The best investing is the one in which you don't feel like investing at all! Here's why…

Wednesday: The Independent Investor FROM THE DESK OF MILES EVERSON: Happy Wednesday! We’re excited to share with you another investing tip. I personally believe investing can help us achieve true financial freedom. That’s why every Wednesday, we publish various articles related to this topic. Today, we’ll be sharing a life hack that’s applicable to investing and other aspects of our lives. Read on to know why “getting in the zone” is crucial to achieve investment success. CEO, MBO Partners Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute

The best investing is the one in which you don't feel like investing at all! Here's why… Have you ever read or heard the phrase, “getting in the zone?” This means being in a state that usually happens when you are: Energized In a good mood and doing things you enjoy In some level of skill that meets the demands of a particular task Basically, “getting in the zone” happens when you are sooooo focused on something to the point that you almost forget about the time and everything going on around you. The Importance of “Getting in the Zone” Professor Joel Litman, Chairman and CEO of Valens Research and Chief Investment Strategist of Altimetry Financial Research, says “getting in the zone” is often associated with artists, musicians, and athletes. For example: The New York Jets’ Joe Namath was one of the first National Football League (NFL) quarterbacks to talk about getting in the zone… and because he was able to get into that state, he won Super Bowl III in 1969, upsetting the heavily favored Baltimore Colts. In one interview, Namath said over the years he’s played football, his best games were the ones in which he didn’t feel like playing at all. For him, those times felt like the games were simply playing themselves through him. Namath’s story is an example of what “getting in the zone” means. It shows the flow and impact of positive psychology, or the study of what makes life most worth living. Positive Psychology and “Getting in the Zone” When you’re doing an analysis or working on a certain project, it’s important to be “in the zone”… and that requires thinking positively about the task at hand. No matter what it is you’re doing, you have to focus on the present moment—NOT the past or future. As Professor Litman said: “It’s all about the right mindset.” As you do that, you not only “get in the zone” and set yourself up for success, but also train yourself to remain disciplined. That’s a triple win for you! Allow us to share a trivial-yet-important story related to positive psychology… In one of the coaching comments Professor Litman delivered to various teams at Valens Research, he talked about sometimes finding himself sweeping the floor after conducting a seminar or in-house training event. He said whenever he sweeps the floor, he sweeps to the best of his ability—as if it’s the only thing he could do. In fact, during those times, he tells himself he’s going to be the best floor sweeper a sweepers’ guild could ask for! … and while floor sweeping pales in comparison to the presentation Professor Litman delivered to his audience that day, for him, the noble act itself is still important. It reminded him to stay humble regardless of how far he has come in life. What does this story tell you? The mental aspect and focus of “getting in the zone” is something you can practice even with mundane tasks. By being your best regularly AND with any task at hand, you create a mindset for being the best at things that matter most. “Getting in the Zone” in Investing Professor Litman says fearful and greedy investors are bad investors, and that’s especially true when following the crowd mentality. Wait a minute. Fear? Greed? Crowd Mentality? Uh-oh, those are the opposites of “getting in the zone!” Remember when we explained “getting in the zone” requires positive thinking, focusing on the present moment, and doing your best with any task at hand? The same concept also applies to investing. To make wise decisions about your finances, you have to be optimistic, focus, and motivate yourself to be the best investor you could be. The problem comes when investors dwell too much on fears of the past and present, which are usually brought about by emotional stories or sensational headlines from the mainstream media. In that case, investors tend to panic and be overcome by all the negativity surrounding the stock market. The result? They highly likely invest emotionally and see their portfolios suffer. That’s why it’s critical for investors to “get in the zone” when investing! By focusing on the present and doing their best regardless of how the markets are doing, they’ll make decisions based on reliable market signals and time-tested patterns. They also won’t be easily thrown off by unfounded fear of the past and future. Instead, they’ll focus on the data at hand to achieve success in their investments. Whether it’s in sports, work, floor sweeping, or investing, learn to master the art of “getting in the zone!” Professor Litman says while doing this will require more focus, it will eventually make you a BETTER performer not only in investing but also in whatever you do. Hope you’ve found this week’s insights interesting and helpful. Follow us on LinkedIn.     Stay tuned for next Wednesday’s The Independent Investor! Lately, recession seems to be a lot of people’s—especially those in the finance sector—most used word. Learn more about this important economics lesson from 1945 in next week’s article!