Document Your Investment Strategy By David Edwards About this article: In dark times such as now, when no investment strategy seems to work reliably, the difference between veterans and novices is that veterans are keenly aware of their underlying investment strategy and have the discipline to stick to that strategy. Novice investors tend to deviate randomly from their primary strategy, and that often makes their situation worse. Investors can better understand the guiding parameters of their own investment strategy by writing them down in a worksheet such as the one I've provided below. An investor who shorts stocks can use the same worksheet to document a short-selling strategy. Parameters on the worksheet are as follows: Philosophy The guiding principle of your strategy should boil down to a single sentence. For example, "Buy stocks that can grow earnings twice as fast as the S&P 500 for at least five years." The more complicated your philosophy, the less likely you'll be... Or, call us at 1-866-321-TSCM (8726) Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. ET. Outside the U.S. and in Canada, call 1-212-321-5200.

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