Curing Investment Fever

If you are a stock market investor, seasoned or otherwise, one of the most important lessons you should learn is how to keep your investment "winnings." Too many times, a large gain in the stock market will convince an investor that she is an investment guru--until she suddenly loses her earnings in a bad investment the following month.

Do not let a big profit get to you. Some experts say that winning a large amount of money in a stock market investment can be just as mentally devastating as losing the same amount. Why? Because big winners will often catch "investment fever," and, so excited by their big wins, they will look again and again for the same earnings potential, and will ultimately lose all their earnings to the disease in the form of bad investment decisions.

Most importantly, do not think that just because you suddenly find yourself with a large amount of cash with which to purchase new investments, you should deviate from your past, successful investment strategy. Keep yourself under control, take a break from trading if you have to, and keep on a straight course.