Persist or Pivot: The Crossroads

Markets have a way of testing conviction. When prices move sharply, whether in favor or against us, investors often reach a familiar crossroads: persist or pivot?

The question sounds tactical, but at its core, it’s philosophical. It’s about whether we trust our process more than we fear the moment.

In times of uncertainty, many investors default to product thinking. They look for the next stock, the next sector, the next idea to solve the discomfort of volatility. But markets don’t reward quick fixes. They tend to reward discipline, adaptability, and context. Specifically, traits that belong to process thinking.

Process thinking begins with clarity: knowing what we own, why we own it, and what conditions would genuinely justify change. Process thinking invites us to view market shifts not as a signal to abandon strategy, but as an opportunity to reexamine assumptions. Has the investment thesis eroded? Has risk tolerance changed? Has the broader environment fundamentally altered the probabilities? When we answer these questions systematically, pivoting becomes an intentional act, not an emotional one.

Persistence, on the other hand, isn’t the same as stubbornness. It’s the discipline to stay the course because the process still holds. Successful investors often persist not because they’re confident in every short-term outcome, but because they’ve designed systems that account for volatility, rebalance opportunistically, and evolve with evidence.

At StratiCo, we view the persist-or-pivot decision as a test of alignment, between behavior and belief, structure and conviction. A robust process gives investors permission to do both: to persist when conditions warrant patience, and to pivot when data demands agility. The power lies in knowing which is which.

In every cycle, the temptation to react is strong. But fortune rarely favors reaction, it favors preparation. The investors who endure aren’t those who chase products, but those who refine their process, revisit their reasoning, and act with purpose.

Because in the end, the difference between persistence and pivoting isn’t timing. It’s intention.

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Brad Harsch is the Founder and Portfolio Manager of StratiCo LLC and Strategic Advocates, LLC, an SEC-registered investment advisor. Brad is the author of “Fortune Favors: Seven Distinctions for the Discerning Investor”. He builds disciplined investment strategy, and he writes about the science and behaviors that pursue lasting investment success.

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The insights shared here reflect the author’s opinions as of the date of publication and are intended for educational and informational purposes only. They do not constitute investment advice or a recommendation. Investing involves risk, including the possible loss of principal.