The full quotation is “Don’t look back, you’re not going that way.” This quote is often associated with inspirational or positive thinking messages because looking back at bad things won’t change anything in the present. There is a message here for investors.
Don’t look back at the trades you wish you had made. Wishing that you could have bought XYZ at lower prices, or regretting not selling ABC at the recent high, is not going to help. Every day is the beginning of the rest of your investing life. You can’t fix the past, and once you learn to accept that, you can take a realistic view of your portfolio, as it is now, and make appropriate decisions for the future.
All comments and suggestions are welcome.
Walter J. Kirchberger, CFA