Forced to be Patient – maybe a cure for investors!

By Dan Crimmins on June 22, 2016 in Behavioral Factors in Investing

Maureen and I were lucky enough to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in the island nation of Jamaica. It was our first visit to the tropical island and we enjoyed the beautiful landscape and friendly Jamaicans. One of the excursions that we enjoyed was visiting the Mayfield Falls which requires a treacherous drive up a mountain.

Thankfully we had a driver who was raised in the mountains and familiar with the drive. The road was called “partially paved” (a generous description). The driver – Walton – pointed out trees and plants as we transcended up the mountain. One fruit tree that caught my attention was the national fruit of Jamaica known as the Ackee fruit.

Dangerous to eat

In Jamaica, the Ackee fruit is a mixed blessing. Though originally native to West Africa, it migrated to Jamaica in 1778. Walton described that if the fruit is eaten before it is ripe – it can lead to coma or death.

He explained that the unripe Ackee fruit contains a poison, so you must be careful to wait until the fruit’s protective pods turn red and naturally opens . Once it is opened, the only edible portion is the yellow “arilli”, which surrounds the always-toxic black seeds. (See the photo below.)

All that patience comes with a delicious payoff — Jamaica’s national dish is Ackee with codfish. We both had the dish for breakfast at the hotel (with the trusting assumption that the chef knew the correct preparation)!

This is a ripe Ackee fruit – safe to eat! Roderick Chen / First Light / Corbis

I could not help but wonder how beneficial this “threat” would be for investors. As in, if stock market investors were forced to be patient because stocks had a similar feature as the Jamaican fruit. Investors would certainly benefit if they were forced to wait until their stocks were “ripe” if the outcome may be death or coma.

For some investors, they may need this potential danger to keep them from making a mistake. As a behavioral advisor, we work with our clients to help them have the patience needed to stay invested.

Investors need to have the proper financial planning and investment portfolio in place while working with a financial coach who will help them have the discipline and patience to wait till their investments “ripened”. This is key to reach their goals.

We can help you determine the correct financial plan for your opportunities and then work with you on an ongoing basis to ensure that you achieve success.

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