Find Your "Inner Investor"

Do you think you (or I) should have seen this financial fiasco coming?  I know that some people think so because I got one email last week stating that exact thought.

Given where we are right now, I think this question is particularly important but not for the reasons you might expect.

It’s an important question because it forces us to define ourselves as investors or speculators – or something in between.

The type of investor who “could see this coming” is in fact, a speculator.  There is nothing wrong with being a speculator but its important to call a spade a spade.  If you say you should have seen this coming you are saying that you should be able to forecast how certain events will impact the future as it relates to the stock market.

That’s what a speculator does.  The person who could  “see it coming” is the person who should have  “seen it coming” in 2000 and that same person should have  “seen it going away” in 2003.  If you speculate on the market getting out, you are obliged to speculate getting back in.

So this issue is very instructive.  It forces you and I  to decide what kind of investors we want to be.

Having said this, I will admit that there are  “speculators”  and then there are “speculators”.   Some speculate all the time and others do so less often.  Some speculate on large amounts and others on small amounts.  But if you base your investment on how you think some current event is going to impact the future, please understand that you are speculating.

Again, I have no problem with this – I do it at times myself.   But is very important to be crystal clear on what kind of investor you are so you know what to expect.

1.  Are you an investor or speculator?

Do you make investments based on current events or based on your long-term goals?  Both have pros and cons.

2. If you consider yourself an investor, don’t try to stay ahead of the curve.

Stay in it for the long-term instead.  There will be times when you feel like a dunce but you’ve already admitted that you have no unique skill or desire to speculate.  The good news is its easy to do and over the long-term, you’ll do fine.  The bad news is ….well….you already know the bad news.

3.  If you consider yourself a speculator, stay ahead of the curve.

There will be times when you’ll get it wrong.  That goes with the territory. You will get it wrong and it will cost you.  If you can’t accept that, don’t speculate.

Its really simple but oh so important.   If you speculate, don’t expect to be right all the time.  If you invest,  you must expect to lose money sometimes also.

What are your thoughts?   Are you an investor or speculator?  Do you only speculate when “its a sure thing”?  How has that worked for you?  Can you accept the realities and downsides of being an investor?

Like this article? You will love getting my free brilliant financial updates! No spam, and I won't give your email address to any other person or company.That's a personal promise. Neal Frankle, Certified Financial Planner, Los Angeles, California

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