Avoiding Investing Stasis

Investing stasis - it's what happens when all investors reach a point where they are burnt out looking at a portfolio that is moving... but maybe not moving fast enough. Don't worry, it happens to all of us (or at least everyone that I've talked to about investing who manages their own investments). It's a natural way to feel when you put as much work as most of us do into researching the companies we invest in.



But how do you avoid it? Admittedly, it's a very hard thing to do. As most of us are not made millionaires over night, we all have to take it step by step until our own personal wealth reaches a snow ball the size of Manhattan. The beginning steps of course are the initial building of our portfolios - the first purchases, the eager anticipation for that very first dividend check, and then the secondary phases of "how in God's name do I get more of these?!"

Somewhere along the line however, we seem destined to reach the stage where we feel at a loss. I know I personally spend what feels like endless hours pouring over what feels like millions of companies until I find the limited few that I throw my money at. I have found a few good ways to combat this feeling of restlessness.

One: remake spread sheets. Nothing gets me craving some more dividend time than when I put all of my dividend payments, reinvestment, and increases on all the same spreadsheet. It's a great way to get the juices going in your brain and getting you reviewing the companies you already own. You never know, you might have missed something!

Two: play with future calculators. I love doing this. There are millions of websites out there that if you plug in your current investment track can tell you how long you've got to go before you reach whatever mark you're aiming for. For me, I simply like checking the difference of what I'll make from year to year. It's a great feeling to see the point where the snow ball really starts to roll itself. I call that the apex and I dream of the day that the dividend scythe reaches that point.

Three: network. If you yourself are burned out looking at your own numbers, sometimes it's good to just take a break and look at everyone else's. Take a break for a few days or a few weeks and start to look around the net for investors just like you who list their portfolios. Benchmark your own against there's, weigh in on your thoughts, or just simply leave words of encouragement. It can go a long way!

And there you have it. Three tricks I use to keep myself motivated when I find myself in investing stasis. I hope you've enjoyed the article and if you wish, leave some comments in the area below on your own tactics.