Whether you are a seasoned investor or a beginner, you may have experienced times when there are more challenging periods to make money. When the stock market moves higher, you feel great. What about when the market moves lower? Are you concerned that your current stock market investments may not be suitable for you? Have recent events left you second-guessing your decisions or left you unsure of what to do next?
Frustration can easily set in whenever your investment account has less money. You want your money to be consistently working for you. If you are having negative thoughts, you may even be feeling a little down on yourself. However, you have the power to change your perception. Start by focusing on what is going well and the positive steps you’ve taken in the past. Next, you’ll want to map out a plan of action to help you achieve your goals put strategies in place to help alleviate any stress or uneasiness you might be feeling.
I know from personal experience that it can be a bit scary when the market is falling 1-2% a day and continues to drop a few days in a row. Sometime before you realize it, your account is down 5-10%. Getting stressed out isn’t the solution.
Remember that investing in the stock market is a marathon, not a sprint. Investing is a long-term commitment. Sometimes taking no action works in your favor because the market tends to rise in the long run. You’ll notice when you take a long-term approach that the market has experienced incredible gains. However, sometimes the market falls even further fast, and you could be down 20%. Taking a loss can sometimes be very hard to do, especially on your psyche. It’s best to have a strategy to protect your assets so you can grow and sustain wealth.
“Losing is a learning experience. It teaches you humility.
It teaches you to work harder.
It’s also a powerful motivator.” – Yogi Berra
Controlling risk is necessary if you want to make money consistently. It’s common when you invest to either do nothing or panic because you are not sure what to do. It disturbs me when I hear statements such as:
“It will come back.”
“It’s only a paper loss.”
“It’s not a lot of money.”
Or “I have a small investment.”
As the market declines, fear escalates rapidly. Why put yourself in a position to risk 10-20% of your money in the first place? If your investment goes against you, it’s ok to sell and buy another security or keep your money in cash temporarily for another opportunity that may develop. You will be more profitable by taking the loss rather than allowing it to escalate in the long run.
Be Flexible With your Investments:
- Keep risk in the forefront of your mind.
- Review your investments at least once a month, so you are comfortable. Create a watch list to track your portfolio.
- Make a plan with an exit strategy so losses don’t build in a poor market climate.
- Your investments should be flexible and enable you to reduce or add to your investments in small or larger increments.
If you are worried about your investments, then your portfolio may not be for your needs. A clear and flexible investment plan is what you need when the stock market becomes more challenging and you are not sure what to do.
Start with implementing a plan that manages your risk and protects you against serious loss. Make sure that it allows for enough gain but isn’t extended too far beyond your comfort level. You can become successful investing in the stock market when you take your comfort level and investment goals into consideration. Small changes can make a huge difference and can make all the difference in relieving the stress associated with your finances.
Empower yourself by learning new ideas that will help you build more wealth. It will be time well spent because the experience and the lessons learned will build a strong foundation for better decisions in the future.
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Create the change for your stage of life that will make the difference in your wealth. Be the one who is fully prepared by knowing the decisions you need to make to create the lifestyle you dream about. You do have the power. Invest in YOU; it’s the best decision you will ever make.
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