10 Easy Steps Towards Stock Market Success

Joe Harris | Published 02/3/2007 | ValuableContent.Com

We all need a set of guidelines to help us along the way. This is what I use in all of my investments to ensure that I maximize every profit and virtually eliminate all of my risks. Now you can too?

1. Set Your Goal
You always want to start off any potential investment by thinking about what you want out of it. Ultimately, you're going to be making money off of it?duh. But how much? How quickly? How will this particular investment play into the bigger picture of all your finances? Getting all of this figured out ahead of time will give you a clearer image of your investment down the road.

2. Time to Strategize
We all know there are literally thousands of investment tactics out there. So pick one. Take your time and study up to find the approach that works best according to your financial goals. You can tweak it accordingly as you go through the rest of these steps, but the better prepared you are the smoother the entire process will go.

3. Asses Possible Risks
It is absolutely essential that you highlight the risks your investment will bring up. The key is to look at them realistically, not optimistically. You have to be able to devise an effective and PRACTICAL management plan. This will not only minimize your losses but in turn guarantee you maximize your profits, even if the investment tanks.
Notice how this step comes before profit assessment? This is to make sure you don't get overwhelmed with excitement before you size up the gamble you're taking.

4. Think about Profit Potential
Basically, you have to get paid, but you need to be able to do it at the right time. Most inexperienced investors just go for the cash, but by the time they actually collect their profits have diminished. Know when and how to get out so that the process is smooth and efficient.

5. But Are There Alternatives?
Do a little more homework. Check to see if there are other investments that have fewer risks, a better profit potential, or if there are is another strategy that will make your life easier (or hopefully a little richer at the end of the day).

6. Scaling the Mountain
This one goes along with devising an initial strategy. Every investment you make will have its challenges to optimize rewards and minimize shortcomings. By anticipating them you can create a strategy that will do just that.

7. Design Your Plan B
Set specific boundaries as to when you should get out of an investment. Whether everything goes wrong and you need to bail out or you've hit it big and need to move on, having explicit limits prevents you from losing returns or just losing more money.

8. Making the Right Choice
Investing takes time, so for one last time look over your new project as a whole. Now you've got all the pieces to see if this investment is really worth your while. And it's ok if it isn't: you'll be better off starting from scratch than losing on a big gamble.

9. Go for the Gold
In choosing to pursue an investment, go after it. Give it everything you've got and you'll come up a winner. Clich鬠I know, but even if worse comes to worst you won't be that big of a loser either. Wholeheartedly following through on your game plan will give you the best returns in the long run.

10. Debrief
In the end look back over your plan. If somehow you bombed and lost a lot of money, try to figure out what went wrong. You want to ensure that you don't make the same mistakes next time. Constantly tweak your approaches until you find that perfect strategy. Once you've done that you'll eliminate all that stress that comes with the job.