The Case for Calm: Being Still in a Turning World

Rudyard Kipling’s If— offers a blueprint for calm and character in the face of chaos. In the poem, a father imparts to his son a quiet, powerful lesson: “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs … yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it.” Published in 1910, the work was partly inspired by the real-life trial of Leander Starr Jameson, a man who led a doomed raid in South Africa and faced public humiliation with stoic grace. Kipling saw in Jameson a rare quiet dignity — the ability to remain composed amid turmoil. The poem’s protagonist didn’t let chaos wreck his character, a hallmark of maturity.¹ It turns out the same can be said for investing.

Markets, like life, are prone to unpredictable swings. A dramatic headline stirs panic, markets wobble, and animal spirits quickly turn from greed to fear. Yet research suggests that the most successful investors aren’t those who react the fastest to the news cycle. Instead, those who take the time to process their emotions, think critically, and act with discipline tend to fare best.

According to a study from The Emotion of Money by Robert C. Quinn, individuals with high emotional intelligence (EI), those skilled at perceiving and managing their emotions, consistently earned higher returns than their peers. By keeping their impulses in check, they built thoughtfully constructed portfolios and resisted the urge to over-trade. This emotional clarity led to financial gains — especially during market volatility. Conversely, the study’s participants scoring low on EI were triggered by raw perceptions of risk, which resulted in subpar returns.²

The research is interesting and encouraging in that most people can increase their capacity to manage their feelings. Emotional intelligence isn’t about suppressing innate inclinations but channeling them. Viewed through that lens, we can craft a playbook for practicing patience when market volatility rises. Kipling’s “If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same” isn’t a call to numbness; it’s a challenge to rise above the fray. So, how do we, as investors, embody this calm? Here are practical steps for being still in a turning world:

1. Review Your Plan with Your Advisor

   Remind yourself why you decided on a strategy. In calmer times, you constructed a plan rooted in long-term goals and values, not the day’s headlines or what the financial media heeded. I promise there was a reason; a quick refresher can re-anchor you to that logic. This exercise will feel like a lifeline when the storm hits.
    

2. Sleep On It

   Institute a pause before making big decisions. Research from The Journal of Economic Psychology shows that time-buffered decisions reduce impulsivity and increase long-term alignment.³ In this case, a parent or trusted friend’s advice to sleep on it is correct. A pause isn’t indecision — it is discipline.
    

3. Anchor to Non-Financial Metrics

   Choose a calming, stabilizing behavior to command your attention — steps walked, hours slept, time spent with loved ones — and track it. When markets devolve into a frenzy, these controllable habits keep your focus on what you can control. It’s a subtle rewiring that supports emotional regulation and calm.
    

4. Turn Off Real-Time Alerts

   And for goodness' sake, disable those push notifications that bombard you with the latest financial saga. Newsfeeds — particularly about your money — expose you to all that’s uncontrollable, which breeds anxiety, not stillness. Media outlets thrive on urgency, but constant updates only serve to spike your cortisol levels and shrink your perspective, often at the expense of sound long-term judgment. Literally, silence the noise.
    

The Bottom Line

Kipling’s poem finishes with a promise: hold steady, and the world is yours. With investing, the aim isn’t so much about scoring wealth amid market madness but just keeping your peace of mind. The emotionally intelligent behavioral investor controls their thoughts and actions amid macroeconomic chaos. They know that “this too shall pass,” and all those headlines will soon be forgotten. By reviewing your plan, pausing before deciding, focusing on all that’s not financial, and tuning out the clamor, you can bask in the bastion of stillness.
 

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