We’re living in an age where speed is everything, with instant delivery and quick commerce services fulfilling our needs in just a few taps. Instant gratification has become our default setting. Today, groceries can arrive faster than some elevator rides. Dinner is often delivered before you’ve even finished watching the trailer. While this hyper-efficiency has redefined convenience, it’s also reshaping our expectations in subtle, often dangerous ways, especially when it comes to money and investing.
The Instant Gratification Trap
Whether we realise it or not, a thought quietly creeps in:
“If I can get my food in 10 minutes, why can’t my investments deliver returns just as fast?”
It’s a fair question in today’s context. But it’s also the wrong one.
New investors often enter the market with this fast-delivery mindset. They sometimes expect their mutual funds to perform like express couriers. They often check stock prices the way they track orders—every hour, every day—hoping for instant progress. But investing is not a delivery service. It’s a discipline.
Real Wealth Isn’t Microwaved—It’s Slow-Cooked
This instant-expectation culture leads to three common and costly behaviours:
- Impatience: Selling too soon, before the investment has had time to grow.
- Trend-following: Jumping on trends instead of sticking to a strategy.
- Fear-driven exits: Mistaking normal market dips for permanent losses.
The truth is, wealth isn’t created in minutes or even months—it’s built over years. Long-term investing is less like ordering a meal and more like planting a tree. You water it. You protect it. You wait. And over time, it gives you shade, fruit, and eventually, deep roots of financial freedom.
The Hidden Power of Time
There’s a reason behind the popular belief that compounding isthe eighth wonder of the world. It rewards patience exponentially. A ₹1 lakh investment growing at 12% annually isn’t just ₹2 lakhs in 6 years—it’s ₹5.5 lakhs in 15 years, and about ₹10 lakhs in 20.
But to get there, you must be willing to sit through the seasons—the storms, the sunshine, the stagnation. Because time doesn’t just grow your money. It shapes your mindset. It transforms a trader into a true investor.
Fast Food, Slow Finance
Enjoy the convenience of modern life—quick meals, instant deliveries, and everything just a tap away.. But when it comes to your money, don’t look for speed—look for sustainability. Investing isn’t about how quickly your portfolio delivers. It’s about how far it can take you.
So here’s the mantra:
Be patient. Trust the process. Let compounding cook.
Because in the long run, the best returns aren’t express—they’re exponential.
Disclaimer: This article has been issued on the basis of internal data, publicly available information and other sources believed to be reliable. The information contained in this document is for general purposes only and not a complete disclosure of every material fact. The statements contained herein may include statements of future expectations and other forward-looking statements that are based on our current views and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. The examples and illustrations in this communication are for informational purposes only and do not represent any promise or guarantee of future performance. Past performance may or may not be sustained in the future. Investors are advised to consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. . The illustration provided is for informational and educational purposes only and is intended to demonstrate the power of compounding over time. It does not represent the performance of any specific mutual fund scheme or constitute investment advice. Actual returns may vary depending on the scheme, market conditions, and time of investment: https://www.motilaloswal.com/calculators/compound-interest-calculator. Readers shall be fully responsible/liable for any decision taken on the basis of this article.
Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks. Read all scheme-related documents carefully.
