Investing mistakes are part of the investing process. Knowing what they are, avoid committing them, develop a thoughtful, systematic plan and stick with it.

1. 6 WAYS YOU SHOULD
NEVER INVEST
The hardest part of investing can be learning how not to sabotage yourself. The first
step is to recognize that we are human beings; emotional, easily influenced, and often,
not as good as we think we are. That can spell disaster for our portfolios. Here are
some things you need to know to avoid the pitfalls many others face if you’ve ever
thought about investing.
1. Letting Emotions Run Wild
We’ve said before that the biggest killer of investment return is your emotions and it
bears repeating. Fear and greed rule the market, and the market is irrational. Do not let
your emotions overtake you. Focus on the bigger picture; your investment plan and
goals. Rather than be ruled by your own emotions, use the irrational decisions of other
investors to your advantage!
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2. 2. Investing in Something You Don’t Understand
One of the world’s most successful investors, Warren Buffett, cautions against investing
in businesses you don’t understand. This means that you should not be buying stock in
companies if you don’t understand their business models.
3. Falling in Love with a Company
Too often, when we see a company we’ve invested in do well, we love their products,
what they’re doing, it’s easy to fall in love with it and forget WHY we bought their stock
in the first place. You bought this stock to make money. If anything changes, it’s time to
objectively reassess your investment and even consider selling the stock.
4. Unrealistic Expectations
Slow and steady usually comes out on top – be it at the gym, in school or in your career.
Why, then, do we expect it to be different with investing? A slow, steady and disciplined
approach will go a lot farther over the long term. This means you need to keep your
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3. expectations realistic in regard to the length, time and growth that each stock will
encounter.
5. Attempting to Time the Market
Successfully timing the market is extremely difficult to do. Even institutional investors
often fail to do it successfully. In fact, one of our speakers, Marcus De Maria says, “[It's
not about] timing the market, it’s about time in the market.” Don’t try to play the market
like you do in a casino, it’s asking for trouble and inviting unnecessary risk.
6. Failing to Diversify
While professional investors may be able to succeed by investing in a few concentrated
positions, it’s not recommended for most people. Stick to the principal of diversification.
Do not allocate more than 5 to 10% to any one investment.
AND HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO TO AVOID THESE MISTAKES:
Develop a Plan of Action
Determine what your goals are and how much you need to invest to get there. If you
don’t feel qualified to do this, seek a reputable advisor. Find one who will work for a fee
and who does not receive incentives to sell you high-commission products and will
explain to you the rationale for choosing one investment over another. Do not expect
your portfolio to make you rich overnight. A consistent, long-term investment strategy
over time is what will build wealth.
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4. Systemize Your Plan
As your income grows, you may want to expand your portfolio. Monitor your
investments, review them and their performance over a fixed time frame you determine.
Evaluate whether your equity-to-fixed-income ratio should stay the same or change
based on where you are in life.
Set up a “Play Fund”
We’re all tempted to take a bigger risk and “gamble” sometimes. So, instead of trying to
fight it, go with it. Set aside your “fun investment money.” As weith any game, there are
rules: 1) You should limit this amount to no more than 5% of your investment portfolio.
Do not use retirement money; 2) be prepared to lose 100% of your investment; and 3)
ALWAYS set a pre-determined limit to determine when you will walk away (Stop Loss).
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5. Commit to It
Investing mistakes are part of the investing process. Knowing what they are, avoid
committing them, develop a thoughtful, systematic plan and stick with it. Follow these
guidelines, and you will be well on your way to building a portfolio that will provide many
happy returns over the long-term.
Success Resources: http://www.srpl.net/