Subject: Re: Hold the damn stock
I told the young people at work that they'll hit an era when the (hopefully unrealized) loss during a downturn will be the cost of a car, and they'll cringe some, but it will be ok. Eventually, such a loss will resemble the price of a car. I told them the counterpart to this is they'll come to an era when their gains, as well, will outpace their compensation from work.

Most of these folks have a great shot at becoming TSP millionaires one day (that is, if this current lot doesn't disassemble the entirety of government). One of them told the story of how by simply following the course for 33 year of employment, they grew it to a sum of $2.4m. This was a very hands-off participant. The highest grade they achieved on the gov't pay scale was GG-13, not a crazily highly compensated level. Time and persistence are powerful, when wielded by a patient investor.