It is common practice among young astrophysicists these days to invest
research time conservatively in mainstream ideas that have already been
explored extensively in the literature. This tendency is driven by peer
pressure and job market prospects, and is occasionally encouraged by
senior researchers. Although the same phenomenon existed in past
decades, it is alarmingly more prevalent today because a growing
fraction of observational and theoretical projects are pursued in large
groups with rigid research agendas. In addition, the emergence of a
"standard model" in cosmology (albeit with unknown dark components)
offers secure "bonds" for a safe investment of research time. In this
short essay, which summarizes a banquet lecture at a recent conference,
I give examples for both safe and risky topics in astrophysics (which I
split into categories of "bonds," "stocks," and "venture capital"), and
argue that young researchers should always allocate a small fraction of
their academic portfolio to innovative projects with risky but
potentially highly profitable returns. In parallel, selection and
promotion committees must find new strategies for rewarding candidates
with creative thinking.