Consider yourself an athlete in the sport of investing. Physical 
endurance is important when it comes to the sprint, however 
mental poise will see you through the long run. An investor can 
have the most reliable information available, but with the 
absence of emotional control, you may fail to reach the goal.

You should strive to be the Tiger Woods of investing and when you 
reach the eighteenth hole, your score is based on the portfolio's 
value. Upon retirement, you will know your ranking. At this time, 
the more desirable position would be that of team owner, not 
peanut-tosser.

It is in the world of sports, you may find relevant ideas for 
retirement planning. There are no guarantees when it comes to 
investing in stocks, yet you may want to consider the following 
attributes shared by champions.

The first step in developing your portfolio is to put together a 
team of all-stars. Forget the minor league players, you need the 
Sammy Sosa's and Randy Johnson's to fill your roster. Relieve the 
players with weak relative strength versus the index and keep the 
ones with strong relative strength. If you are unaware of these 
changing numbers, contact an investment professional 
knowledgeable in this area.

Next, limit yourself to the number of players allowed on the 
field. In football, for example, your team may only have eleven 
players on the field while the play is live. Your team is 
penalized for too many players. This seems to be a difficult rule 
for many investors. As a coach, you may have drafted a college 
superstar who turns out to be a professional dud.

Do not allow your self- esteem to keep the player in the game. 
Analyze your back-up players and be aware of the time remaining 
on your retirement clock.

Although it may be emotionally difficult to pull the stock, 
keeping it may limit your overall score. You should always focus 
on long-term fundamentals without neglecting short-term reviews 
(ie: annual updates). This does not mean you become a speculator 
of stocks; you just position yourself as the number one draft 
picker.

If resources do not allow for adequate diversification, or if you 
are new to investing, consider hiring a manager. In other words, 
find mutual funds suitable for your investment risks, time 
horizons, and goals. Your batting average is no better when you 
hit a home run versus a single. It may be more exciting to post a 
high slugging average, but even Babe Ruth struck out now and 
then.

Another point worth noting is to keep your winners. Unless you 
can find a better player for that position, let your winners 
carry you to a championship. John Elway did it for the Denver 
Broncos in 1999 at age thirty-eight. Remember, we pick our 
starters because we believe in their abilities to outperform. 
Still, it is vitally important to monitor your holdings. You may 
one day decide to retire a player who does not fit into you 
overall game plan. Until that time, remain focused on the goal 
line and block out the noise of the market.

In the game of rugby, players advance the ball forward while 
pitching it back to another player. The idea here is to look 
forward, but never forget what the past teaches us. Players may 
come and go, but victory never loses its appeal. We all look for 
success in our investment portfolios and a time to take home the 
gold. Keep a positive attitude and dedicate your resources to 
winning the game of retirement. 

Kemberly Wardlaw's belief is that familiar life elements best 
illustrate practical investment strategies; not typical 
investment jargon.  With that philosophy, the author assists 
financial planners/advisors, brokerage firms, periodicals, 
and other investment information syndicates create informative 
and entertaining articles.  For comments and questions, please 
contact the author at tools2invest@yahoo.com or visit 
http://www.tools2invest.com.