Legendary investor Shelby MC Davis advised investors to invest in mutual funds for the long haul to get the most out of their investment. According to the American philanthropist, who has held various roles such as investor and money manager, the essence of successful investing lies in long-term commitment and emotional discipline rather than short-term reactions to market changes.
Quote of the day: Wise words by Shelby MS Davis — “Invest for the long haul. Don’t get too greedy and don’t get too scared.”
Therefore, we should focus on long-term strategies, discipline and patience rather than succumbing to greed or fear. Because financial markets move in cycles, periods of rapid gains can tempt investors to chase momentum, while sharp declines can create fear and trigger panic selling.
Historical data suggests that impatient buying and selling can be costly. To achieve better long-term returns than those who frequently jump in and out of markets, investors should stay invested through cycles. These findings reveal market data tracked by financial research firms and investment managers.
More information about Shelby Moore Cullom Davis
Shelby MC Davis was born in 1937 to financial manager Shelby Cullom Davis and Kathryn Wasserman Davis and graduated from Princeton University. He began his career at The Bank of New York (BNY), where he became one of the bank’s youngest vice presidents.
In 1968, Davis left BNY to found an investment management company called “Davis Selected Advisers”, specializing in stocks and providing mutual funds, SMAs, ETFs and variable accounts. The firm’s heyday was in the mid-2000s, when the firm had more than $100 billion in total assets. As of 2025, that number has dropped to around $25 billion.
Davis is married to Gale and, with his second wife, supports environmental and regional charities, including in Maine, Wyoming, Florida and Utah. An extraordinarily generous philanthropist, he is known for his contributions to educational causes.
In 2012, bestselling author John Rothchild published a profile of Davis, his father and his sons, describing the story of three generations of the legendary Davis family, who are among the most successful investors in the history of the Street. The book is called “The Davis Dynasty: Fifty Years of Successful Investing on Wall Street.”
