Highly Effective Investing

Highly effective investing characteristics are not usually the strengths portrayed by our politicians and yet many of us rely on our governments to provide us with a security blanket if we get laid off, get sick or get ourselves in trouble financially. Personally I would rather depend on myself to embrace the techniques of highly effective investing to make sure that my investments do well and  provide the quality of life I am most interested in for my retirement lifestyle. The following is our list of techniques to consider.

Highly Effective Investing

Develop your strategy and document – this strategy. Review it with your investment advisor, spouse and close family members.

Check your direction regularly – and make adjustments as needed based on equity changes, life events, emergencies and income requirements.

Diversify – never put all of your eggs in one basket. You will be disappointed. If you make the wrong decision, who knows what will happen. Diversify across companies, industries and investment vehicles such as equities, bonds and mutual funds.

Maintain balance – across industries. Investing everything in one area creates too much risk, especially if there is a downturn and you need the money.

Invest for long term – in high quality equities that pay good dividends, increase their dividends at least annually and have a history of growth.

Avoid buyers remorse – Sometimes you will make a bad decision. Or perhaps events beyond your control will mean that a single investment does not work out as you expected. Make whatever decisions you need to and move on. Focus on the future and what you can do to recover.

Keep your cool even if the market does not – the market will swing, sometimes as much as 10% or more. As long as your in good quality investments as we mentioned above, the market will recover and besides you will continue to collect interest and dividends.