In 2004 a website emerged that would change the fabric of online interaction. It was called "TheFacebook."

But the real growth began when Facebook opened its virtual doors to high school students. This move propelled Facebook's user base to new heights, unleashing a phenomenon known as "network effects."

The term “creative destruction” was coined by economist Joseph Schumpeter (1883–1950), capturing the seemingly paradoxical nature of progress. It encapsulates the chaotic and unpredictable essence of the free market, where established industries crumble, fresh ones emerge, and agile startups seize opportunities while established giants falter.

During the 17th century, courageous adventurers set sail across uncharted waters in pursuit of the unknown. Among these daring souls was Willem de Vlamingh, a Dutch explorer whose remarkable journey took an unexpected turn upon reaching the distant shores of present-day Western Australia.

On the 10th of January in 1697, de Vlamingh and his crew found themselves captivated by a scene that defied everything they thought they knew. As they embarked on an excursion up a mysterious river, little did they know that what awaited them would shatter their preconceived notions and send shockwaves through the annals of natural history.

The process of thinking is often equated to a reflex. Just as our hearts beat without our direction, we shiver uncontrollably when our body temperature drops and our eyes blink 15–20 times per minute to lubricate our eyeballs and keep debris at bay, so too does our mind seem to operate on its own accord. We may not be aware of the specific neural pathways activated when we think, but we experience the thoughts as if they were happening to us. This seemingly effortless mental operation corresponds to what is termed first-order thinking.

The intricacies of the human mind, coupled with the complexities of our surroundings, present difficulties in making sense of the world around us. As a result, we have devised mental frameworks that serve as invaluable tools for enhancing decision-making in investing and the broader scope of life. One of these frameworks is first-principles thinking.

Every so often, new technologies emerge that force us to reconsider our assumptions about the world. Cryptocurrencies and digital assets have sparked a renewed interest in the concept of money and have challenged our traditional understanding of how money works.

Like generations before and generations to come, we millennials have had a remarkable financial ride. From the ashes of the great recession, we've slowly integrated into the existing financial world (some more willingly than others) while new, digital rails are being built. 

Like the quick drawing artist at the fair, I've created caricatures of familiar millennial investors I've encountered.

Remember when Donald Rumsfeld famously used the phrase "unknown unknowns?" During a Department of Defense speech, he used the expression to illustrate the lack of evidence linking Iraq to weapons of mass destruction. He described unknown unknowns as things "we don't know we don't know. This applies to investing too.

Everyone in finance is Nostradamus. The uptick in inflation was obvious. The bear market was so predictable. It was clear that ABC Co. stock was going higher. There's only one problem with those three statements -  they aren't true. Yet, when market pundits discuss past events, they describe them as inevitable. That's why hindsight bias is also called the "knew-it-all-along" effect.

Mixed messages confuse investors already battling human nature, which has evolved to make long-term investing challenging. Market corrections and bear markets can be excellent opportunities for long-term investors, but how do you know when to keep buying specific stocks or sell?

Here are five red flags that would cause me to do extra digging.

Everything has a price. We're used to it by now. We live in one of the most capitalistic countries on earth, during the most prosperous time in human history. We're conditioned to think about goods and experiences in terms of dollars and cents. Perhaps that's why market volatility is such a challenging concept.

Thomas (T.) Rowe Price is an OG of growth investing, along with Philip Fischer and others who would sit atop the Mount Rushmore of growth investing. He's most known as the namesake for the legendary Baltimore-based financial company, but his investing prowess and independent thinking impress me most.

The world promised us jet packs, flying cars, disintegration, and hoverboards (that actually hover). Instead, all we got was 24/7 access to work emails, distorted views of reality from social media, and fake news. That's how some people see the state of innovation. While not entirely wrong, that's a very pessimistic view and demonstrates how poorly we predict the future.

The modern advisor is expanding their services, offering more comprehensive financial planning in addition to classic portfolio management and investment brokerage services. But something else has happened; many advisors have significantly reduced and, in some cases, eliminated the focus on investing.

You can learn from everyone, even a goofy, fun-loving television show character. The American football turned European soccer coach is full of wisdom (usually in the form of one-liners) that extends from the pitch to life at large, including investing.

If you don't recognize the name Will Danoff right away, don't worry, you're not alone. While he's not as notorious as Warren Buffett, Peter Lynch, or John Templeton, Will Danoff is a legend in his own right. While he's content flying under the radar and letting his numbers do the talking, there's a lot to learn from his impressive investing career.