Introducing “Think Like a Survivor and Invest Like a Strategist” by Wilder Bailey
In today’s unpredictable economy, where markets are overvalued and inflation looms large, clarity and strategy are more important than ever. That’s exactly what Wilder Bailey delivers in his powerful new book, Think Like a Survivor and Invest Like a Strategist.
Wilder is the founder of Bailey Financial Services, an independent Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) firm based in Georgia. With decades of experience helping people manage and protect their life savings, Wilder brings a seasoned perspective to navigating risk, identifying opportunity, and making smart decisions through every market cycle.
In this concise yet compelling guide, he outlines the mindset and methods that can help investors not just survive — but thrive — during times of financial stress and economic uncertainty. Whether you're nearing retirement or concerned about preserving your wealth in volatile times, this book will help you step back, assess, and plan forward with confidence.
The markets may be historic. Your response should be strategic.
Get your copy today on Amazon and start thinking like a survivor — and investing like a strategist.
Why I Wrote This Book
Over the past few years, I’ve watched the investment landscape transform into something unrecognizable. Markets are dangerously overpriced, inflation is punishing savers, and traditional financial advice still clings to the belief that everything will “go back to normal.” But what if this is the new normal—and what if the real risk is pretending it isn’t?
I wrote Think Like a Survivor, Invest Like a Strategist to help people like you—investors, retirees, and anyone serious about protecting what they’ve built—cut through the noise and prepare for what’s coming. This book is a roadmap, grounded in history and shaped by real market cycles, that helps you see through illusions and act with intention.
We’re living in historic times. That means old strategies may not work—and new thinking is essential. If you’ve ever felt uneasy about the direction of the economy but weren’t sure what to do next, this book is for you.
Chapter One Introduction: Welcome to the Illusion
For years now, the stock market has marched upward like a machine that never tires. The headlines have declared “new highs” so often, they’ve become background noise. Few stop to ask the most important question: Is any of this sustainable? This chapter is where we begin to peel back the curtain. Because behind the relentless rise in asset prices lies a fragile foundation—propped up by zero-interest-rate policies, endless debt creation, and a financial media that sells comfort instead of truth.
If you’ve ever felt like something doesn’t add up—like markets are too high, risks are too ignored, and the advice sounds too rehearsed—trust that instinct. You’re not alone. In this chapter, we’ll revisit the bubbles of the past, examine the troubling patterns repeating today, and confront the uncomfortable possibility that the next major correction isn’t just likely—it’s inevitable.
Begin Reading: Chapter One
The following is the complete first chapter of Think Like a Survivor, Invest Like a Strategist. In it, I challenge the illusion of never-ending market growth and lay the groundwork for understanding the dangerous cycles we find ourselves in today. If you've ever felt uneasy about the disconnect between Wall Street and reality—this chapter will show you why that feeling is justified. . .
For years now, the stock market has marched upward like a machine that never tires. The headlines have declared “new highs” so many times that most people have stopped asking the only question that matters: Is this sustainable?
The truth is, markets don’t go up forever. They never have. But somewhere along the way—thanks to ultra-low interest rates, government bailouts, and a media machine that spins optimism like cotton candy—investors started believing that the laws of financial gravity no longer apply. That we’ve entered a new era where prices can rise indefinitely and risk has somehow been outlawed.
That belief is a dangerous illusion.
Let’s rewind. In the late 1990s, during the Dot-Com bubble, people genuinely believed that tech stocks could only go up. Earnings didn’t matter. Valuations were irrelevant. If a company had a website and a pulse, it got a billion-dollar valuation. When that fantasy finally burst, the Nasdaq lost over 75% of its value in less than three years. Retirements were delayed. Fortunes vanished. Reality returned.
Then came the housing bubble. In the early 2000s, the myth shifted from tech to real estate. Americans were told their home values would always go up. That mortgages didn’t need to be verified. That debt was wealth. And again, the fantasy crashed. Lehman Brothers collapsed. The market melted. And the average investor—trusting in the system—paid the price.
Today, we’re living through the third and possibly final act of this trilogy: the Everything Bubble. Stocks, bonds, real estate, even collectibles have been pumped up by years of cheap money and zero interest rates. Companies that lose money quarter after quarter still command sky-high valuations. The U.S. government runs massive deficits as if they’re inconsequential. Meanwhile, the Fed continues to walk a tightrope, pretending they can tame inflation without tipping the whole thing over.
If this sounds unsustainable, it’s because it is.
But here’s the scary part: most financial advisors aren’t warning their clients. Why? Because they’re either too afraid to rock the boat, or too invested in a system that rewards blind optimism. I’ve chosen a different path. I believe the greatest danger is not being too cautious—it's being too complacent.
Markets run in cycles. They always have. The longer a bull market is propped up artificially, the more violent the correction becomes. And the next correction—whether triggered by inflation, geopolitical conflict, interest rate shocks, or a debt crisis—could change everything for a generation of retirees.
In this book, I’ll show you how to spot the signs, how to think differently, and how to protect your financial future from the consequences of a market built on fantasy. But before we do that, we have to fully wake up to where we are right now: living in a system that has fooled many into believing that the party will never end.
Spoiler alert: it will. And those who prepare now won’t just survive the aftermath—they’ll be in a position to thrive when others are picking up the pieces.
Ready for the Rest of the Story?
Chapter One was just the beginning.
In Think Like a Survivor, Invest Like a Strategist, I go deeper into the cycles driving today’s markets, the real risks most advisors ignore, and the practical steps you can take now to protect your financial future. This book was written to challenge complacency—and to help you prepare for what’s coming next.
While you’re here, I invite you to explore more of what we’re doing at Bailey Financial Services. You can browse my weekly market insights on the blog, learn how we manage assets through turbulent cycles, and if something resonates—reach out directly. I’d be glad to hear from you.
Let’s stay informed. Let’s stay prepared.