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Welcome to Long-Term Mindset, the Wednesday newsletter that helps you invest better.

Today's Issue Read Time: <2 minutes

• Lesson: The gift of dividends
• Timeless Content: Tech Takes Over the Stock Market
• Stock Dive: A full breakdown of Rubrick
• Resource: Old School Company Using A.I. to Grow
• And more!

Friends,

Nearly 50 years ago, an Indigenous teenager in India came upon a huge, barren sandbar along the local river. Hundreds of snakes had been deposited by a monsoon, then died in the heat.

The teenager -- Jadav Payeng -- returned and planted a few bamboo seeds in the hopes of providing shade in the future. But he didn't stop there. He has returned nearly every day for the past four decades -- planting trees along the way.

Today, that sandbar is a lush forest larger than Central Park. And it's home to not only elephants, but the endangered rhinoceros. The story has become such a beacon of hope that Payeng has been covered by media around the world.

Payeng can sit back today and marvel at the Eden he's created. But the process required an otherworldly kind of patience.

That reminds us a lot of what dividend stocks might feel like for investors.

• They're boring.
• They require an astounding level of patience.
• Buying them doesn't exactly make us feel like sophisticated investors.

And yet...

One of the first stocks I [Stoffel] ever bought was Aflac.

I purchased shares in 2009 for a split-adjusted $8.75. At the time, I got a measly $0.60 dividend per year. You can't even buy a single apple for $0.60 these days.

What I didn't realize then was that -- like Payeng -- I was planting a seed. While the stock now trades for over $100 per share, it's the dividends that are truly amazing. My total return: 1,300%. That's 18% per year for over 15 years!

This year, I'll collect $2.32 in dividends. That's a 26.5% yield on my original purchase! Unfortunately, I only bought about $100 worth of shares in 2009 (I was a 20-something public school teacher).

Imagine if that had been a $10,000 investment. Not only would it be worth $130,000 today, but I'd be getting over $2,600 in dividend checks this year.

Along the way, it's been the most boring, almost-never-check-it position in my brokerage. And yet, just like the return on planting a tree for my future self to enjoy, it's been a remarkably powerful investment.

Dividend stocks don't get a ton of love in this newsletter, but perhaps the long-term view we espouse should start mixing them into the conversation.

Wishing you investing success,

Brian Feroldi, Brian Stoffel, & Brian Withers Long-Term Mindset ​ P.S. It's Official, we are splitting up our YouTube Channel. Brian Stoffel is starting a new channel that will cover earnings, his portfolio moves, and more. Subscribe to his new channel by clicking here.

One simple graphic

One piece of timeless content

If you feel like tech is taking over our lives, you're not wrong. It's also taking over the stock market. Ben Carlson talks about the New Normal of Stock Market Concentration in a recent blog post with lots of cool charts.

One Stock Dive

Fiscal.ai has introduced a new feature for premium users, enabling them to generate AI-powered stock research reports. This week, we're highlighting Rubrick(NASDAQ:RBRK), a recent stock that's caught our eye. Click the button below for free access:

Do you have a stock you'd like us to feature here? Reply to this email with your pick.

One resource

We love it when old school companies like trucking specialist, C.H. Robinson uses A.I. to power its operations -- enabling it to respond faster to customer requests AND drive top line growth.

One quote

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