Writing about finance since 2016 has taught me a lot. But more importantly, it’s taught me what not to believe.
After nearly two decades of personal experience and studying the greats, my investing principles are defined just as much by the myths I reject as the truths I accept.
Here are 4 investing illusions I refuse to buy into:
❌ Myth 1: Active Stock Picking Beats the Market
The reality? Most stock pickers vastly underperform the broader market. Even Wall Street professionals fail at this consistently—a truth proven from the 1970s all the way to today’s SPIVA reports.
The hard truth: If your financial plan requires a magical 15%–20% annualized return to succeed, your portfolio isn't the problem—your capital is. You are trying to build massive wealth with too little seed money.
The fix: Focus on increasing your earning power, not chasing mathematically improbable returns.
❌ Myth 2: Investing is the "Easy" Way to Turn Your Life Around
I often hear people say, "If I don't take a massive gamble in the market, my life will never change."
But why not channel that hustle into your career? Why not learn high-income skills?
Let’s be brutally honest: Many people turn to aggressive trading because upgrading their actual skills feels like too much hard work. Choosing an "easier" path and calling it "the grind" is just fooling yourself.
❌ Myth 3: Fees Don't Matter If Returns Are High
People love to act unbothered by fees, saying, "Who cares about a 1% expense ratio if I'm making 20%?" You should.
Costs are a direct tax on your performance. They cap your upside in bull markets and deepen your bleeding in bear markets.
Would a Tour de France cyclist race on a 40-pound steel bike? Would an Olympic swimmer race in a tutu? No.
If a financial professional tells you that fees don't matter, they either don't understand how compounding works, or they are actively trying to fleece you.
❌ Myth 4: You Can Time the Market
If picking the right stocks is hard, perfectly timing your entries and exits is practically impossible.
Short-term market movements are fundamentally unpredictable. A wise investor accepts this inherent uncertainty and builds a resilient portfolio structure.
Believing gurus who claim to have a crystal ball isn't investing; it's just setting yourself up to be the punchline.
The Bottom Line:
Your beliefs shape your financial destiny. Build your strategy on logic, ruthlessly reject the absurd, and never let hope blind you to reality.
@TigerStars @TigerEvents @Tiger_comments @Daily_Discussion @TigerWire
Disclaimer: Investing carries risk. This is not financial advice. The above content should not be regarded as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation on acquiring or disposing of any financial products, any associated discussions, comments, or posts by author or other users should not be considered as such either. It is solely for general information purpose only, which does not consider your own investment objectives, financial situations or needs. TTM assumes no responsibility or warranty for the accuracy and completeness of the information, investors should do their own research and may seek professional advice before investing.
