Dont get me wrong, I am fascinated by the concept of stock markets totally. But when individuals turn to their portfolio dashboards in the hope of their own financial freedom, i hate it because i dont believe there is any other concept than earning it “yourself”.

I have never traded stocks, but i don’t see it any different from investing/ partnering with companies / startups / ideas. We invest/ partner in/with start ups today, and for me its a simple philosophy, if i can understand the business well and having meaningful influence to make it succeed, we go ahead and explore it. I dont see why stock markets should be any different for anyone, if one cant have any meaningful influence to any company with his/ her share holding, why bother? Additionally, if you don’t have anything to contribute, then why again?

If you don’t have significant money that makes you say Carl Icahn at Yahoo / Warren Buffett at a company with reasonable influence, then seriously stay away, get back on your desk and work harder, sticking to those basics is your only shot at serious “financial freedom”.

Oh of course, the only other thing is when you know something that others don’t, Information Advantage. Most of us have full time jobs, and listening to CNBC or reading Economic Times religiously is not information advantage to say the least. Every other idiot is doing the same thing. Again stay away, the markets will bite you in your ass. They always do.