When I was 25, I promised a total stranger, whom I never saw again, that I would run a marathon.
Why I made this ridiculous promise is a story for another day. At the time, I had the cardiovascular capacity of an asthmatic (which I was) and desk jockey (which I was) whose idea of cardio was to walk to the deli four blocks away instead of the deli two blocks away (which I did).
I bought a Garmin and a book with a simple but accurate title, "The Non-runner's Guide to Running a Marathon," and off I went.
Day One. I start my Garmin, and off I go. Six minutes later, I'm lying on the sidewalk, wheezing—cursing myself, my lungs, my shoes, and the sidewalk. I look back to see how far I've gone. I can still see my apartment building. It’s very easy to walk back, defeated.
Day Two. I run for 7 minutes. Day Three, I run for 8.
Since only 15% of Americans run, simply lacing up my shoes and leaving the apartment made me above average. It was just a matter of doing it long enough.
Soon, I ran the five-mile loop around Cincinnati's commuter airport every Sunday morning. Then, I ran it twice, then four times. It was never easy. I was frequently the slowest person on the trail, and I was passed by people in wheelchairs. But I kept going out there and getting a little better every day.
The quest to be a Hall of Famer
Mickey Mantle.
Babe Ruth.
Ken Griffey Jr.
Even people who have never watched a baseball game know these names. They are legends. They are Hall of Famers. They are the players for whom the Hall of Fame is made.
Most sports experts consider the Baseball Hall of Fame to be the most difficult to get into. You need 75% of the panel of crusty, jaded baseball writers to vote for you to get enshrined in the Hall. There are years when nobody gets in. The bar is very high.
Today, I’m not talking about Mick, Babe, or Junior.
I’m talking about Scott Bruce Rolen.
Who the hell is Scott Rolen, and why haven't I heard of him?
Scott Rolen was a third baseman for Philadelphia, St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Toronto. An above-average hitter. Strong on defense. A leader in the clubhouse. A great addition to any team.
However, Scott Rolen was never voted league Most Valuable Player and never finished higher than fourth in the MVP voting. He was only chosen for the All-Star team in seven of his 17 years in the game. By contrast, Mickey Mantle was an All-Star for 16 of his 18 years.
Rolen never had the highest batting average. He never hit the most home runs. He didn't get the most press. He didn't get commercial deals. He didn't sell you Nikes and was rarely on Sportscenter's Top 10 plays.
Not only was he not the best player in the league, but he wasn't the best player on his team! Bobby Abreu was the star during Scott’s time in Philadelphia. In St. Louis, Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds got the press. Joey Votto could have been elected mayor of Cincinnati, and no one would have been surprised.
And yet, Scott Rolen remained a foundational cornerstone, making every team he was on better.
I know what you’re thinking. “Cool story, bro. Why are you talking about the 4th best player on the 2003 St. Louis Cardinals?”
There are several paths to greatness. One way is to be the best - hailed and exalted - like Mickey Mantle. Children pretend to be you on the playground. Your face is plastered on billboards and Wheaties boxes.
Another way? Be solid. Be reliable. Be above average. And be that for a long-ass time - like Scott Rolen. Above average for 17 years in Major League Baseball.
In 2023, 76% of those crusty, jaded baseball writers elected Scott Rolen to the Baseball Hall of Fame on his sixth attempt, granting him baseball immortality.
Being above average for a long time makes you elite.
I call this “The Scott Rolen Effect”
I aspire to be the Scott Rolen of everything I do. I strive to be reliable, a good teammate, and consistently above average. I don't need to be the star. I don't need the highest returns or to constantly own the best-performing stocks or bonds. That's one of the tenets of Cedar Peak's financial philosophy. As Chief Investment Officer, I seek those characteristics in most of our investments.
Take this fund as an example. From 2014 to 2023, it was worse than average only once and in the top 20% of its peers only once. It was a strong performer, but other funds always beat it.
In total performance over those ten years, this fund was in the top 6% of its peers.
Think about that. The fund was never in the top 15% in any single year but was in the top 6% over the whole period. By being consistently above average, it was elite. This fund is Scott Rolen.
No one ever brags about how above-average their portfolio is doing. No one will come to you for a hot tip on how to do slightly better than average. This is thankless work you can do in obscurity. Your portfolio will be extraordinary if you plug along—solidly, reliably—long enough.
The Scott Rolen Effect works outside of sports and finance, too.
A year and a half after that unsuccessful first run, I crossed the finish line of my first marathon.
Am I the Scott Rolen of long-distance running? Fuck no. I'm not in the Hall of Fame. I wouldn't be listed in "Great Athletic Achievements of Asthmatic Jewish Spreadsheet Jockeys" if I wrote the pamphlet. But I've done something less than 1% of the American population has done. I say that makes me elite. Slow, but elite.
Back to money, because it's my favorite topic. Being elite at personal finance doesn't mean day-trading your way to millions or timing the market perfectly. It doesn't mean living like a monk solely to save every penny. It means doing simple, smart things consistently for a long time:
Save consistently: You don't need to save half your income (unless you live in a cave). Save something every month—10%, 15%, whatever you can. The key is to do it always. The average American's savings rate was 4.4% in October 2024. Be better than average. Be 3x better than average.
Invest consistently: You won't pick the best-performing funds every year. Don't even try. Don't worry about having better returns than your friends. Just look for characteristics that will lead to slightly better-than-average returns over long periods.
By consistently being above average at these things, you'll be underappreciated in the moment but recognized for your mighty accomplishments by the time you're done. You'll join the personal finance Hall of Fame.
In other words, you'll be Scott Rolen.
Kevin Shuller is the Founder/CIO of Cedar Peak Wealth Advisors. This post is for informational purposes only and is not intended as financial advice.
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