Last week was not a good one for stocks, and given the recent sell-off, many people I know are concerned about the impact on their retirement accounts.

I admit that curiosity got the better of me, so I too took a look at my retirement account to see what my balance looked like after the sell-off. And it wasn’t pretty. But for these reasons, I’m sticking with my plan to invest in stocks for my retirement.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. My retirement will not happen anytime soon

If I were a year or two away from retirement, I would be much more shocked by a sell-off like the recent one. On the other hand, if that were the case, I would have invested less in stocks in the first place. But since I am still a long way from retirement, such events are much less of a problem.

That does not mean that I enjoy I see my 401(k) account losing money. But I know I’m still a few decades away from wanting to stop working, and I have plenty of time to get through this low point.

2. I am confident that the market will recover – because it always has.

The average annual return of the stock market over the last 50 years is 10%, measured by the performance of the S&P 500. But that doesn’t mean that every year over the last 50 years has been good for stocks.

Many of us remember the Great Recession, which hit many people hard, and just recently we all experienced a brief bear market when stock prices nosedived in 2020 due to the pandemic.

But when we look at the bigger picture, it’s clear that the stock market has not only been successful in dealing with downturns in the past, but it has also rewarded investors who have stuck with it. And there’s no reason to believe that won’t happen this time too.

3. I can benefit from discounted stocks

It’s been a difficult year to buy stocks because the market was doing so well until about a week ago. When sell-offs occur, opportunities arise to buy stocks at a lower price.

I have never been a fan of timing the market to the day. What I mean by that is that if you are trying to buy shares of a particular stock at its absolute If you buy stocks at the lowest price, you may miss the chance to get them at a cheaper price. But buying stocks after a sell-off is a sensible approach, in my opinion.

If shares were higher a few days ago and are now lower due to a general market decline, that’s not an indication of a problem with the company whose stock you’re buying. Rather, it’s a market reaction. In that situation, I’m all for taking advantage of the discount.

Try to stay the course

I understand how disheartening it can be to look at your portfolio after a sell-off and see a much lower number on the screen. I understand this because as an investor myself, I have been in this situation many times.

But remember that these things are normal when you invest your retirement savings in stocks. And that doesn’t mean you should abandon your investment strategy as soon as the market takes a turn for the worse—even if it’s a pretty big turn for the worse.

The $22,924 Social security bonus that most pensioners completely overlook

If you’re like most Americans, you’re a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known “Social Security secrets” could help boost your retirement income. For example: One simple trick could earn you up to $.22,924 more… every year! Once you know how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we believe you can retire with the security we all seek. Just click here to learn more about these strategies.

Watch the “Secrets of Social Security” ›

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.