Why your account balance might be lying to you
What my morning walk taught me about financial planning
This morning, I walked 4.7 miles on the treadmill.
My iPhone, which was in my pocket the entire time, says I only walked 3.4 miles.
That’s a pretty big gap.
I’ve noticed this happens a lot.
When I wear pants with a smaller pocket, my phone records fewer steps.
When the pocket is baggy and loose, the phone bounces around more and the step count goes up.
That’s the only explanation I can think of…
Same walk.
Same effort.
Different numbers.
My iPhone isn’t broken.
It’s just measuring based on movement—and when the pocket is snug, there’s less movement to detect.
The measurement changes based on the environment, not the reality of what I actually did.
And that got me thinking about how we measure progress in general—and especially in financial planning.
We can get obsessed with the wrong numbers
It’s easy to do.
You check your account balance.
You compare your portfolio to the S&P 500.
You wonder if you’re “on track” based on some benchmark you read about online.
But here’s the thing: those numbers are like my iPhone step count.
They’re useful, but they’re not the whole story.
And sometimes, they’re just plain misleading.
A down market doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means the environment changed.
A flat year doesn’t mean you didn’t make progress. It might just mean the progress isn’t visible yet.
And obsessing over portfolio performance can distract you from what actually matters:
Are you going to be okay?
Can you retire without fear?
Will you have enough money to live the life you want?
Those questions don’t show up on your account statement.
Context matters more than the number itself
Let’s say your portfolio is down 8% this year.
That sounds bad—until you realize the overall market is down 12%. Suddenly, you’re doing better than you thought.
Or maybe your net worth didn’t grow much this year because you spent money on something important—helping a family member, taking a trip you’ve been dreaming about, finally fixing that thing in your house.
That’s not failure. That’s life.
The number on the page doesn’t tell you whether you’re winning or losing.
The context does.
Progress isn’t always visible in real-time
When my phone missed those steps this morning, I still walked 4.7 miles.
The effort counted, even if the tracker didn’t capture it.
The same thing happens in financial planning.
You might not “feel” progress when the market is flat.
Or when you’re in a year where you’re spending more than usual.
Or when you’re being disciplined with rebalancing and tax planning, but your account balance isn’t climbing the way you hoped.
But the behaviors still matter.
The plan is still working.
You’re still moving forward—even when the numbers might not show it.
Don’t let the measurement distract you from the outcome
If I only cared about my step count, I’d wear baggier pants every single day.
But that’s ridiculous.
The point isn’t the number. The point is the walk.
The same is true for your money.
The point isn’t to have the highest return or the biggest account balance.
The point is to have enough—and to know you’ll be okay.
The point is peace of mind.
A reliable source of income for the rest of your life.
The freedom to stop worrying and start living on your terms.
Sometimes the numbers help you see that. But sometimes, they just create noise.
You need the right perspective to measure what matters
My iPhone isn’t perfect.
But I also have the treadmill reading.
I have context.
I know what actually happened, even when the tracker gets it wrong.
In financial planning, you need more than just your monthly account statement.
You need someone who understands the full picture.
Someone who adjusts for the noise.
Someone who keeps you focused on what’s real and what’s not.
Because the truth is, measuring progress is tricky.
The environment shifts.
The numbers bounce around.
And if you’re only looking at one data point, you might think you’re off track when you’re actually doing just fine.
So the next time you check your balance and feel a little anxious, ask yourself:
Am I measuring the right thing?
Or am I just looking at a tight pocket when I actually walked the full distance?
You might be further along than you think.
Links & Things
As we quickly approach the new year, I wanted to share some “important numbers” for 2026.
Click the image below to access and download the full 3-page PDF where you’ll find income tax rates, standard deductions, retirement plan contribution limits, and much more that will impact your financial decision making in 2026 (and beyond).
My friend Bill is a talented and entertaining speaker, and his 12-minute video below is worth checking out.
Watch it and let me know what you think…
Thank you for reading!
If you ever have any feedback or suggestions for me, simply hit reply or leave a comment and share what’s on your mind…
Until next Wednesday,
Russ