They say the early bird catches the worm. Most interpret this adage as suggesting if you seek to increase your odds of success – the chance of discovering that pot of gold – avoid sleeping late. But this is only from the perspective of the bird. What if the maxim were taken from the worm's point of view? Then it would imply the best way to achieve life's basic objective (in this case, survival) is by sleeping late. 

When seeking advice, it's always best to understand the perspective and history of the one giving the advice. Many 401(k) participants who look for suggestions pertaining to the how-to of their plan will often first turn to an investment advisor. This is not a bad thing, but it can also be a misleading thing. Why? Because, as I've written so often before, the primary focus of 401(k) investors should be saving for retirement, not worrying about how to invest. 

Still, there are those few investors that have the time, talent and treasure to learn about investing. It is important they understand the most elementary ideas of investing. And, where do they go for their lesson? Usually (and hopefully) a registered investment advisor

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