The first few weeks of 2016 were the worst start for the S&P 500 in history. So what should you do? The attached article serves as a reminder that negative returns in January (or any single month) are not meaningful because the subsequent 11-month returns have been positive 59% of the time, with an average return of 7%.

Accept the periods of negative volatility and remain disciplined. As the time period increases, the probability of realizing positive expected returns increases. Let patience lead to prosperity.

We can’t help but point out this recent (and expensive) full page advertisement from Fidelity about their belief in active management. Though you won’t hear us say that active managers can’t possibly win in the short-term, we certainly know that it’s hard to identify the winners in advance.

The 15-year data on the odds of active management (as shown in this graph) indicates that we’re far better off adopting a low-cost, evidence-based approach and sticking to it over long periods of time. Doesn’t that sound prudent?

John “Mac” McQuown’s first claim to fame was creating one of the original S&P 500 index funds in the early 1970s. In an advisor-only video interview he conducted with David Booth about his work in evidence-based investing, Mac says:

“What I knew then, and I know now, is that this set of ideas is compelling. And sooner or later the world is going to come around to seeing the validity of this form of investing.”

He continues his work to this day and even holds a seat on Dimensional’s board of directors. He was recently labeled by Bloomberg magazine as the “80-year-old whiz kid” for his work reinventing the corporate bond. Watch the video below for more.