What is a successful investor?

[oracle]

A successful investor is one who can put his money to work returning him returns above average (minimum should be 4-5% above bank term deposit rate) consistently with adequate protection to his capital (diversification).

Once the investor has proven his strategy can work earning above average returns with minimal risk to his capital. He can use leverage which can increase his returns (nearly double) further.

Cheers,
Oracle.

 

[VYBerlinaV8]

A successful investor is a person who sets investment goals, then goes on to achieve them.

 

[willair]

Someone recently asked me what I deemed a "successful investor" to which I said that I felt there was no clear cut definition. Success is subjective, and as such, how the investor him/herself defines (and indeed measures) his/her own achievements and consequently success, will vary considerably.

For some it can be totally based on numbers, ie. the number of properties (residential or commerical) owned, the nett value of their portfolio, financial freedom from a paying job, whilst for others it is more their own feelings of self worth, SANF, and so on.

Either way you look at it, there is no right or wrong way to define it. It will mean different things to different people.

As long as you're happy with what you do, and how you do it, then I guess, that makes you SUCCESSFUL.

Very simple Monopoly,Success from the people that i know al;ways comes back to one item and this was told to me many years ago by someone in this site..Success is a State of mind..pure and simple..
..willair..

 

[Piston Broke]

Very simple Monopoly,Success from the people that i know al;ways comes back to one item and this was told to me many years ago by someone in this site..Success is a State of mind..pure and simple..
..willair..

Which is why the only person whom you should ask this question is yourself.

 

[BayView]

Someone recently asked me what I deemed a "successful investor" to which I said that I felt there was no clear cut definition.

This would be someone who makes a profit/money from their investments.

As long as you're happy with what you do, and how you do it, then I guess, that makes you SUCCESSFUL.

Total BS. I'm in it to make money, and if I don't there's not a lot of happy about it.

The statement above is usually the viewpoint taken by people who haven't actually made any money from their investments/life, and fall back on the old classic of "you don't need money to be happy".

I actually agree with that; you can be very happy doing things that are free.

But let's not twist the purpose here; investing is to get rich, do it quick, and live like a stinking rich King/Queen before you die.

Otherwise, why bother?

Oh, yeah; let's go look at 5 auctions every saturday to study the market, listen to annoying agents and other would-be Donald Trumps in the crowds, spend all weekend painting, gardening and demolishing because all those things are.....fun and make us happy?

 

[Paul Do]

> 20% p.a. over the long term, defined as decades. Examples include Warren Buffett and Peter Lynch.

Lynch achieved nearly 30% p.a. over 14 years but this is a shorter time frame than Buffett and his fund was smaller (Buffett's returns were greatest at the start when his fund was smaller).

 

[Monopoly]

Total BS. I'm in it to make money, and if I don't there's not a lot of happy about it.

The statement above is usually the viewpoint taken by people who haven't actually made any money from their investments/life, and fall back on the old classic of "you don't need money to be happy".

I actually agree with that; you can be very happy doing things that are free.

But let's not twist the purpose here; investing is to get rich, do it quick, and live like a stinking rich King/Queen before you die.

Otherwise, why bother?

Oh, yeah; let's go look at 5 auctions every saturday to study the market, listen to annoying agents and other would-be Donald Trumps in the crowds, spend all weekend painting, gardening and demolishing because all those things are.....fun and make us happy?

Of course it's about making money, and I don't for a minute believe "you don't need money to be happy"; in fact, it buys you a better class of misery!!

What I'm referring to, is that if you're not comfortable with certain investment vehicles, ie. shares (which are not for the faint hearted) then look at alternatives that you are comfortable with, ie. property or something else.

I disagree that the importance of being "happy" is the fall back excuse of those who haven't made money (or it).

Think about it for a minute.....

You own property, you buy/sell, invest etc but you can't talk about it with certain family/friends because (unless they share your views) they put you down. Even in here, sure you can "share" your successes, to a point but Heaven help you if you brag too much!!

I've noticed over the years, that the more money I made, the less genuine "friends" were around. Unless THEY had equal or more than myself, I was often left to my own devices. At first this was a real downer, and I couldn't understand WHY, but now I accept it is part of becoming successful; the fact that you are no longer an "average Jo" struggling to pay the mortgage and put food on the table etc.

That's what I was referring to about "being happy". If you can MAKE MONEY and keep yourself together, and not worry about what anyone thinks, then (IMO) you're doing OK and you're SUCCESSFUL.

Of course, the bottom line is $$$ (couldn't agree more) but there's nothing wrong with enjoying what you do to make it.

