---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We make too much out of past performance…"
description: "\"We make too much out of past performance, and it's very misleading to investors. It causes them to move money around. They buy a fund that's hot and th..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/john-c-bogle-2199_cold_we-make-too-much-out-of-past-performance_101400.jpg"
---

#  We make too much out of past performance, and it's very…

![“We make too much out of past performance, and it's very misleading to investors. It causes them to move money around. They buy a fund that's hot and then it turns cold as all hot funds eventually do. And then they get out. Well, buying at the high and selling at the low isn't going to leave you a…” quote by John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/john-c-bogle-2199_cold_we-make-too-much-out-of-past-performance_101400.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/john-c-bogle-2199_cold_we-make-too-much-out-of-past-performance_101400.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8f1/john-c-bogle-2199_cold_we-make-too-much-out-of-past-performance_101400.jpg)

> “We make too much out of past performance, and it's very misleading to investors. It causes them to move money around. They buy a fund that's hot and then it turns cold as all hot funds eventually do. And then they get out. Well, buying at the high and selling at the low isn't going to leave you a satisfied shareholder, right?”

[John C. Bogle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-bogle/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Investors overreact to recent fund performance, buying high and selling low, which leads to dissatisfaction and suboptimal returns.

**In simple terms:** Chasing hot funds hurts investors.

Key Takeaway

Momentum chasing erodes wealth.

Themes

investing behavioral finance market cycles risk management

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

financial advice cautionary

When to use this quote

- Retail investor webinars
- Retirement planning sessions
- Financial advisory meetings

Key Concepts

loss aversion herding behavior

Practical Applications

- Adopt a long‑term, diversified strategy.
- Use systematic rebalancing to avoid emotional trades.

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do investors gravitate toward recent winners?
- What safeguards can prevent impulsive trading?

A Different Perspective

Some active strategies can add value if rigorously researched, though they are rare.

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