The Art of Worrying Productively

Worrying is an often unproductive activity. I certainly am guilty of worrying about tasks for longer than it eventually takes to complete them. In investing, too, worrying can breed doubt and become paralyzing (for no company is perfect).

But, worrying is not all bad. Worrying can induce a desirable level of stress which is, in fact, conducive to productivity. Similarly, in investing, too, worrying can be an incredibly productive activity — perhaps even more so than in any other field. Worrying is doubly useful. First, worrying about all the ways you might be wrong allows you to discover what you don’t know. Secondly, worrying in this way leads one to work harder, dig deeper, and become more vigilant, enabling a more thoughtful view on the range of potential futures a business might face. 

Long-term investment success probably relies on a mastery of the art of worrying productively.