Investing can feel like a wild rollercoaster. One day you're up, the next day you're questioning all your life choices. It's tempting to make impulsive decisions when the market takes a nosedive or when you’re feeling like a Wall Street genius after a lucky win. But here's the truth: the secret to long-term success in investing isn’t about timing the market—it’s about consistency.

Let’s break this down and explore why consistency matters and how automation can be your secret weapon to staying on track.

Consistency: The Bedrock of Successful Investing

Imagine planting a tree. You can’t just water it once, walk away, and expect a lush oak to sprout overnight. It takes regular care—consistent watering, sunlight, and patience. The same logic applies to investing.

Consistency helps you:

• Avoid emotional decisions: Reacting to every market move is like trying to steer a car that’s already on cruise control—it’s unnecessary and counterproductive.

• Leverage compounding: By investing regularly, you allow your returns to generate returns of their own. This is how wealth grows exponentially over time.

• Smooth out volatility: By consistently investing (even during downturns), you’re buying into the market at different price points, which averages out the cost of your investments.

Here’s the kicker: consistency doesn’t just happen. Life gets in the way. We forget, get busy, or let emotions take over. That’s where automation steps in.

How Automation Keeps You on Track

Automation isn’t just for your coffee maker or those oddly satisfying robot vacuums—it’s an investor’s best friend, too. By automating your investments, you’re essentially setting up a system that works for you, even when life gets chaotic.

Here’s how automation helps:

1. Takes the Emotion Out of Investing

Let’s face it—humans aren’t wired to make rational decisions when it comes to money. Automation removes the temptation to time the market, chase trends, or panic sell during dips. Instead, it ensures you stick to your strategy.

For example, with Surmount, you can automate your investments based on strategies designed to grow your portfolio steadily, without you needing to lift a finger. No FOMO, no fear-driven decisions—just consistency.

2. Keeps You Accountable

Automation is like having a financial accountability buddy who never forgets. Whether it’s a weekly contribution to your portfolio or rebalancing your investments, automation makes sure you’re always taking action—even if you’re busy binge-watching Netflix.

3. Maximizes Dollar-Cost Averaging

When you invest a fixed amount regularly, regardless of market conditions, you practice something called dollar-cost averaging. It’s a fancy term for buying more shares when prices are low and fewer when prices are high. Over time, this smooths out market volatility and helps build your portfolio steadily.

4. Frees Up Mental Space

Ever heard of decision fatigue? It’s what happens when you make too many choices in a day—big or small. Automating your investments means one less decision to worry about, so you can focus on other things that matter (like figuring out which takeout to order tonight).

Practical Tips to Automate Your Investing

So how do you get started with automation? Here’s a quick game plan:

• Set it and forget it: Use platforms like Surmount to automate regular contributions from your bank account to your brokerage account.

• Automate rebalancing: Over time, your portfolio might drift away from its target allocation. Automation can rebalance it back to align with your goals.

• Leverage pre-built strategies: Don’t have the time to research or build your own strategy? Surmount offers ready-to-go strategies designed for growth, diversification, and risk management.

The Long-Term Payoff

Here’s the beauty of consistency: you don’t have to be perfect to win at investing. By automating your approach, you’re playing the long game. You’ll ride out market dips, capture growth during upswings, and build wealth steadily without getting caught up in the daily noise.

A study by Vanguard showed that investors who stayed the course during downturns outperformed those who panicked and sold. Automation ensures you’re one of those steady investors who reap the rewards of patience and discipline.

Final Thoughts: Stay Consistent, Stay Confident

Investing doesn’t have to be stressful or complicated. With the power of automation, you can stay consistent without constantly watching the market or overthinking every decision. Think of it as putting your investments on autopilot—it’s a simple yet powerful way to build wealth over time.

So, ready to take the next step? Start automating your investments today and let consistency do the heavy lifting for your financial future.

The information presented is for educational purposes only and not an offer or solicitation for any specific investments. Investments involve risk and are not guaranteed. Consult with a financial adviser before making any investment decisions. Past performance does not guarantee future results.