Hi fellow investor,
Date night discussions with my husband does belong to our goals or my travel plans but the evenings he gets a chance to contribute to our conversations (which is not rare), it is a detailed discussion on how sports can help you build character, release stress, and become a better strategist. For me, sports was always Cricket and Sachin (why not!); but this weekend I was celebrating the championship win of Liverpool Football Club (they won the domestic league after 3 decades) with my husband.
I am not a football expert; but yes, in the past one year, I have heard enough stories and 'force watched' some late-night matches with my husband to understand what this win means to him and in general to everyone who is a football fan. So along with one such discussion, we have together compiled this financial learning from the win of Liverpool and we hope that you will enjoy this too.
Learnings from the Liverpool championship after 30 years:
I am not a football expert; but yes, in the past one year, I have heard enough stories and 'force watched' some late-night matches with my husband to understand what this win means to him and in general to everyone who is a football fan. So along with one such discussion, we have together compiled this financial learning from the win of Liverpool and we hope that you will enjoy this too.
Learnings from the Liverpool championship after 30 years:
Planning & Strategy Is Most Crucial For Your Win
The player cannot just kick a football anywhere he wants - similarly you just can't get up and start investing your money anywhere you want. There are defined goals and strategies to put your money (like the ball) in the right asset classes. As they say - A goal without a plan is just a wish.
The way the Liverpool team transformed itself from very ordinary gameplay to a very possession and pressing-oriented gameplay with a purpose behind every move, and every player in the team has a specific role to play, similarly there is a definite role to be played by every asset in your portfolio and you should invest by maintaining your asset allocation and goals.
Some Championships Take Time
Don't jump ship after every loss - Liverpool, historically one of the largest and most successful clubs in the football world had to wait for 30 years to win a domestic league cup. They won the champions league last year making it 6 Champions League titles (a record number of Champions League by an English club). But they were just a point shy of a Domestic League last year which cost them the title (but that did not make me stop supporting the club). Finally, they made it happen this year!! So yes, at the face of it one may say 30 years too long but it is important to know what has happened right and wrong in these years.
Similarly, when you are investing, some of your best investments may give you unexpected loss in some years and you may tend to dump them. If you start selling with every sight of loss, your investments will not have enough time to compound and grow. Every decision to invest, stay, and sell must be made based on an appropriate analysis of the variations in the returns and your goals.
Focus On The Management Style
A new manager who took charge almost 5 years ago, brought about some gradual changes to the club for good, resulting in all the success the Club garnered in these 5 years.
Similarly, when you are investing in Stocks or Mutual Funds, a change in management (style of investing) can move your investments either towards good or bad. Hence, it's important to know about your managers, their style of investing, and whether that matches your expectations from the investment or not. It is not only numbers that show you performance but also non-financial things like the attitude and strategy of the management.
A Good Strategy May Take Time To Show Results
Give time to your fund managers/advisors - Jurgen Klopp took over Liverpool FC almost 5 years ago (in October 2015) and the first 3 years were only spent in organizing/ streamlining the team, picking up the right player to include in the squad and prepping them. There was not much belief then as compared to now. In the past year, Liverpool FC has won 4 major honors in football that made them the world Champions in 2020. But when someone with new strategies comes in we need to be patient about the kind of results they can show.
The same applies to our investments and advisors. No one holds a magic wand and it takes time to show results; in the right hands, there is a possibility of the results compounding over time and give the investors exponential returns. Don't go asking - 'Kitna returns milega?' as your first question to your advisors.
"Sometimes it is not about money, but rather the process of managing the money" - Anonymous
To sum up, have a plan for your investments and see them work towards that plan instead of letting time and circumstances let your goals fade away. Discuss the plan with your partners and family just like you discuss sports and movies. In the last year I learnt a lot about about football and Liverpool over the dinner table. But we never forget to sit and discuss our investments each month and review our statements because remember - You will never walk alone.
Disclaimer: - The articles are for information purposes only. Information presented is general information that does not take into account your individual circumstances, financial situation, or needs, nor does it present a personalized recommendation to you. You must consult a financial advisor who understands your specific circumstances and situation before taking an investment decision.
Disclaimer: - The articles are for information purposes only. Information presented is general information that does not take into account your individual circumstances, financial situation, or needs, nor does it present a personalized recommendation to you. You must consult a financial advisor who understands your specific circumstances and situation before taking an investment decision.