I often hear, "investing is none of my business", when I infer if an individual has considered investing in the stock market to grow their capital.
Society has grown quite fluent in the spreading of misinformation, might it even be an unintentional practice, and unfortunately, at the expense of capable individuals.
In Economics 101, this expense is known as 'opportunity cost', a missed opportunity and a chance that you do not capitalize on.
Investment professionals, brokers, financial advisors and analysts, thrive on the widespread investor-incompetence on Main Street.
The financial industry is unbelievably large, and whether you believe it or not, you are a part.
The only question is, which part? Who are you helping grow rich, yourself or your broker? The 'do it yourself' movement has reached the world of stocks investing in the form of discount online brokerages, reliable and affordable trading software, and pertinent information available across the world wide web (though at times it requires effort to sort through many resources to find desirable information).
That means every Jane and John Doe can 'do it themselves'.
Seriously.
Investing in the stock market is an application.
For many individuals it is a full-time job.
It takes patience, perseverance, and most importantly, an undying effort, to revel in success in the business.
Getting Started The most difficult transition for an individual is a change in their financial environment.
In times of fear, uncertainty, and risk, an individual will retreat to their 'shell', their savings account or their credit line, to 'survive'.
People have grown so attached to a certain lifestyle that leaving the security of their 'normal' life is believed to unleash a nightmare: risk.
A common misconception regarding the stock market is that "it is too risky and best left to the professionals".
But from a logical standpoint, is that argument not double-edged? Do the 'professionals' not face the same risk that the stock market poses? No.
The best in the business do not face risk, they manage it.
Those who understand the equity market learn how to hedge risk, that is, reduce their margin for error, and consequently increase their margin for success.
This is the perseverance portion to investing in the stock market.
Once you learn to withstand and manage challenges (as with the fear of risk or failure), you have progressed and grown that much more.
Another typical excuse used to justify one's lack of involvement in the financial markets is that "their resources are inadequate", to start making any significant money in investment practice.
The response I have for this notion varies with an individual's financial situation.
However, in general, everyone starts somewhere.
Some start higher up than others, some begin at the bottom and make their climb to the top.
The stock market can transform your life and help you build timeless wealth.
The only question is, will you let it? Will you give it a chance to help you prosper financially? That is the only way you will discover that stock investing is your business because investment is everyone's business.
You do not need a large amount of capital to get started.
Many experiment and find success with an initial thousand dollar commitment.
There are countless techniques that help you grow your initial investment (which we will discuss in a later article), whatever the amount may be, two-fold, three-fold, and even ten-fold, in a relatively short period of time.
The growth possible is unparalleled to the best bank certificate of deposit (CD) or the interest earned in a savings account or the return a savvy fund manager can promise.
This part of investing is the stock market requires patience.
You start off slow, build a solid foundation, and then expand.
Patience or 'discipline' (as some refer to it) will help you grow your capital, one investment at a time.
Effort - I called it (earlier on in this piece) one of three vital components to successful stocks investment.
How can you expect results if you do not apply yourself? The stock market is driven by speculation, speculation that demands your time, effort, and willingness in order to understand, interpret and capitalize on it.
There is no secret or magical formula to successful investment.
You have to work at it.
It is a job.
For some it is a full-time job, their 'nine-to-five'.
Everyday that you expect results requires you to apply yourself.
With experience, that is, after a long period of 'applying efforts', you can expect a break.
That is because you work towards a visible and reachable goal, financial success.
And you are the only one who can define what 'success' means to you.
The stock market is merely a brilliant tool that can help you get there.