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How many times had a spur-of-the-moment decision led to a feeling of misery because you were too emotional? According to psychology, emotions can get in our way when making decisions. At times, emotions cloud our decision-making, and it makes us regret our actions.
We feel emotions because we are humans and our surroundings affect us. Emotions can dictate our actions if we let them control us. Regulating your emotions is like honing a skill or changing a habit. It is possible with time, but it is hard.
“Many people mistakenly believe that if they just had more money, all their stress would disappear and they’d be blissfully happy.” Bahareh Talei, Psy.D. stated. Being in control of your feelings, especially in the stock market, is a gamechanger. Follow these steps if you are having trouble controlling your emotions to avoid emotional stock investing.
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Take A Breather After Consecutive Wins Or Losses
Consecutive successful investments make you want to invest again and again because of euphoria. You feel unbeatable and invincible.
On the other hand, consecutive losses make you not want to invest again because of fear—fear of being wrong (again), fear of losing money (again), and fear of leaving money for others to take (again). You feel crushed and shattered.
“Although any stress can take a toll on your health, stress related to financial issues can be especially toxic.” Elizabeth Scott, MS, a wellness coach emphasizes. Taking a breather is a simple yet effective way to regain rationality. It can be in the form of taking a deep breath, having a short break, or temporarily stopping after consecutive wins or losses. Assert to yourself that what you are experiencing is only temporary. This mantra is a powerful motivator for you to try again.
Research, Research, Research
Indeed, knowledge is power. Studying the stock market by analyzing charts, discussing with people, and reading journals can help you make fact-based decisions. An investor who knows more about investing in the stock market will most likely have more investing opportunities.
In addition, the use of different techniques has proven to give investors confidence in allocations in the market. This way, you lessen, if not eliminate, the emotions that may influence your decisions. Instead, you make your decisions based on facts. Being able to make decisions without second thoughts, backed up by research, is a healthy way of balancing a lack of confidence and overconfidence.
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The Bottom Line
Thinking rationally will get you anywhere. Our emotions must always be in check to avoid emotional stock investing. Take a short break and think about the reasons why you invested in the first place and the pros and cons of that investment. Furthermore, doing in-depth research, especially in your area of expertise, can help you overcome fear and be confident in making decisions. “We all have money issues and quirks of one kind or another. If we don’t know what those quirks are, they will emerge in a time of real stress or panic.” Eric Dammann, PhD used to say.
Stock investing is a game of emotions. Understanding the effect of your feelings in the stock market and, better yet, the psychology behind the stock market is already an advantage. While you should not take investing lightly, you also should not take the outcomes of your investment to heart.
Detach. Adapt. Adjust. There’s no single approach to being a successful stock investor. But the earlier you learn to take your emotions out of the equation, the faster you’ll rise in the stock market board. Trust yourself. You can do this.