I’m a Gambler and Why You Make The Same Mistakes
My name is Lanber and I have a confession.
I’m a gambler.
I lack a lot of things when it comes to investing, but I’m sure I am not the only one.
First, let me explain what I mean by “gambler”.
The Gambler
Gamblers are “investors” who, more likely than not, invest in companies using gut feelings and baseless pseudo-scientific calculations to back their decisions. But more than that, gamblers are nervous, impulsive, and tend to always jump the gun.
Successful investors have their minds under control through experience, genetics, or just sheer will power.
For years, psychologists studied what constitutes human decision-making. They discovered that humans are pretty much systematically irrational.
We tend to consistently act in an irrational manner in certain situations and when making certain decisions. When this discovery was later applied to investing, the field of behavioral finance was born.
Morgan House from this Motley Fool article also tackles the phenomenon called cognitive dissonance:
It’s the term psychologists use for the uncomfortable feeling you get when having two conflicting thoughts at the same time. “Smoking is bad for me. I’m going to go smoke.”
Is it possible to become a real investor than just be a gambler?
Yes.
So How Do You Stop Gambling?
First, recognize the need for improvement.
Do not be content with what you already have. Always strive to know more and always strive for the best.
If you don’t want to be a gambler then you should get your emotions under control by knowing your tendencies when the going gets tough.
Here’s a previous article from OSV about the need to understand your emotions.
But what about the following?
Blaming Wall Street
Do you blame Wall Street for your investment decisions to feel better?
Instead, learning from your failure can only improve you as an investor.
Holding onto Losing Stocks Too Long
Do you hold on to a losing stock just to prove you are right?
Ask yourself, is this just a matter of stubborn pride or is there a fundamental reasoning to this decision.
Wanting People to Say What You Want to Hear: Confirmation Bias
Are you looking for articles or people to confirm your thoughts on a particular investment?
Do you Google phrases like “no need for vaccination”? Naturally, since your keywords are so specific, the results you get will match what you want to find.
Overconfidence. The Silent Killer.
Here’s the kicker. Overconfidence.
total certainty or greater certainty than circumstances warrant
Get on a good roll and you feel like you can conquer the world. Confidence is important, but overconfidence is a killer.
Lesson of the Day?
Follow the charts below.
Investment Process and Outcome
Value Investing Process
Avoid being emotional, biased and overconfident.
The side effect of this is that more people will like you though.
The best advice I hear from veteran investors is to know yourself. Know your own quirks and be objective about it. Listen to different opinions by always having an open mind.
Easier said than done.
