In this episode of Excess Returns, Matt Zeigler sits down with Grant Williams for a wide-ranging conversation on what he calls the “Hundred Year Pivot.” Grant shares his view that we are living through a once-in-a-century inflection point — a deep, structural shift that is reshaping markets, institutions, societal values, and even individual behavior. This isn’t about predicting the next trade; it’s about understanding the tectonic changes happening beneath the surface and how investors can adapt, survive, and eventually thrive.
🔍 Topics covered in this episode:
What the “Hundred Year Pivot” really means
Why trust is the foundation of everything — and why it’s cracking
The loss of long-standing institutions and belief systems
How the freezing of Russian assets triggered a global monetary rethink
Why central banks are buying gold like never before
Why “buy the dip” might be a dangerous relic of a past era
The return of capital preservation as a core investing principle
How community, religion, and localism are resurfacing
The psychology of luck, risk, and staying rich
What gives Grant hope, despite the darkness of this turning
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – The hundred-year pivot and deep structural change
04:00 – Financial nihilism and the breakdown of institutional trust
11:00 – The freezing of Russian assets and its global implications
14:00 – Central banks, gold, and the unraveling of the dollar system
23:00 – From 40 years of tailwinds to a harder investing environment
27:00 – Why “buy the dip” is getting more dangerous
33:00 – Capital preservation vs. capital accumulation
40:00 – Societal change, community assets, and the new investment mindset
54:00 – Grant’s reason for optimism
