In the U.S. today, kids get participation trophies. Their parents tell them they’re perfect.
Then, throughout their lives many carry the belief they can do no wrong.
By extension, they think: If I’m perfect, then it couldn’t be my fault.
It disappoints me that people think this way, but they do.
It can be your fault. You know that, right?
And that’s the beauty of investing.
You can’t hide. You get it right … or you get it wrong.
Making Their Own Rules
In the NBA, they flop.
Grown men fall down at the lightest of touches, feigning a foul.
These same men can make more than $40 million a year just in salary. That doesn’t include lucrative endorsements and other deals.
More and more, society looks to them as spokesmen. Yet, some will fake a foul.
They may even pretend they’re injured. It’s preposterous. (Obviously, I’m not just talking about basketball. This applies to many sports.)
So, what are we teaching our kids? To hide their guilt if they do something wrong?
To copy the athletes who fall over in “pain” when their opponent mistakenly touches them?
This behavior is weak. Being accountable is important. It’s how leaders behave. It makes our society stronger.
Because Nobody Is Perfect
The stock market is the ultimate humility machine.
It’s tough to get it right. And then you can get it right and still get it wrong if the stock you sold moves on to greater highs while the stock you traded it for doesn’t.
It’s a reason you should encourage your kids to learn more about investing. Because in so many other areas of life, people pander to them.
They tell them they’re perfect. And they let them — even encourage them to — get away with things.
But it doesn’t work that way in the stock market.
No, investing isn’t easy. You can get lucky from time to time, but it takes discipline. It takes practice.
But even if you’re reticent about it, you want to learn more once you start.
That’s because investing helps you become a better thinker. It helps you view the world more holistically. It helps you understand how one event can affect a seemingly unrelated one.
It helps you be accountable for your actions.
By the way, it doesn’t matter how old your kids are. Everyone can benefit from investing.
And kids, you can encourage your parents, too!
Good Investing,
Editor, Profit Line