Tales from the Riverbank: What Rowing Has Taught Me About Investing

I’ve spent the better part of my adult life messing about in rowing boats, specifically, training and racing in all types of boats, from single sculls to championship eights. And I find that my sport has plenty of parallels with my day job in investment management. Indeed, I often find myself reflecting on how these two worlds—seemingly so different—are actually built on the same foundations.

Success in rowing doesn’t come from one magical moment or a single heroic effort. It’s built quietly, over months and years, in early mornings and tough conditions. That should sound familiar to anyone who’s helped a client stay invested for the long haul.

There are moments in rowing that are genuinely special. Single sculling at dawn, when the water is perfectly still, can feel almost Zen-like. Everything is quiet. Each stroke is clean. You move effortlessly, and for a while, you’re completely present in the moment. Then there are the highs of racing as part of a truly committed crew—when eight individuals move as one. The rhythm locks in, the boat lifts, and you feel like you’re flying—exhausting and exhilarating all at once.

But, if I’m honest—and any rower will tell you this—those moments are rare.

Mostly, rowing is inconvenient, uncomfortable and monotonous.

You get up very early in the morning, often in the dark, even when you don’t feel like it. You train in freezing wind and driving rain. Your hands blister. Your back aches. And you repeat the same movement thousands upon thousands of times—always chasing marginal improvements. There’s very little glamour. You keep showing up because that’s what it takes to be successful.

Investing, at its best, is no different. Yes, the long-term outcomes can be immensely satisfying—funding a retirement, buying a home, helping a client secure a legacy. But getting there? That’s where the hard work happens.

It’s inconvenient: you have to forgo spending on things you want in the present in order to save for the future.
It’s uncomfortable: markets get bumpy, but those rough waters are part of the experience.
It’s monotonous: true success is often about holding your nerve and sticking to a disciplined plan—not chasing every new idea.

Just as there are no shortcuts in rowing, there are no hacks in investing. It’s about showing up, doing the work and resisting the temptation to jump ship when things get rough.

For advisers, the vital work you do in supporting your clients means that you have many roles to play beyond simply creating and implementing financial plans. You are more than portfolio managers—you are coaches, guides and, often, the steady hand on the rudder helping your clients to stay committed when the journey feels slow, uncomfortable or uncertain. You are there to remind them that discipline doesn’t always feel exciting—but it is powerful. 

Because whether you’re racing your boat or building long-term wealth, the objective is not about chasing perfect conditions. It’s about showing up, doing the work—and believing that the effort will be worth it. Success in investing means not reacting to every ripple or wave but from trusting the process and staying the course. Ultimately, it is consistency that beats everything, and most of that magic happens quietly, in the background, so long as you stay in the boat.

There may not always be medals at the end, but there is often something more meaningful: confidence, resilience and the ability to look back and say, “We did our best and we couldn’t have done any more.”