Last year reminded everyone that investing is hard. It can be uncomfortable and unpleasant. Market volatility can diminish willpower and cause determination to waver. The main risk is not portfolio declines. The real risk is that instincts override the discipline investors need to achieve their long-term plan.

Fear of the unknown is an instinct that helps us survive, but acts against our better judgment as investors. It pushes us toward the perception of safety.

In a handful of words, this evocative quote by Tadas Viskanta - “Market Timing is a Gateway to Cash Addiction” - cuts to the core of a psychological obstacle that thwarts many investors.