And according to Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) research, missing the best 20 days of the market, based on S&P 500 data between September 1992 and August 2022, would have reduced an investor's average annual returns from 7.8% to 3.2% -- which was less than the average inflation rate during the 30-year period. Developed by the Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), it measures the level of fluctuation investors predict in the S&P 500 index in the next 30 days. But short-term volatility doesn't matter to investors who stay focused on the real goal, which is building lasting wealth.