I got a text last night from Hannah:

“The stock market is going to crash.”

I chuckled… then quickly opened my news app.

“Asian markets plunge as Iran–U.S. tensions spark global selloff.”

 “U.S. stock futures fall after Trump ultimatum to Iran.”

 “Iran and U.S.–Israel raise the stakes as Strait of Hormuz tensions build.”

Asian markets were cratering. U.S. futures pointed to a brutal open.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average was set to fall more than 1,000 points.

I texted her back:

“What are you buying?”

Her response:

“Nothing.”

I shook my head.

It’s completely natural.

When markets sell off, most investors freeze. Some panic. Very few lean in.

Then she double-texted:

“I haven’t thought about it enough.”

I shook my head even harder.

Because in that moment, I kept coming back to memorable learning lesson I frequently ask fellow investors:

Show someone a stock chart and ask them to point to when they wish they would’ve bought.

Here’s an example of the S&P 500 over the last five years.

When do you wish you would’ve bought?

I bet you pointed to every low point on that chart, late 2022, late 2023, and April 2025.

Well… today was shaping up to be one of those moments.

If you’ve been reading The Million Mission for a while, you already know my approach: I buy high-quality companies when they trade at a discount.

Simple. But not easy.

The key is preparation.

I always keep a watchlist. That way, when volatility hits, I’m not scrambling.

Right now, here are the stocks at the top of my list:

• Nvidia (NVDA)

• Uber (UBER)

• Amazon (AMZN)

• Alphabet (GOOG)

• Nebius (NBIS)

• Rocket Lab (RKLB)

Plus a handful of software names that, in my view, are oversold.

And here’s where things get interesting…

This morning was a perfect example of how fast sentiment can flip.

As I’m writing this, the market didn’t just recover.

It ripped higher.

After all the panic, headlines shifted faster than I could hit the buy button.

Trump signaled that the U.S. and Iran had begun talks to de-escalate tensions and suggested a pause on strikes targeting energy infrastructure.

Just like that, fear turned into relief.

What was shaping up to be a 1,000-point loss became a 1,100-point gain this morning.

That’s the lesson.

You don’t get much time to think in moments like these.

The opportunity shows up disguised as fear and disappears just as quickly.

That’s why the watchlist matters.

Because when the market is selling off hard, you’re not supposed to feel comfortable.

You’re supposed to feel exactly like Hannah did.

Uncertain. Hesitant. A little nervous.

That feeling doesn’t go away, even for experienced investors.

The difference is how you respond.

Again, most investors freeze. Some panic. Very few lean in.

I suggest you join that last group.

So build your watchlist.

Know what you want to own before the chaos hits.

And remember that feeling from last night.

Because the next time it shows up, it might be the best buying opportunity you get.