The Lucky Investor

Have you ever known someone who seemed to, just be lucky in life? They seem to 'have it all' and things just seem to 'come to them' with no real effort on their part. Life appears easy for them and we wish we could have 'their luck'. The good news is you can - everyone can.

I'll never forget the definition of luck I heard many years ago. A friend of mine said "Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity." This has never been more, true of good fortune, than in the world of investing. When you are prepared you will recognize opportunities others do not; thereby making you 'appear' lucky.

Taking the time to learn about the many ways in which you might invest is a perfect example of preparing yourself for an opportunity. The more familiar you are with a concept, the easier it is to recognize opportunities when they present themselves. Often times the most profitable situations appear to be unsolvable issues on the surface. It is the educated investor who can spot the opportunity buried in the pile of problems; and be rewarded handsomely for his/her efforts. The average person, who has not taken the time to educate himself/herself, is astonished when they see the good fortune bestowed upon the educated investor.

It is important to note that acquiring an education has nothing to do with being naturally smart. A lot of professional people, people considered in society as 'smart', have lost absolute fortunes because they lacked education about their investments. There are people who barely finished high school and are multi-millionaires. How can that be? The answer - one is book smart and the other is street smart. Book smart is great for taking tests and dealing with black and white issues; investing is neither. Investing requires a separate education outside of regular schooling. Anyone who applies themselves can become street smart in the world of investing. All it requires is time, effort and determination to succeed.

By now you are probably thinking it might take too long to prepare for opportunities. Or you should have started preparing long ago so you would be 'lucky' right now. Do not lose heart. First, realize if you are short on time, you need to work very efficiently. By leveraging the knowledge of others around you, you can shave years off the 'preparation' process. All smart business men and women know this. You may have heard the term 'Mastermind Group'. This is a group of individuals who have been carefully selected by a business person to help reduce the time necessary to learn a skill or process. Another way to leverage your time and gain the knowledge you need, to make smart money decisions is by engaging the services of a mentor. A mentor is simply a person who acts as a guide to you in your investing activities. In either case, asking for help and guidance will help you avoid many pitfalls and save a lot of heartache.

I know many seasoned investors, who are quite wealthy, and attribute their continued success to the people they surround themselves with. That's right - they continue to surround themselves with successful people; long after they have achieved their goals.

In summary, there really is no such thing as a lucky investor. Lucky investors are simply informed investors who spend many hours of time preparing for great opportunities. You can become lucky too. All you need to do is find a successful person in the area of your interest, ask for their help and then, by all means, follow their advice.
Go out there and make your own luck! Become educated by aligning yourself with a good mentor or a mastermind group. At the very least, take action and read about what interests you. Prepare yourself for the opportunities which are all around you - right at this very moment. Good Luck! (Pun Intended)