P.S. I used to attend OFI every Saturday morning (from age 5) with my parents when all my friends used to be sitting in front of the telly watching the cartoons, and I LOVED IT. That hasn't changed. I enjoy attending auctions, and dealing with (some annoying) agents (some are my dearest friends). It's a spectator sport (of sorts) for me I guess, and there has been many a time when I've ended up buying a property simply because I was there!!

 

[DreamBig]

A truly successful investor is an investor who no longer has a day job.

 

[Monopoly]

A truly successful investor is an investor who no longer has a day job.

So I've been successful now for 8 years!!

 

[aussierogue]

Im with monopoly, alexlee and yv Berliner.

There can only be one defintion if success. If you have met your goals!

All other defintions are open to critisism and interpretation.

Meeting your goals is pretty straight forward.

 

[jaycee]

No one has defined what successful means yet.

 

[alexlee]

No one has defined what successful means yet.

On the other hand, why should we care? If a person 'feels' successful because they've achieved their own goals, who cares about some arbitrary definition?

 

[Player]

To be happy and on purpose and be rewarded continuously/repeatedly for the investment seeds sown in the past. As it relates to investment, the more income streams the better.

It does however relate to one's own perspective, internal representation and definition as Alex has indicated above. A $UCCE$$FUL investor has their own internal success/wealth thermostat set to a pre-determined level that strikes a cord with them.

To be truly successful one needs to run their own race and play their own game, not judge and berate their own efforts according to external generic arbitrary norms/expectations.

 

[Deltaberry]

There is no ceiling or final destination to success. Because if there is, once your each it, you'll stop.

True success has no final destination to it. You just keep going, rather than chasing the materialism of buying fancy luxuries.

This is essentially what Ted Turner said (in his book). He said his father once told him to set his goals high, because his father set his goals too low (ie own a mansion, own a yatch and one more thing). His father said he regretted setting hsi goals too low because now he's achieved them and there's nothing more to it.

 

[MCS_80]

From my point of view, I consider a successful investor someone who can go on a holiday for as long and they like and still have a healthy income flowing into their bank account without them worrying about it for as long as they like.

Do what they like, when they like for as long as they like. True success.

Cheers

Mick

 

[Dazz]

his father once told him to set his goals high, because his father set his goals too low (ie own a mansion, own a yatch and one more thing). His father said he regretted setting his goals too low because now he's achieved them and there's nothing more to it.

One is allowed to set low goals, achieve them, and then re-set, re-focus and set higher goals.


I don't know one successful person who hasn't done this.


Never met a battler renting, without a job and down on his luck, with goals of owning 100's of millions or billions of assets, running massive organisations employing thousands of people. Usually there goals are things like get a better job, purchase a car and maybe at a stretch put a deposit down ona place to live. Achieve those and re-assess. Starting walking up the (first) hill.


I'm impressed by Ted, cos if he had a father teaching him that you only get one crack at setting goals, then he started with a big handicap.

 

[jaycee]

On the other hand, why should we care? If a person 'feels' successful because they've achieved their own goals, who cares about some arbitrary definition?

Which is why we have had difficulty defining a succesful investor is all I meant I know its just 'conversation' but one person's definition is questioned by another as to whether it's considered succesful or not..

 

[jaycee]

To be happy and on purpose and be rewarded continuously/repeatedly for the investment seeds sown in the past. As it relates to investment, the more income streams the better.

It does however relate to one's own perspective, internal representation and definition as Alex has indicated above. A $UCCE$$FUL investor has their own internal success/wealth thermostat set to a pre-determined level that strikes a cord with them.

To be truly successful one needs to run their own race and play their own game, not judge and berate their own efforts according to external generic arbitrary norms/expectations.

.....and sometimes I need it spelt out for me....

 

[Monopoly]

Which is why we have had difficulty defining a succesful investor is all I meant I know its just 'conversation' but one person's definition is questioned by another as to whether it's considered succesful or not..

Don't worry about it Jaycee,

As I said in my first post:

Success is subjective, and as such, how the investor him/herself defines (and indeed measures) his/her own achievements and consequently success, will vary considerably.

There will ALWAYS be someone who will challenge how you perceive or measure your success, but what REALLY MATTERS is how you do!!

 

[Bigtone]

Successful Investor


Still kicking myself for not investing $ when WBC had Term Deposits at 8 % for 5 years. Over 5 years may not have been great if IR rises as expected but would have been great considering amount of work involved to return 8% consistently over 5 years.


Regards
Sheryn

Surely you are kidding Sheryn!

I will give you 8.5% over 5 years if you like, if you can't average over 8% with your I/P's then there is something very very wrong and it shouldn't take much work, it is called passive investing for a reason!