Market psychology is the predominant behaviors and collective sentiment of market participants at any point in time. Overcoming market psychology is not easy but learning how the market works can reduce the number of surprises and increase the degree of success, you can experience. Keep in mind, all assets rise and fall in value, the more extreme the swing, the stronger the sentiment.

For market success, a person should develop their market awareness and work with a professional for sound advice and investment guidelines. Participation in the market certainly has its ups and downs, but the probabilities of success improve with the right guidance and mindset. However, non-participation is does nothing to move the dial towards success.

1. Equalizing the Costs

Costs include monetary and non-monetary expenses. Monetary costs are comprised of transaction and brokerage fees. Non-monetary cost is the time spent learning about the market, understanding the investment process, and managing the shifts between the increases and decreases in market prices.

Much like the past, today’s modern portfolio needs the assistance and watchful eye of an experienced market professional. It’s not enough to guess or even estimate the changes – planning is necessary to anticipate wins and losses.

2. Long-Term and Short-Term

The nature of the market is the volatility of prices rising and dropping. Our emotions share a similar reaction between excitement and depression. Surges of pleasure with clear uptrends and neurotic negatives with declines.

The long-term and short-term is about the future and now – both terms play a vital role in learning how market shifts affect your decision-making.

• Long-term is noted for continued performance and consistent results.
• Short-term focus on temporary boosts during innovative periods or downturn markets. 

3. Market Awareness

Start by figuring out your financial characteristics (e.g., income, expenses, mortgages, and debt) and what segment of the market works best for you. It takes an honest assessment of your knowledge, means, and objectives to understand how you can assess your opportunities. For this reason, working with an experienced professional is a plus – they are going to help ease the emotional and financial ups and downs that you face.

There are two prominent market trends – bear and bull. They are both related to volume shifts; simply put, it is how many trades are taking place and how much is being traded. Bear markets have prices falling accompanied by the urge to sell. Bull markets are steady and confident; prices go up involving rational decisions to buy or sell.

4. Manage and Control

Unfortunately, emotions (greed, fear, anxiety, excitement) can be drivers for selling soon after the purchase, short-term, potentially diminishing the significant gains that could have been earned in the long-term. The market will go through various phases, just as we do in life. On the average upswing, markets have a lifespan of five years. It does not mean earnings stop entirely – but they could settle in with slower and more steady growth.

Here, diversification, multiple selections of equities, bonds, and alternative investments, are necessary for a healthy portfolio. Do not underestimate the entire portfolio's value, as one investment increasing will not stand alone over time and exposes you to greater risk than if the portfolio is diversified.

5. Move Forward

Get over the past experiences and focus on the future. It's coming with or without your approval – better to be part of the plan and manage the calls so you can reap the benefits. Start slowly and build trustworthy confidence to reduce  risk and stress, allowing the market to respond back to you - positively.

Questions to ask yourself: Are you in the right market? Does your plan have a solid strategy built into it? If you have some concerns, do yourself a favor and look for help.

6. Change Perspectives

Most individuals do not always experience success immediately, and our mind begins to associate financial markets with negative emotions. Acknowledge the market is not just about winning and losing – it’s about strategy and duration of activity.

The market will continue to do three things: it will go up, go down, or stay the same. Talking with a market professional helps to manage the market's pluses. In addition, working with a professional could change your perspectives and broaden future outlooks.

7.  Internationally Diversify

It certainly makes sense to consider investment opportunities outside of your home country if you have the means to do so.

By moving part of your wealth offshore, you can benefit from international investment diversification and insulation against US dollar depreciation as well as home bias. All those factors play a significant role in achieving a stable financial situation with a lower level of volatility.

8. Outsourcing Investing

There are plenty of reasons why you might not want to subject yourself to the woes of market psychology at all. For example, you may not have the time or passion to watch your investments closely and do the necessary research. Or maybe you prefer not to have to worry about market performance. In this case, it could make sense to delegate the investment process altogether by hiring an asset manager.

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