do the heavy lifting. Misunderstanding this principle is one of the most consistent reasons wealth fails to endure. Closing Perspective In 2026, many investors will continue to pursue growth while underestimating the fragility of capital. Some will learn—again—that recovery is harder than expected, behaviour is less reliable than assumed, and time lost cannot be reclaimed. Others will quietly endure by designing portfolios and processes that respect the asymmetric, behavioural, and temporal realities of investing. In capital stewardship, preservation is not a constraint. It is the condition that makes everything else possible.