Zero-Based Investing: Rebuilding Your Portfolio from Scratch—On Purpose

Over time, portfolios drift. Old decisions linger past their expiration date, carried more by habit than conviction. Zero-based investing breaks that inertia. Once a year, you mentally liquidate everything and ask, “Would I buy this again today?”

This exercise clarifies what still aligns with your strategy and what doesn’t. You shed dead weight, double down on conviction, and cut through autopilot. It’s a mental reset that keeps your portfolio intentional. The goal is not perfection but precision.

By rebuilding on purpose, you prevent drift from compounding into weakness. You refresh conviction without waiting for a crisis to force it. And when the market shifts, your system is already flexible. Zero-based investing keeps you sharp instead of stale.