Let`s Talk about Getting Started

How do you start something new?

Everyone's different.  Sometimes (but not always) I am full of angst over a beginning.  I am afraid to make the first pass across the canvas; what if it's not the right one?

My angst with beginnings comes from perfectionism, my inherent belief that if something is started perfectly, then everything else must unroll perfectly.  The extension of this belief is the assumption that anything that unrolls wrong is my fault, a signal of a bad beginning.

My experience with investment has been totally different.  I read a book and then I just... started.  It is almost 6 years ago that I bought my first stock.  Since that time, I've read many books.  I've read many websites.  I've varied and refined my strategies.  I've had fun.  I love talking about investing with interested people.

"Let's Talk Investing" is to be a place to share ever-evolving investment strategy with interested people.  It is to be a place where I will make sweeping statements in the hope that someone will explain to me why I'm wrong.  It is to be a place where I will share what I know so that others will refer me to what they do.

To my friends, I would never say, "Let's talk investing!"

I'm dying to, but I don't.  I've learned that investment as a topic of conversation among friends is toxic.  Money, and what you do with it, is as personal as who you vote for or who you pray to.

When I do broach the topic, I try to do it in as non-judgmental a way as possible.  

(Note: The person in Orange isn't a caricature of any person that I know... or even of anyone that I've ever met.)

 

If things go wrong, though, I'll say things to mitigate any possible conflict.

"Everyone does things differently - it's not like there's only one right way to do things!"
"Your situation is probably so totally different from mine that my way wouldn't even work for you!"
"What with your different priorities, I can understand how my method would cause issues."

Don't think that I judge anyone.  Everyone does with their money what they think is best after they have done as much research as they feel is necessary.  I know that I haven't stumbled upon the divine route to riches, I know that there really isn't one.  I don't think less of anyone for how they choose to invest their money.

So to the reader, I offer the above words as a peace offering.  New investors, or old hats, we all have a place at this table.

Let's Talk Investing.

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Please realize that "Let's Talk Investing" is not authored by a financial planner, adviser, or a professional investor in any capacity. As such, this is not expert advice in legal, taxation, financial, or any type of information that may be provided. The reader must realize this when reading these articles and must not rely on them as the ultimate source of information but must seek proper verification from the appropriate professionals before acting on any of this information.