What the Masters Would Say
Selling too early is one of the most common and costly investor mistakes, and the regret it creates can poison future decisions by making you either hold losers too long (to avoid the pain of selling again) or chase past winners (buying back at higher prices). It is a destructive cycle that feeds on itself.
Charlie Munger's insight is profound: the real money is in the waiting, not in the clever trading. The greatest investment returns in history have come from investors who bought wonderful businesses and then did essentially nothing for decades. Munger himself has described his contribution to Berkshire Hathaway as primarily "sitting on my ass." The humor masks a serious truth: the ability to sit still while your investments compound is the rarest and most valuable skill in investing.
Philip Fisher deliberately held concentrated positions in exceptional companies for decades, understanding that a few outstanding investments matter far more than many good ones. His investment in Motorola, held for decades, returned many times his original investment. Had he sold after a 50% or even 200% gain, he would have missed the vast majority of his lifetime returns from that single position.
Warren Buffett has said that he has made most of his wealth from fewer than a dozen decisions over a 60-year career. The key was not making those decisions -- it was holding those positions through every downturn, correction, and bear market without selling. His investment in Coca-Cola, made in 1988, still sits in the Berkshire portfolio and has returned thousands of percent.
The psychological problem is well-documented: a 50% gain triggers loss aversion -- you fear losing what you have "earned." But great businesses compound. A stock that goes from $10 to $15 feels like a sell, but if the business can grow earnings for another 20 years, that $10 investment could reach $100 or more. By selling at $15, you capture 50% of a potential 900% return.
Here is a practical system to stop selling too early:
Your Action Plan
2. Never sell just because the price went up. Price appreciation in a growing business is not a sell signal -- it is the expected outcome of owning a good investment.
3. Consider selling partial positions -- take 20-30% off the table to satisfy the emotional urge while letting the majority continue compounding.
4. Review your selling history annually. Calculate what your positions would be worth today if you had never sold them. This exercise in accountability is painful but invaluable.
5. Set a minimum holding period for every new purchase -- commit to holding for at least two years before considering a sale for any reason other than fundamental business deterioration.
The Bottom Line
The greatest fortunes in investing history were built by people who bought right and then sat still.
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Principles That Apply
"The big money is not in the buying and selling, but in the waiting. And the waiting is the hardest part."Read Full Principle →
"I don't want a lot of good investments; I want a few outstanding ones. Concentration in your best ideas is key."Read Full Principle →
"It was never my thinking that made big money, it was my sitting. The big money is made in the waiting."Read Full Principle →
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