This week’s issue of The Deep Woods is special to me. The reason why is that this is the first issue where I get to introduce myself directly to Mark Skousen’s Investor CAFÉ readers. If you’ve come to me through the Investor CAFÉ, I am both humbled and honored for your readership. In fact, my gratitude level is such that I feel impelled to share a little bit more about me; my background, my philosophic perspective and what I’m all about. So, today, let me touch on the essentials, and I will do so through the devices of love, poverty and war.
Now, you may have heard the old adage born of the literary world that says a man’s life is incomplete until he has tasted love, poverty and war.
Beginning with the latter, my closest brush came in January 1991. I was just graduating from the U.S. Army Airborne School at Ft. Benning, Georgia, as the bombs began raining down on Saddam Hussein’s Iraq. As it turned out, that conflict was so short-lived that I missed out on the war leg of the complete life.
As for poverty, well, although I come from a modest middle-class American family, I would hardly say that qualifies as poverty by global standards. And aside from some lean, post-college days working at the financial newspaper Investor’s Business Daily, I would also have to say that poverty has eluded me.
When it comes to love, however, this is where I’ve more than made up for any deficit in the other two complete life components. Love of family, friends, career, music, literature, philosophy, nature, fitness, sport and perhaps most of all, love of learning and educating, are the animating forces at the core of my being.
That love runs particularly deep when talking about the love I have for helping investors better understand — and better profit from — the financial markets. In fact, you might say that this love is a form of war on poverty itself… the poverty of knowledge that keeps investors paralyzed into subpar performance.
Ironically, my love for this pursuit also encompasses my own desire to be a complete man, engaging in a war to help others overcome their own conception of poverty. Now, as part of my work, I often integrate the knowledge I’ve gained through my various passions in life. One such passion is horsemanship.
Here, I take pride in learning about myself from one of the best teachers on earth — the horse. You see, the horse is a herd animal, and one that has evolved over millions of years to thrive in its group social structure. The horse also is an animal that requires leadership, as the highest-ranking mares of the herd are leaders, directing the movement of the group to different grazing areas or water sources.
In “natural horsemanship” of the kind I practice, the horseman is tasked with taking the “lead mare” role. In doing so, the horseman must provide the leadership to his beloved animals that they require to survive and flourish.
This method works well, provided the horseman has the requisite confidence in his knowledge and skills, and provided he has accepted the responsibility of assuming the lead mare role.
Confidence here is perhaps the most important ingredient, but confidence only comes after you’ve done the hard work to acquire the knowledge and skill necessary to assume that confident lead-mare swagger.
Have you ever noticed that truly confident people walk with their heads up?
Think about that for a moment. Have you ever known a confident person that’s always looking down? The answer is almost certainly no, and the reason why is because confident people don’t look down. They look up, and they take on life with the responsibility of a lead mare.
That lead mare role is one that I assume not only with my horses, but also with my approach to investing, and when it comes to my mission of helping subscribers to my multiple newsletter advisory services achieve market-beating returns.
And after nearly three decades in this industry, I have built up the requisite knowledge and skill needed to be the lead mare when it comes to helping investors grow and protect their money. Of course, the best part here is I’m always learning, because knowledge, and money, never sleep.
One thing you’ll always get from me is that aforementioned sense of confidence gained via knowledge and experience. Whether it’s through my writing, my speaking events or a face-to-face meeting, one thing you’ll quickly notice is that I’m the type of lead mare that never looks down.
So, if you want to run alongside me with the confidence of a lead mare, then I invite you to read The Deep Woods each Wednesday. I also invite you to check out all of my newsletter advisory services. And the best part is that you can do so right here, right now, by checking out the links below:
Upcoming Appearances
Today, Feb. 4, 4 p.m. EST, I will be doing an online presentation with the experts at TradeOutLoad and TimingResearch. My presentation is titled, “5 Traits Every Stock Should Have Before You Trade It.” This presentation, and the entire three-day online event, is free, but you must register to participate. See you later this afternoon!
The MoneyShow Las Vegas is just around the corner. Join me, and a plethora of investment experts at Paris Las Vegas for immersive education and market intelligence you can use immediately… not to mention an unforgettable experience! The MoneyShow Las Vegas will be held Feb. 23-25, 2026. This three-day experience brings together more than 1,000 market participants, 100+ exhibitors, renowned keynote speakers and some of the most respected financial minds on Wall Street.
I will be delivering two talks, and I will also be a participating on a panel titled, “The Debasement Trade: How to Hedge (and Profit) in FX, Metals and More.” I’ll also be hanging out at the Eagle Financial Publications booth, so if you will be in Las Vegas, come introduce yourself, shake my hand and let’s connect. This event is also free, and all you have to do to attend is register here.
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Jeffersonian Losses
“The most successful war seldom pays for its losses.”
–Thomas Jefferson
Whether it’s a war waged on another country, or a war waged within our country, and especially when it’s a war waged within American cities, “success” quite often comes at a considerable cost. Our current political leaders would be wise to remember what Jefferson said here, because indeed, war seldom pays for its losses.
Wisdom about money, investing and life can be found anywhere. If you have a good quote that you’d like me to share with your fellow readers, send it to me, along with any comments, questions and suggestions you have about my newsletters, seminars or anything else. Click here to ask Jim.
In the name of the best within us,
Jim Woods
