Emotions & Investing: 4 Strategies for Smart Decision-Making in 2025

Investing is a test of patience, discipline, and perspective. It’s easy to feel confident when the market is climbing, but when stock prices fall, doubt creeps in. News headlines amplify uncertainty, making it tempting to react impulsively–selling too soon out of fear or chasing a rally out of excitement. This emotional rollercoaster can lead to decisions that work against long-term financial success.

The reality is that markets move in cycles, and history has shown that staying invested through volatility is often the key to building wealth. Yet, emotions can cloud judgment, leading many investors to underperform the very market they’re trying to navigate. According to research from Dalbar, the average investor consistently earns less than the market due to emotionally driven decisions.¹

A strong investment strategy is built on a structured plan that accounts for both opportunity and uncertainty. At Wealthquest, we believe true financial confidence comes from a comprehensive approach that integrates investment management, tax strategy, financial planning, and estate planning. When all aspects of your financial life work together, you can focus on long-term growth without being derailed by short-term market swings.

Here are four investment actions rooted in a long-term strategy to consider.

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1. Work with a Financial Advisor

Everyone brings emotions to the table; it’s human nature. But when emotions dictate financial decisions, they can lead to costly mistakes. A financial advisor often takes the role of a behavior coach and helps bridge the gap between impulse and strategy so your investment choices align with long-term goals rather than short-term market swings.

Why Behavioral Coaching Matters

The market’s daily movements can trigger a mix of excitement, fear, and doubt. Studies in behavioral finance show that investors tend to feel the pain of losses more intensely than the satisfaction of gains, a phenomenon known as loss aversion.² This emotional bias often leads to panic selling when markets decline and overenthusiastic buying when prices peak. A financial advisor can help you recognize these tendencies and reframe your mindset to stay focused on the big picture.

The Role of a Financial Advisor in Managing Emotions

A good financial advisor can serve as a rational guide during volatile times. At Wealthquest, we take a holistic approach, helping clients:

• Stay committed to their financial plan even when the market feels uncertain.
• Filter out short-term noise and focus on long-term wealth-building strategies.
• Make data-driven decisions instead of emotional reactions.

A strong financial plan relies on a strong mindset. By working with a financial advisor, you gain a partner who helps you navigate uncertainty, avoid emotional decisions, and stay focused on long-term success.

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2. Put Your Investment Plan in Writing

A well-structured investment plan aims to keep you on course even when market conditions make the journey feel uncertain. Without a written plan, it’s easy to second-guess decisions, react emotionally, or deviate from a strategy that was carefully designed to build long-term wealth. 

The Power of a Written Financial Strategy

Imagine trying to bake your favorite dessert from memory. You’ve made it dozens of times, but without the recipe in front of you, you start questioning the details. Was it a cup of sugar or three-quarters? Set the oven at 350 degrees or 375? Suddenly, you feel unsure about something you thought you knew.

Investing works the same way. When the market fluctuates, even the most experienced investors can feel unsure. Having a written investment plan serves as your financial “recipe” and a clear guide to follow when uncertainty creeps in.

What Should an Investment Plan Include?

A strong investment plan outlines:

• Your long-term financial goals (e.g., retirement, wealth transfer, philanthropy).
• Your risk tolerance and investment strategy (so you know what is and isn’t too risky).
• A disciplined approach to market downturns (so fear doesn’t drive decisions).
• A schedule for reviewing and adjusting your portfolio (without making knee-jerk reactions).

How a Written Plan Helps You Avoid Emotional Investing

Markets fluctuate. But those who stick to their plan are better positioned to ride out volatility and see long-term gains. Having a structured plan in writing helps you:

• Stay disciplined when markets decline, rather than panic-selling.
• Maintain perspective during bull markets, avoiding overconfidence and impulsive investing.
• Remain focused on long-term success, rather than short-term movements.

When the market shifts, your investment plan should serve as your anchor, keeping you steady amid uncertainty. Whether you’re early in your career or approaching retirement, committing your strategy to writing helps create a clear, rational framework that helps you invest with confidence, no matter what happens next.

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3. Limit Your Portfolio Check-Ins

With financial news available 24/7, it’s tempting to check your portfolio daily. But frequent monitoring can do more harm than good. Reacting to every rise and fall often leads to impulsive decisions that undermine long-term success.

The Psychology Behind Overchecking

When investors see their portfolio drop in value, anxiety sets in. This often leads to rash decisions like panic selling or shifting to overly conservative investments that don’t align with their long-term goals. The more frequently someone checks their portfolio, the more opportunities there are to react emotionally rather than strategically. Over time, this can lead to a pattern of buying high and selling low–a habit that erodes potential gains.

Historical Perspective: Why Less is More

This urge to over-monitor investments is a widespread investor behavior. But looking at historical data can provide reassurance: markets have always been volatile in the short term, yet have consistently grown over the long term. For example, the S&P 500 has experienced an average intra-year decline of 14% since 1980, yet it still finished the year with positive returns about 76% of the time (34 out of 45 years).³

A Better Approach: Scheduled Portfolio Reviews

Instead of reacting to every market movement, adopt a structured review schedule:

• Quarterly or annual check-ins help you stay informed without overreacting.
• Regular rebalancing ensures your investments remain aligned with your long-term goals.

A financial advisor’s guidance provides perspective, helping you make rational decisions based on strategy, not emotion. The stock market will always fluctuate, but a disciplined approach shapes long-term success.

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4. Learn from Market History

Every market movement feels personal in the moment, but history tells a different story. Investors who step back and look at the bigger picture will see a pattern: markets rise and fall, but over time, they tend to recover and grow.

The Cycles of Bull and Bear Markets

Since 1928, the average bull market has lasted nearly 6.6 years, delivering a total return of 339%, while bear markets have been significantly shorter, averaging 1.3 years with a total decline of 36%.⁴

Even the worst downturns in history, like the 2008 financial crisis and the 2020 pandemic selloff, were followed by strong recoveries. Investors who stayed the course saw markets rebound, while those who sold often missed the best days of growth. The key is to think in decades, not days. Investors who stay the course through downturns position themselves for long-term success.

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Staying the Course: The Key to Long-Term Investment Success

Market swings are inevitable, and emotions will always be part of the equation, but long-term success comes from managing those emotions rather than letting them drive financial decisions.

By working with a financial behavior coach, you gain an objective guide who helps you stay focused on your goals, even in uncertain times. Putting your investment plan in writing ensures that when doubt creeps in, you have a clear strategy to follow. Limiting how often you check your portfolio reduces emotional decision-making and reinforces a disciplined approach. And perhaps most importantly, learning from market history helps put volatility into perspective, showing that patience and consistency often win over panic and impulse.

The investors who see the greatest returns over time aren’t the ones who react to every dip and surge, but the ones who stick to their plan, trust the process, and think beyond the moment. At Wealthquest, we seek to help clients take the guesswork out of investing by building structured, long-term plans designed to weather market ups and downs. Our all-in-one approach integrates investment management, tax strategy, and estate planning, helping your wealth work for you, not against you. The market will move, but with the right plan in place, you don’t have to.

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