Thursday, January 16, 2014

The Signs That You Are Addicted To Investing

By Andrew Block


Investing your money in worthwhile ventures and investment vehicles is a worthwhile pursuit. The desire to see your money grow and to secure your financial future is normal and encouraged in most cultures. Is investing turning into something that is out of control? Is your pursuit to leverage your savings to make more money turning into an addiction that borders on something unhealthy?

The emotions that follow a successful investment are unlike any other that you may ever experience. Finding a solid investment vehicle and researching the investment. Looking at the market carefully and then coming up with a game plan is thrilling. You enter the market and invest your money and then this is where the real fun starts. You're in and your heart is beating in your chest. You watch with anticipation as it all plays out as you had hoped. You sell off the investment, collect your reward and the rush of emotions flood your body. There is nothing like it in the world and you're hooked. You want that feeling again and again but you know that this thrill is only part of the process of investing.

It is when we allow the emotion to dictate who we are and what we do that investing becomes a true addiction. We confuse the outcome of the investment with who we are as a human being. We feel like we are winners if everything plays out as we had predicted and our investment is successful. We are a winner because our choice was correct and it turned a profit. When an investment doesn't turn a profit and we find ourselves on the losing side of an investment it might be tempting to feel like we are a failure. Our investment was a failure so we are a loser. The emotions compound upon each other and soon we find ourselves in a situation wondering how we got there.

It's tempting to check the status of your investments. You're curious. You want to see how things are going. You want to know if you made the right choice on an investment. On the other hand, if you find yourself checking your accounts and your mood changes depending upon if your investment has improved or not then you might have a problem. Once you have committed to the investment, set everything in place as far as sell order and stops then there is no need to check on your investment more than once or twice a day. Your time could be better spend doing something else or even researching other investments that might interest you.

Do you find yourself constantly looking for an edge or tips for hot stocks? This kind of behavior is similar to what goes on at a race track, wouldn't you agree? While searching for an good investment and being an educated investor is wise, looking for underground news or tips on what is going to happen in your chosen market are signs that something is wrong. That feverish feeling overcomes you and you simply must find a winner. You are willing to do anything. You subscribe to clubs and mailing lists to find that sure thing and you chase that rush.

There's a pretty good chance that you have a type of investment that you prefer. There is probably an area that you have some specialized knowledge in or a keen interest. You enjoy learning more about stock, bond, futures, foreign exchange or precious metals investing. While you might have always dreamed of branching out and learning about other forms of investing, jumping into an investment without having a good knowledge of the market because of emotions is a bad move. It can be tempting to take the advice of a good friend or business partner but check your motives. Are you investing because you have an interest in the investment or because you want to turn a quick buck? Look before you leap and understand the market unless you are fully prepared to lose the money that you're investing anyhow.

Lastly, if you find yourself using money that is earmarked to pay bills or that is put aside for savings or your child's education then there is a real problem. Stealing money from savings accounts or other investments because you lost some money on your last investment or because you feel a need to make money is a sign that there is a problem. Lying or not telling a spouse or partner about your investments and thinking that you can return the money as soon as you cash out is your investment addiction talking and no common sense.

Investing is a wonderful thing to do with your money. Over the long run, you will find that if you make intelligent choices based upon both facts and your feel for a market, you can do very well. The temptation to let your emotions get the better of you and force you to make decision that you otherwise might never make is a sign that something is wrong. Take this seriously. You obviously have a talent and a desire to make more of your life. Keep your emotions in check and don't let investing become an addiction for you.




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