Getting Excited About Investing

There seems to be a trend going on in the world revolving around the idea that less is more. Frugality is making a comeback. Saving pennies for a rainy day has become more appealing than splurging for the latest "better than botox" cream. It's no wonder than some of us (present company included) fancy saving over investing. It's safe, steady, and what we've been taught to do for so many years, plus investing could be the same as gambling our hard-earned dollars away. Right? Sure, no one is going to say you shouldn't save money. I also doubt anyone will tell you to invest un-wisely and without any preparation or research.

However, why not look at investing in a new light? Remember Buttercup and Westley at the beginning of The Princess Bride? Buttercup kept demanding, Westley kept saying "as you wish," and one day she looked at him in a totally new light: he was suddenly her love. While investing might not turn out to be your true love, you can look at it in a new light. Who knows? Maybe it will start to look appealing and - dare I say it? - exciting. Here are some ways to think a bit differently about investing.

Investing: Not as Foreign as You Think

It's true. You're probably already involved in some form of investing. Own a house? Investment. Own a car? Investment. Have some kind of retirement account or a college savings account? Investment. Sometimes what might make investing unseemly and unflattering in our eyes is that it can seem alien and meant for guys in wrinkled suits crowded on a floor in some kind of business mosh pit shouting about selling and buying. Investing doesn't have to be intimidating, and when you really think about it, you might already be partaking.

Keep your eye on the (potential) prize

When you boil it down to bare essentials, investing is really making your own money work for you. That's it. You have money, you invest, and, in return, your money will grow and reward you for your efforts. Thinking of investing in a positive light (I will see my money multiply) rather than a negative (if I invest, I might as well flush my money down the toilet) will help make investing feel more grounded. Using usually safe means of investing, such as the college or retirement funds, is a nice way to see your money actually increase over time without a whole lot of risk involved.

It's All About Soul

If you really want to get excited about investing and you want to step out of the ways of investing as discussed above, then consider doing some homework. Look into companies about which you're passionate. Check out their stocks. See how they have done in the past. There's nothing to add a little fuel to the fire than some genuine interest.

You've heard the saying about someone being defeated before he or she even started? Don't let the concept of investing be defeated by your mindset. Keep an open mind, do your research, and you might just find that your Westley is investing.

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