Waiting for a stock market correction before investing? Think again...

Peter Lynch once said:

"Far more money has been lost by investors preparing for corrections, or trying to anticipate corrections, than has been lost in corrections themselves."

Case in point: since 1950, the S&P 500 has hit 175 all-time highs per decade. 

Yeah, it’s at an all time high right now. It’ll probably be at another one next week. Markets hitting new highs isn’t a red flag, it’s what they do. Sitting out waiting for the “right moment” is never a good strategy.

Let’s look at two fictional friends: Bob and Sally.

• Bob gets a $10,000 bonus and decides to spend it all on weekend trips, expensive dinners, and new gadgets. He lives like that for 25 years. At the end, all he has to show for it is a closet full of stuff he doesn’t use and a lot of great photos of mediocre food.

• Sally takes her $10,000 and invests it in the S&P 500 every year. Historically, the market averages 10% annual returns. In 25 years, Sally’s $10,000 has grown to over $108,000.

  Meanwhile, Bob is reminiscing about his overpriced avocado toast on the beach in Cancun.

The moral of the story? You’re either working for your money or your money is working for you.

The first time I came into some serious cash, I panicked. I thought, “What if I invest this and the market crashes?” So, I sat on it. For years. The market, meanwhile, just kept climbing, and I sat there like an idiot watching my buying power evaporate. Lesson learned: the market doesn’t care about your feelings.

When I finally got off my lazy behind and started investing, things changed. I learned the power of dollar cost averaging: investing a fixed amount at regular intervals. It’s idiot proof, which was perfect for my dumb ass back in the day.

You don’t have to worry about timing the market. You just set it and forget it.

And guess what? It works.

“But Tom, What About Real Estate?” Ah, the classic real estate argument. “I’ll just buy property; they’re not making any more land!” Sure, real estate is great, IF you like dealing with tenants, clogged toilets, mold and termites.

Plus, unless you’ve got a spare million lying around, you’re taking on debt.

And let’s not forget liquidity. You can’t sell a bathroom to pay your bills. Stocks, on the other hand? you can trim 10%, 20% and still stay invested.

So What Should You Do? Here’s the game plan, plain and simple:

• Start with Index Funds: They’re the backbone of any smart portfolio. VOO, SPY, take your pick. You’ll own a slice of America’s best companies without lifting a finger.

• Dollar Cost Average: Worried about dumping all your cash in at once? Break it into chunks. Slow and steady wins the race.

• Ignore the Noise: Every day, someone on CNBC is either screaming about how the market’s going to crash or to implode into new highs. Ignore them.

Look, I get it. Investing can be intimidating. But doing nothing? That’s not a plan.

Whether you’re scared of the market, waiting for the perfect time, or just don’t know where to start, the answer is the same: start today.

Your future self will thank you.