Page 37 - Flathead Beacon // 7.27.16

FINANCIAL CORNER JESSE RIGLER
INVESTING: A MARATHON,
Kalispell Montana
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NOT A SPRINT
asset, it can’t guarantee success or pre- vent all losses.)
• Ability to overcome obstacles – When sprinters stumble or fall, they are nished for the race; there’s simply not enough time to recover, so they typically just stop. But over 26 miles, a marathoner can fall and – providing he or she is not injured – get up again, compete and pos- sibly even win. When you’re investing for the long term, you have time to over- come “mishaps” in the form of market volatility. So instead of dropping out of the “race” and heading to the invest- ment sidelines, stay invested in all types of markets. As you near retirement, and you have less time to recover from mar- ket downturns, you may need to adjust your portfolio to lower your risk level – but even then, you don’t need to call it quits as an investor.
• Proper fueling – Sprinters have to watch what they eat. But world-class marathoners have to be ultra-diligent about their diets, especially in the period immediately preceding a race. Because they must maximize the oxygen their bodies can use while running, they need a high percentage of their calories to come from carbohydrates, so they “carbo-load” when needed. When you invest, you also need to periodically “refuel” your port- folio so it has the energy and stamina needed to keep you moving forward toward your goals. And that means you must add dollars to those areas of your portfolio that need bee ng up. Regular reviews with a nancial professional can reveal where these gaps exist.
As an investor, you can learn a lot from Olympic marathoners – so put this knowledge to good use.
EXT WEEK, THE 2016 SUMMER Olympics begin in Rio de Janeiro. One of the most compelling
events is the marathon, a 26.2-mile endurance contest with roots dating back to ancient Greece. It may be that we’ve kept our interest in the marathon because it can teach us much about life – and it certainly has lessons for investors.
In fact, if you were to compare invest- ing to an Olympic sport, it would be much closer to a marathon than a sprint. Here’s why:
• Long-term perspective – Sprinters are unquestionably great athletes, and they work hard to get better. Yet their events are over with quickly. But mara- thoners know they have a long way to go before their race is done, so they have to visualize the end point. And successful investors, too, know that investing is a long-term endeavor, and that they must picture their end results – such as a com- fortable retirement – to keep themselves motivated.
• Steady pacing – Sprinters go all out, every second and every stride. But mar- athoners have to pace themselves – too many spurts of speed could tire them out and doom their performance. As an investor, you, too, should strive for steady, consistent progress. Rather than attempting to rush success and achieve big gains by chasing after supposedly “hot” stocks – which may already have cooled o by the time you hear about them – try to follow a long-term strategy that emphasizes diversi cation among many di erent investments. (Keep in mind, though, that while diversi cation can reduce the impact of market down- turns that primarily a ect one type of
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SPONSORED BY:
Jesse Rigler is a nancial advisor at Edward Jones in Kalispell.
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JULY 27, 2016 // FLATHEADBEACON.COM