Are you an investor?
Do you consider yourself an investor? Recently, when naming an investing course, I realized that many people don’t consider themselves investors. By calling yourself an investor, it seems like you have to take on an additional job or responsibility. To feel comfortable calling yourself an investor, you probably need to be involved with investing with your money. Even then, it may feel odd, because it may feel like you are saying to the world that you have “extra” money. For some crazy reason, there can be a stigma around that statement, whether spoken or not.
The word investor can seem big and intimidating for a lot of people, like there is almost shame around it. I understand this because it took me a long time to say that I am an investor. Many people say that if you are an investor, it is a hobby, but making or losing real money doesn’t seem like a hobby at all. Now saying that I am an investor feels as comfortable as saying that I am a mother, or a home owner.
Anyone who has money in an account is an investor. If you have a money market account at the bank, then you are officially an investor, even though your money is in a cash equivalent; you have chosen that cash investment, even if it is only by default. If your wife’s uncle manages your money, then you are an investor. If you have an account that your husband invested in international bond mutual funds, you are an investor, even if you were not involved with the decision about where and how to invest. None of these situations mean that you shouldn’t be knowledgeable about where your funds are invested.
What makes you an investor is that your name appears on each of the accounts in each of these situations. It’s your name on the account, not family member who is managing it (unless it is your spouse in a joint account), not the money manager, and not the bank. If the investment value decreases and you sell it, you are the one who has lost money, not the fund manager or the bank. The realization and ownership of this reality is what makes you the investor.
Embrace the role of being an investor. Learn your options and make the best choices based on that knowledge. Be grateful for your money and then make sure you give it the time and attention it deserves. Your money belongs to you, whether you actively manage it or not, and that makes it ultimately your responsibility.
Disclaimer:
The contents of this website and all products of Nestegginvestor.com and
Austin Alternative Investments, LLC are for educational purposes only and are
not intended as financial advice. You should always consult your financial
professional before investing.
Austin Alternative Investments, LLC
