Jay Mooreland

I am passionate about the concept of progression. I believe happiness/contentment in life doesn't come from money or circumstances. Rather I believe one of the drivers of happiness comes from personal progress. We may not be able to control our circumstances, but we can control how we progress within the constraints of our circumstances. That is how an individual who has a poor standard of living can be much happier than an individual that "has it all."

The realm in which I write, blog and speak has to do with investment decisions. It is well known that investors make poor investment decisions from time to time. And those decisions can be very costly (i.e. sell after a large market downturn). Rather than just tell people what they "should" do, I like to find out why our current course of action is wrong and why this other course of action is better. We all know what we should do. My goal is to help individuals understand why they should choose a better path. If the "why" is understood, it will provide context and meaning so a change of course is possible.

Why are investors influenced to make poor investment decisions? I answer that question in my book. What is a better course of action? I answer that question in my book. The why, what, and how are all answered. The reader is simply left with the question "Do I want to do it?" Progress requires effort, patience and perseverance. Seldom do we change perfectly over night. I know I don't.

I have progressed over the years. But on a day to day or week to week basis it can get very frustrating. Some days/weeks/months are better than others as I attempt to improve something in my life. But the key is to not give up. Understanding the "why" and "what's in it for me" can help motivate an individual during the relapses and times when we feel like giving up.

We are all human. We all have some weaknesses. But by understanding the why, what and how we can put things in greater context. For the purpose of my book, I simply do that within the realm of investing. And while I discuss it within the realm of investing, it has much larger application. These same principles can be applied to many aspects of your life...not just financial decisions. Happy Reading.