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Ignore The News

by Doug Davidoff | Aug 12, 2011 11:24:00 AM

NewsThe best advice I ever got as a financial advisor was that there is an important distinction for investors between "news" and "trends."  I was taught that "news" was for traders.  News was important if your job was to maximize your trading profit for the day.  Was the Fed going to raise rates?  Lower rates? That's critical information if your time horizon is one-month or less; not so much if you're looking to the long-term.

Investors hurt themselves when they pay attention to the news.  Instead, they benefit from paying attention to trends.  Is the trend favorable to capitalism?  Is fiscal policy stimulative?  Is regulation choking the ability for businesses to compete?  These are questions that are answered over years, not days.

The same advice applies to business, and sales efforts.  Don't get lost in the news.  These days, if you involved in selling, you'd be better off just ignoring the news.  Now, more than ever, you need to keep your focus on the end.  Keep your goals in mind.  Adjust.  Respond.  But don't be reactionary.  We've been here before.  We got through it.  We'll keep getting through it.

Just keep your confidence.