"Good Boy" Syndrome

Hi Friend,

The most neglected aspect of successful investment seems to be, investors in general underestimate the impact of understanding their own psychology and the impact of how they react to the demands of the society as far as their investments are concerned.

Since childhood we are so attuned to be called “Good Boy” that all our actions, thoughts, movements etc., are focused on getting this universal stamp of approval from our family members, relatives, classmates and everyone else on the street. 

For the fear of losing that stamp of approval we are doing things that we are not happy doing at all or do things that we know are sub-optimal. 

This process of half-hearted approach makes us fail. Failure is not a pleasurable experience and certainly has the potential to make us unhappy.

Imagine a situation where Warren Buffet has to take permission or get the approval from his parents, uncles, aunts, sons, daughters, friends etc., before making an investment decision!! Would he be Buffet then?

The following two quotes from different men with different words indicate that we better get rid of this Good Boy Syndrome to be Happy.

"I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses" - Johannes Kepler

“A public-opinion poll is no substitute for thought ”

- Warren E.Buffet

Starting on the path of happiness requires courage and following are the words of wisdom to muster that courage,

"Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace" - Earhart Amelia

"Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them" - Emerson Ralph Waldo

"Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point"- Lewis, C.S

"When the fight begins within himself, a man's worth something" - Robert Browning

Happy investing.