Many people make money in one day and then lose out a week later. They are considered themselves investors even though they do not lose money, simply fail to make money, yet they are called themselves as illusory savvy investors. They think investing is an exciting game where there is a lot of drama involves a lot of risk, luck, timing and hot-tips. They use to regular watch the pundits on TV or watch the ups and down of share prices to prove that they know more than other people by entrusting their faith that they can outsmart the market. This is a little story of every average investor about investing, with no-making money in the long-run.
The Planning is bored
The word ‘Plan’ often synonymous a dull, boring and involves almost mechanical process, made up of formulas and strategies, a system for getting rich which gives us almost guarantee to achieve our life-time financial goals. So if planning is simply a matter of following a recipe, still many people don’t follow the same formula. Personally, we all hate risk; still we want to be rich without taking much of risk. Since, we all human beings are quickly bored and want to find something more exciting and amusing and fall trap into flawed innovative financial products and invest into them. So, we have to find a plan and simply follow its boring process that is all about secret formula to become rich. Ironically, most people start to make and following the plan and soon they are getting bored. They stop following the plan and then they look for a new magic way to get rich quick. They repeat the process of boredom, amusement, and boredom again for the rest of their lives. That is why they do not get rich and could not able to fulfill their dreams. They could not able to stick with the boredom of following a simple, uncomplicated plan to get rich. They are seeking some magic formulas to getting rich through investing in fancy products. Or they think that if it is not complicated, it cannot be a good plan. Trust me. When it comes to investing, simple is better than complex.
Find the Plan and follow it
Mohan had a goal of being a multimillionaire he was 30 year old. That was the end result of his plan. Even though he achieved his goal by the time he was 30, the problem was that he then immediately lost all his money. Through that experience, he discovered flaws in his plan which needed to be corrected, but he kept his overall strategy. After he lost his money, he simply needed to refine his plan according to what he had learned from that experience. He then reset his goal, which was to be financially free and a millionaire by age 45. It took him until age 47 to reach the new goal.
The point is that his plan remained the same. He just improved upon it as he learned more and more. So how do you find your own plan? The answer is to begin with a financial coach or mentor who has already done what you want to do. Ask them to provide their qualifications and interview several. It will very likely be an eye-opening experience.
Ask yourself, “Are you ready to find a simple formula as part of your plan and stick to it until you reach your financial goal?
Set Realistic Goals
Like Mohan, get-set realistic goal of becoming a multimillionaire in five years because it was realistic for him. It was realistic because he had his investment advisor guiding him. Yet even though his advisor guided him, it did not mean he was free from making mistakes and he made many of them, which is why Mohan lost his money so quickly. So start with realistic goals, and then improve upon or add to the goals as your education and experience increase. Always remember that it is best to start by walking before you run in a marathon. You find your own plan first by taking action. Begin by calling a professional advisor and set realistic goals, knowing the goals will change as you change but stick to the plan. For most people, the ultimate plan is to find a sense of financial freedom, freedom from the day-today drudgery of working for money.
So the finally ask yourself, “Are you willing to start with a simple plan, keep the plan simple, but keep learning and improving as the plan reveals to you what you need to learn along the way?
In other words, the plan doesn’t really change, but are you willing to allow the plan to change you?
Do share your comments when you come to investing, I learned more from my bad investments, investments where I lost money, than I learned from the investments that went smoothly.
Suresh Kumar Narula is founder and Principal Financial Planner at Prudent Financial Planners. He has earned the professional CERITIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER and got registered with SEBI as Investment Advisor. He writes on personal and financial planning articles and got published in Dainik Bhaskar, Business Bhaskar and The Financial Planner’s Guild, India. He is also a member of Financial Planner’s Guild India ( An association of practicing SEBI registered Investment advisers) to create awareness about Financial Planning in general public, promote professional excellence and ensure high quality practice standards. Suresh received his an M.com from Himachal Pardesh University and an MFC from Punjab University, Chandigarh. He can be reached at info@prudentfp.in