"Know thyself" is a timeless aphorism inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, echoing through the annals of philosophy and psychology.
While its origins trace back to ancient Greece, its relevance extends far beyond its historical context, permeating various aspects of human existence, including the realm of stock investing.
In the world of finance, understanding oneself is not merely a philosophical pursuit but a practical necessity for successful navigation through the complex terrain of the stock market.
Investing in stocks is not just about crunching numbers or analysing market trends; it's also about understanding one's own temperament, biases, risk tolerance, and long-term financial goals.
Without this self-awareness, investors are susceptible to making impulsive decisions driven by fear, greed, or overconfidence, which can lead to significant losses.
Self-awareness in stock investing begins with understanding one's risk tolerance. This involves an honest assessment of how much volatility one can stomach in their investment portfolio.
Some investors are comfortable with high-risk, high-reward strategies, while others prefer more conservative approaches. Knowing where one falls on this spectrum is crucial for constructing a portfolio that aligns with their comfort level.
Furthermore, understanding one's investment goals is essential. Are you investing for retirement, saving for a down payment on a house, or aiming for short-term gains?
Your goals will dictate your investment horizon and the level of risk you're willing to take. For instance, if you're saving for retirement, you may have a longer time horizon and can afford to ride out market fluctuations.
On the other hand, if you're saving for a short-term goal like buying a house in the next few years, you may opt for more stable, low-risk investments.
Another aspect of self-awareness in stock investing is recognising cognitive biases that can cloud judgment. Confirmation bias, for example, leads investors to seek out information that confirms their existing beliefs while ignoring contradictory evidence.
Anchoring bias causes investors to fixate on specific numbers or past performance when making decisions, regardless of their current relevance.
By acknowledging these biases, investors can strive to make more rational, objective decisions based on thorough analysis rather than emotional impulses.
Moreover, understanding one's financial literacy and investment expertise is crucial. Novice investors may lack the knowledge and experience to navigate complex financial instruments or assess company fundamentals accurately.
In such cases, seeking education through books, courses, or consulting with financial advisors can mitigate the risks associated with ignorance.
Additionally, investors must be honest about their emotional responses to market fluctuations. Fear and greed are powerful emotions that can drive irrational behaviour. During periods of market euphoria, investors may become overly optimistic and prone to speculative investments, while during downturns, they may panic and sell off assets at a loss.
Developing emotional resilience and maintaining a long-term perspective can help investors weather market volatility without succumbing to knee-jerk reactions.
Furthermore, knowing one's investment style is essential. Are you a value investor who seeks undervalued stocks with strong fundamentals, a growth investor who focuses on companies with high earnings growth potential, or a passive investor who prefers index funds and ETFs for their simplicity and diversification?
Understanding your investment style can help you craft a strategy that plays to your strengths and preferences.
Finally, self-awareness extends to understanding one's capacity for active management. Some investors have the time, expertise, and temperament to engage in active trading, constantly monitoring the market and adjusting their portfolios accordingly.
Others may prefer a more hands-off approach, opting for passive strategies like buy-and-hold investing. Recognising where you fall on this spectrum can prevent you from overcommitting to a strategy that doesn't align with your lifestyle or abilities.
In conclusion, the ancient wisdom of "know thyself" holds profound relevance in the context of stock investing.
By understanding one's risk tolerance, investment goals, cognitive biases, financial literacy, emotional responses, investment style, and capacity for active management, investors can make more informed decisions, mitigate unnecessary risks, and ultimately achieve their long-term financial objectives.
In the volatile and unpredictable world of the stock market, self-awareness is not just a philosophical ideal but a practical imperative for success.
Sun Tzu in his Art of war states "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."
The enemy here includes fear, greed and our cognitive biases.
*The writer is a former chief executive officer of Minority Shareholders Watch Group and has over two decades of experience in the Malaysian capital market