Special Edition: Not Theory Results: My 2026 Portfolio So Far
Today’s letter steps away from our current series to take a real-time look at my portfolio performance using the 50/35/15™ framework.
Hello friends,
This is Consistent Sam, and today I want to take you a little deeper past the framework, past the theory, and into something more real.
Over the last several months, I’ve shared the structure behind the 50/35/15™ approach. We’ve talked about why it works, how to build it, and how consistency plays the central role. But at some point, every strategy has to answer a simple question:
Is it actually working?
Not in a perfect market. Not in hindsight. But right now, in real time, in the kind of environment we’re all investing through today.
So let me walk you through it personally, honestly, and without overcomplicating it.
So far this year, my portfolio is up.
Not dramatically. Not in a way that makes headlines. But solidly, steadily, and most importantly, consistently.
On a total return basis factoring in both price movement and income the portfolio is sitting in that mid-to-high single-digit range year-to-date, roughly in the +6% to +9% area.“This didn’t come from one perfect stock. It came from structure.”
Now, that may not sound exciting to some people. But context matters.
Because this performance didn’t come from one big bet. It didn’t come from perfect timing. It came from balance.
And when you break it down, you can clearly see how each part of the framework is contributing.
Let’s start with the income side, because that’s the foundation.
This portion of the portfolio dividend stocks, REITs, and income-focused positions has not been a smooth ride from a price perspective. Interest rates have remained a factor this year, and when rates stay elevated, income-producing assets tend to feel that pressure.
There have been moments where prices drifted lower. Some positions have been down mid-single digits at different points. That’s real. That’s part of it.
But here’s the part that matters more.
The income never stopped.
Dividends continued to come in. Month after month. Quarter after quarter. And in many cases, those yields are sitting in the high single digits or better.
So even in periods where prices are slightly down, the income has been working in the background, offsetting that movement.
If I look at that portion overall, I’d describe it like this:
Slight pressure on price, but strong positive contribution from income bringing the total return on that segment close to flat, and in some cases slightly positive.
That’s exactly what it’s supposed to do.
Now shift to the growth side.
This is where the portfolio has seen its lift.
Large-cap companies, especially those tied to technology and productivity, have continued to perform well overall this year. Not perfectly, not without volatility, but enough to push the portfolio forward.
There have been swings. There are always swings. But directionally, many of these positions have been up anywhere from high single digits into low double digits year-to-date.
That matters.
Because while the income side holds steady, the growth side creates momentum.
It doesn’t have to carry everything. It just has to do its part. And so far this year, it has.
Then there’s the speculation layer.
And I’ll be honest this is where things get the most unpredictable.
Digital assets and related positions don’t move in straight lines. They never have. This year has been no different.
There have been sharp moves up, pullbacks, and everything in between. But overall, this portion of the portfolio has leaned positive year-to-date, contributing to the overall return.
Not consistently. Not smoothly. But meaningfully.
And again, that’s by design.
At 15%, it’s not there to stabilize the portfolio. It’s there to provide upside when the opportunity presents itself.
When you step back and look at all three together, something becomes very clear.
Nothing is perfect.
Parts of the portfolio are always under pressure. Something is always lagging. Something is always outperforming.
But the system as a whole continues to move forward.
That’s the difference.
If I compare where I started the year to where things stand today, the takeaway isn’t just the return number. It’s the consistency of the process.
Income has been reinvested.
Positions have been added to steadily.
There hasn’t been any drastic shift in strategy. No chasing. No overreacting.
Just staying aligned with the framework.
And that’s what has produced the result.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over time is that progress in investing rarely feels dramatic when you’re in it.
It feels slow. It feels steady. Sometimes it even feels like nothing is happening.
But when you step back and measure it when you actually look at the year-to-date numbers you realize something is happening.
It’s just happening quietly.
If I had to summarize the year so far in one sentence, it would be this:
The portfolio is not winning in every area, but it is winning overall.
And that’s the goal.
For those of you building your own version of this, I want you to understand something important.
You don’t need everything to work at once.
You need a structure where something is always working.
That’s what the 50/35/15™ framework is designed to do.
Income provides stability. Growth provides direction. Speculation provides opportunity.
And over time, those three working together create something that’s much more durable than any single strategy on its own.
We’ll continue to track this throughout the year, continue to stay disciplined, and continue to focus on what matters most.
Because at the end of the day, this isn’t about chasing returns.
It’s about building a system that works.
📚 Continue the Journey
If you’ve been following along and want to go deeper, I’ve expanded these ideas into a full set of books all written by Samuel F. Lilly, founder of MoveOn LLC™ and creator of The Consistent Investor™. Available now on Amazon Kindle.
Broken Money - Understanding the Modern Monetary System
👉 https://a.co/d/08Q4TNiG
The Cantillon Effect - How Money Flows Through the Economy
👉 https://a.co/d/0cZ4md3c
Fractional Banking Explained - How Banks Create, Move, and Control Money
👉 https://a.co/d/001rD8GT
Employ Your Money - Building 24/7 Cash Flow the Consistent Way
👉 https://a.co/d/067qy8In
Bitcoin Simply - Understanding the Future of Money
👉 https://a.co/d/00K9AeEp
Visit: 👉 moveonllc.com for the full archive and financial education library
Samuel F. Lilly | MoveOn LLC™ | The Consistent Investor™
Consistency. Cash Flow. Growth.
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of capital. Readers should conduct their own research or consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.