When I Thought I Could Beat the Market

There was a time when I believed every percent mattered.
That it would be easy to emulate Buffett or the big investors.

I started direct stock investing in late 2019 with a simple strategy:
Minimal churn. Blue-chip stocks. Buy when they’re down.

Titan (3.5x), United Spirits (3x), TCS and Infosys (2x) — some did well.
But I couldn’t invest large amounts. The returns were nice, but the impact wasn’t.

Eventually, I realised:
Returns matter. But the amount you invest matters more.

And honestly? I’m not a professional.
I didn’t want to spend my days reading annual reports or second-guessing management decisions.

The effort just wasn’t worth it for me.

It wasn’t easy to let go.
I had held on for years — not just to the stocks, but to the belief that I should be doing this.
That being in control meant picking stocks myself.

But eventually by mid-2023 — I exited completely.
And honestly?

It felt liberating.

How My Diversification Became Overcomplication

15–20% returns seemed easy back then.
Everyone had a story. Everyone had a spreadsheet.
And so did I.

At one point, my portfolio had 12 mutual funds — names like S&P 500 and NASDAQ — I thought I was “diversifying smartly.”

But it came at a cost.
Not in money — but in mental noise.

Always tweaking.
Always comparing.
Always calculating.
Wondering if I should rebalance now or next month.
Wondering if I was missing out.

But the more I tried to micromanage my portfolio, the less peace I had.

The Portfolio Today

I follow a 60:40 split between equity and debt.

Why 60:40?
Because I want the portfolio to feel calmer.
Because it suits my psychology.
Because I want less drama and more sleep.

Equity (60%)

• 50% Nifty 50
  → The foundation. Simple, proven, and low-cost.
  I treat it like the core strength of our portfolio — steady, boring, and built to last.
• 25% Nifty Next 50
  → The “what’s next” layer. Slightly more volatile, but with potential.
  It complements the Nifty 50 without overlapping — gives exposure to tomorrow’s leaders.
• 25% Parag Parikh Flexicap
  → My human touch.
  I kept this one active fund for its philosophy — long-term, global exposure, no hype.
  It’s the only place I allow some flexibility and trust the process without tracking every move.

Debt (40%)

• EPF and PPF first
  → Government-backed, tax-efficient, predictable. These anchor the retirement plan.

Then 50% in Money Market Fund + 50% in Gilt Fund
→ Calm, liquid, and not chasing yield. These are simple, low-drama options — one for stability, the other for interest rate shifts.

The average annual return (CAGR) on the portfolio so far is 14.74%. But I expect it to come down over time — not because the portfolio is doing badly, but simply because of the law of averages.

Early returns tend to look higher, especially after a few good years.
But over the next few years, the numbers will settle into a more realistic long-term average.
And I’m perfectly okay with that.

My modest expectation is around 8.4% overall — assuming 10% from equity and 6% from debt.
Anything above that is a bonus.

What Changed

I don’t check fund rankings.
I don’t open stock tips.
I don’t care about the “best fund this year.”

I care about this:
“Is this helping us move peacefully toward enough?”

I still track things — once a month for now, though I’m slowly nudging myself toward once a quarter… and maybe eventually, just twice a year.
Because peace isn't just about the portfolio. It’s also about how often you need to look at it.

I only invest what I know I won’t touch.

I don’t worry about market corrections anymore — I haven’t tracked one in over two years.
I can travel without thinking about market prices.
I don’t see market news anymore — it just doesn’t feel relevant.

And the most surprising part?

The daily ups and downs in the portfolio now are bigger than what I used to invest in an entire month.
And I don’t feel a thing.

That, to me, is peace.
And maybe that’s the real return I was always looking for.

Looking Back

Would this strategy work for everyone? Probably not.
But it works beautifully for me.

I’m not maximizing anymore.
I’m simplifying.

And strangely,
that feels like a much higher return.

🧘‍♂️ If you enjoyed this…

This blog is my quiet corner to reflect on money, FIRE, and the life beyond numbers.

If you’d like to walk this peaceful path with me —
no hacks, no hype — just slow, intentional progress…

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