January 31, 2026
3
 minute read

The Almost-Advice Column

A hand holding a smartphone in front of a chalkboard, where the word “Don’t” is written in chalk, with the phone screen framing the word “Do it” against the dark, dusty blackboard background
Written by
Zoe Sheady

Advice has a habit of hardening into rules.
Rules turn into expectations.
And eventually, they stop being questioned.

Anti-Advice is a growing collection of short reflections that challenge the ideas we hear most often about money, markets, and decision-making. Not to be provocative, but to be honest.

Each entry explores a familiar piece of guidance - timing the market, waiting for certainty, seeking reassurance - and gently turns it over to see what’s underneath. No hot takes. No hacks. Just clearer thinking, written monthly and gathered here in one place.

Read them in order, or dip in when something catches your eye. They’re designed to be timeless, not urgent.

Waiting for Stability

Most people wait for the markets to “feel stable” before they start investing. It sounds sensible, but stability usually appears only in hindsight - long after the opportunity has passed.

The truth is that discomfort is part of beginning, and confidence grows from action, not the other way around.

You don’t need certainty to start; you only need clarity about why you’re starting at all.