How to Keep Your Emotions from Interfering with Your Investment Decisions

How to keep your emotions from interfering with your investment decisions 

A lot has been said about the need to keep emotions out of your investment portfolio simply because, as we all know, emotion-based decisions almost always breaks all the rules of sound judgement. This, in turn, leads to poor choices/actions and ultimately disastrous results.

 I believe there is a lot of truth to that hypothesis and have, in fact, witnessed this first hand over the course of my almost two-decade career working with hundreds of folks: whenever emotions lead the way, bad choices usually follow.

What makes things even worse for us in today’s technologically advanced age is that we have access to all sorts of information and can always find some article, TV show, blog post, or radio guru that supports our emotional leanings.

So how do we bridge the gap as investors? How can we avoid making investment decisions based solely on emotions?

Here’s the thing. I don't think it is humanly possible to keep one’s emotions entirely out of our investment decisions. We are always going to be human. I mean you turn on the TV or hear on the radio that a certain stock is raising the roof, and that is just the beginning. Your next move is likely to get your advisor on the phone to demand that you get in on that “hot action.”

But there’s a rather simple approach to getting around this issue. You must work with an experienced advisor who knows what he or she is doing to devise an investment strategy you can live with based on your specific individual objectives. This is crucial, because it is where you set the rules of engagement, so to speak. Prior to investing even a single penny, you should sit with your advisor for an objective, neutral assessment of your investment strategy. Ask as many questions as you need to so that you understand all the likely possibilities, as well as defining the variables that may cause things to change.

Going forward, it will be your advisor’s job to hold you to that operating strategy when your emotions come calling. Absent of such clearly defined “rules of engagement,” a news segment about today’s hottest stocks may mean it’s open season on your investments, making them subject to your emotions and vulnerable to some less-than-optimal decision-making.

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If you'd like to avoid falling into the trap of investing by emotion, visit LaserFG.com or call 877.656.9111 right now to book your complimentary session with a seasoned financial professional with a proven track record who can help you create the Rules of Engagement to see you through to the financial future you desire.