How the Wealthy Weather Market Storms: Discipline Over Drama in 2026

While many investors watch their screens with a sense of dread during market swings, the wealthiest Americans are operating differently. Their approach, according to Peter Mallouk, CEO of the $300 billion advisory firm Creative Planning, isn't about secret tips or timing the chaos. It’s about a steady, almost boring, discipline that most people struggle to maintain.

Mallouk, who guides portfolios for the ultra-rich, says his clients are largely ignoring the daily headlines about AI stock frenzies and the unpredictable tariff policies that have marked the current administration. Instead, they adhere to a plan. When markets sold off earlier this year amid trade tensions, retail investors often ran for cash. Mallouk's clients were more likely to rebalance—coolly selling some winners to buy what was on sale.

This extends to the AI boom. Rather than betting everything on a single company, wealthy investors are seeking exposure through diversified holdings in large tech firms, infrastructure, and even energy companies powering data centers. They remember the dot-com era: the internet changed everything, but many individual stocks vanished.

The current climate offers unique tools for this patience. After years of near-zero returns, bonds now offer meaningful yields, allowing for more balanced portfolios. More crucially, the wealthy have access to private equity, credit, and real estate—assets that don't move in lockstep with the public markets and provide ballast.

The real advantage, however, may be psychological. Studies consistently show average investors lose significant returns by buying high and selling low. The wealthy, Mallouk observes, are trained to do the opposite. Their strategy isn't about predicting the next six months; it's about sticking to an asset allocation for the next twenty years. As 2026 unfolds with its own set of uncertainties, that disciplined playbook remains unchanged. For those building lasting wealth, the game hasn't shifted—only the commitment to playing it calmly has.