5 Beginner Investing Tips for a Healthy Headspace

Lousy with numbers? Bad with money? That's OK. By adopting the right mentality, you can learn not only how to invest, but how to do so effectively.

Concept art of a person's brain working as mechanical gears against a 3D-rendered stock chart
(Image credit: Getty Images)

When you're just starting out on your investing journey, sure, it helps to be pointed toward great stocks or funds to build a portfolio. But the most valuable investing tips – those that you'll use for decades – are those that focus on the most important aspect of investing:

Your mind.

Hokey as that might sound, it's true. But it doesn't mean that investing is only for people who "have a head for numbers," while those who aren't as mathematically inclined are destined to be poor money managers. In fact, buying into those labels can be disastrous, leading some people to overconfidence and dissuading others from ever investing in the first place.

Forget the labels, says Sallie Krawcheck, CEO of Ellevest, a digital financial advisor for women. Just be you. If you do that, and adapt a healthy mindset, you too can be an effective investor.

But how, exactly, do you get into a healthy mental space for investing? That's what we'll explore today. Read on as several financial experts provide some of the best investing tips to get any beginner – and any seasoned pro, for that matter – in a better state of mind to build their wealth.

Coryanne Hicks
Contributing Writer, Kiplinger.com

Coryanne Hicks is an investing and personal finance journalist specializing in women and millennial investors. Previously, she was a fully licensed financial professional at Fidelity Investments where she helped clients make more informed financial decisions every day. She has ghostwritten financial guidebooks for industry professionals and even a personal memoir. She is passionate about improving financial literacy and believes a little education can go a long way. You can connect with her on Twitter, Instagram or her website, CoryanneHicks.com.