Know yourself and your plan’s limitations - Consider the difference in your Risk Tolerance and Risk Capacity. Risk Tolerance is how much volatility you can handle emotionally. Risk Capacity is how much volatility your plan can handle and still be on track. It is wise to defer to your Risk Capacity regardless of your own feelings.

 

Know your plan and your goals -  Having a plan that is well crafted in the beginning will guide you and help keep you on a path to success. It is like having directions to where you are going versus not. You are much more likely to get there if you know where to turn. Don’t get blinded by the “talking heads” on television when making your financial decisions. Consider your plan and your goals and ask yourself does the decision align with reaching my stated goal.

 

Remove your emotions - This one is nearly impossible. Fact: No one cares more about your money than you. This truth can be a big hurdle in reaching your financial goals. When markets are down, you just want them to stop going down. Most people’s logical solution is to sell risk assets, (Sell Low). When markets are going up, most folks want more risk assets, (Buy High). What occurs over and over is the opposite of the most fundamental rule of investing: Buy Low, Sell High.