No matter if you flip on the TV or scroll down social media you might see:

“Dow is down 500”

“Could this be the bubble that burst”

“Another recession is near..”

While all of those titles might have some weight to them it does one thing - trigger fear. That fear acts on two methods: To potentially drive the markets down even more or to keep folks wanting to invest from actually investing. Scale and marketing tactic at it’s finest.

I posted the following meme a couple weeks ago after Lauryn Hill cancelled a few shows:

While this was hilarious ( I crack myself up sometimes), it held nothing but the facts. Folks are afraid of risk. To keep it straight: Folks are scared to shoot their shot at the markets. That curve that you might experience in your dating life might be the one you ‘think’ you could experience in any sort of investing. No matter if it investing or trading (difference), you are scared to get into the relationship build your portfolio and your stocks lose value.

Honestly, investing in the market is scary as hell! Any sort of investing is risky! I say that because I know. I reference my dad when it comes to his humble (forced) beginnings of getting me into investing. I sat on that knowledge for a month of Sundays due to the recession and the risk of the market.

We are, in some capacity, investors. What we decide to pick up or research - we invest our money, time and intentions into it… despite the risk. Think back to your last relationship. You knew the risk, you saw the signs that that person wasn’t a suitable partner - yet to took the risk.

Just as with learned experiences (never lost Lavar Ball voice), you have to take stock of the risk and what to do better the next time. Like we talked about in my Cannabis/Marijuana post, get to know the 4Rs: Research, Revenue, Residuals and Risk.

Instead of watching from the sidelines, just jump in! If you don’t understand what you are doing - there are numerous resources that are free and you have me. While I can’t hold a crystal ball to predict how to lessen the risk of investing, I can give you some tips:

Know the value of what you are buying! Know the average cost per share and also what the potential low is (prospectus or being nosey on Google can tell you this). In the middle you will find what your sweet spot: How much you are willing to pay. Knowing both the low/high of the said stock will give you cliff-notes in how low it could go (mind you, there is always a new low).

1. Turn your emotions off! *69 when you feel like checking your portfolio every second of every day. When you see the headlines saying a company is going out of business or your portfolio is in shambles, stop crying over it. Swing like Trey in Boyz N the Hood, but don’t stay in your feelings.

2. No Risk, No Reward. You have heard that countless times for countless situations and this time is no different. Scared Money doesn’t make money (Young Jeezy voice). Great investors of our time have spoke over and over that confidence in themselves and their portfolio has what contributed to their wealth. Just as the market might be down today, it will be up one day. Look at what happened during the recession - value that was once down is back up! Focus.

3. Asset Allocation is clutch! In fancy investment talk asset allocation is an investment strategy that aims to balance risk and reward by apportioning a portfolio's assets according to an individual's goals, risk tolerance and investment horizon. Basically, diversify your bonds (Wu Financial, Dave Chapelle) or balancing your portfolio to have various investments that when a drop in the markets or value does drop in one fund that it doesn’t pull down your entire portfolio. Having an even or diverse portfolio is the key being unbothered when things go left and aren’t right

Here are some risk calculators for you to check out - New York Life and The Economic Times

When you take the worry of risk off your life and your money - the heights that it can go would be unlimited. Also, when the markets are red as Texas Pete, gather up some green to buy (if you have it in your budget). Going back to #1 will allow you to know the value on when you pounce or when to pace. Stop being afraid if the markets will diss you with your return in investment. Research from the past (you own experience and the stock performance) to know what the reward will be short term and long term. This isn’t Tinder, get to know the stock vs just swiping.