Investment

Investment sounds like a huge word that has everything got to do with numbers.

We often associate investment with stock markets, foreign exchange, and crypto currency. These are things that only some can understand and a handful are good at. We have heard of horror stories where people sacrifice themselves when the market falls. It is probably due to bad investments. While this may be true, there are some that excel at the very same time. There is opportunity in every situation.

Who is to tell how the future looks like? Nobody will ever know unless we are willing to take the first step. Understanding something that is not in our area of expertise can be hefty. We could spend all the time we want on it and still find that it is not something we can digest. This is the time where people seek advice from the experts. Just be careful that there are many out there that portray themselves as the king of the industry but are merely just employees of the stocks company. If they are that great, they would be somewhere else already, not stuck where they were ten years ago.

There are safer options in for us to invest in. These are created specifically for those who want a taste of the market but are not up for the risks. Financial experts have created mutual funds, unit trusts, and even bonds to cover the rest of the people. Anyone can invest in this. There are even insurance policies that are tied to investment funds. They are all handled by the so called experts who uses our money to invest in the big market. If we choose a low risk type of investment, they will play it safe but returns are inherently lower. If we choose a high risk type of investment, they will choose the high earning stocks from the market to invest in. While these are high earning, they are also high risk.

There is not much difference in investing directly or indirectly. We are still controlled by the big market itself. We can only see reports on paper and online. There is nothing physical to hold on to.

Some people feel more secure with a product. The market is vast. If we do not understand the numbers, it is probably a better choice to invest in something we can see and touch and hold. Besides giving us a sense of security, it is also easier to understand.

People who invest in properties, buy when the market is low and sell when the market booms. Or, we can choose to keep the properties for rent collection. Either way, this type of investment seem to bring us stable returns. Whether or not earnings exceeds invested amount is another matter. Some property owners have the mindset that if the property is not making money through rentals, it could be temporary. When it is the right time, the property can be sold for a bulk of money. Real estates do not crash as easily as the stocks, though related but there is still difference. Whatever happens, people still need roof over their heads.

Never to put all eggs in one basket. While we may have the perception that properties are more secure, it is always wise to spread out our investments. Even if we choose to invest in properties alone, we can always invest in different areas, states, or even countries. If one country is to fall, we still have another to hold on to.

We tend to invest in everything that earns us money in return. But is everything valued in monetary terms?

Perhaps we have overlooked on the one thing that is the best investment in our lifetime. OURSELVES. We are willing to invest in gadgets to hopefully ease our life. How much are we willing to pay to invest in ourselves? We are versatile. We can invest our money in books and courses to learn about the new ways of life. We can invest our time in taking action of what we have learnt, of seeing that we commit ourselves through to success. We can invest our knowledge in helping those in need, to educate and nurture them to become their better selves.

What are we willing to invest on? What are we hoping to get in return?
Investment with passion and action brings return.

 

The most important investment you can make is in yourself.

Warren Edward Buffett (Warren Buffett), one of the most successful investors in the world, 1930-present