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ACTIVE VS PASSIVE EXPERIMENT
Can a Self Taught Investor Outperform Passive Investing?
A Real Money Portfolio Tracked Against Passive Index Funds.
Performance - Benchmarks
Updated 23rd February 2026
LEAN PORTFOLIO
+11.2%
Since Launch - November 2025
FTSE 100 Total Returns
+11.0%
UK Market Benchmark
S&P 500 Total Returns
+2.9%
US Market Benchmark
Returns measured by identical start date.Benchmarks use accumulating and reflect reinvested dividends.Updated Monthly
Passive vs Active
Why This Experiment?
Passive Investing works, It’s simple, low cost, and an effective way to build wealth
However when you factor in inflation, tax and currency adjustments it can also feel slow and underwelming.
This experiment explores, if an active disciplined stock picking approach can Outperform passive investing over time.
What 's Included
- Real personal capital
- Active rules based stock selection
- Performance tracked vs FTSE 100 & S&P 500
- Every decision logged publicly
- No hype. No shortcuts. Just process
THE LEAN FRAMEWORK.
Four pillars. One disciplined process.
A structured approach combining Quality, Value, Momentum and Behaviour control.
Quality
Priority Financially Strong Companies
Strong balance sheets, strong cashflow and efficient management
Value
Buy good businesses at sensible prices
Avoid overpaying. Foucus on valuation relative to fundermentals and growth
Momentum
Back companies that are improving
Look for positive trends in earnings, sentiment, or price strength
Behaviour
Control decisions, not emotions
Rules prevent over trading, concentration risk, and reactive decisions
Hi, I’m James
Although I studied Business and Finance in College, I’ve never worked in finance and didn’t grow up around investing.
Like a lot of people, I taught myself from books, blogs and experience
And quickly realised how real investing feels compared to how it’s talked about online.
The site exists to answer one simple question?
Can an ordinary person, using what they’ve learned and staying disciplined, realistically do better than passive investing over time?
Not by trading constantly, but by thinking clearly, staying patient and learning from mistakes.
