What “Type” of Investor Are You?

In the world of pop psychology, people are often divided into Type A and Type B personalities. An oversimplification, of course. Still, your “type” label says a lot about your approach to life. And guess what? It also says a lot about the way you approach investing.

Type A personalities tend to be aggressive and impatient. Their approach to investing can be summed up with “You snooze, you lose.”

Type B personalities tend to be more relaxed and easygoing. Their approach to investing might be described as “Good things come to those who wait.”

Which personality type makes for the better investor? Both types can do well. But they could learn from one another.

Profiting From the “Good Things Come to Those Who Wait” Approach

The idea that “good things come to those who wait” has been the basis for several advertising campaigns, including Heinz ketchup in the ’80s and, more recently, Guinness. But is patience a virtue for investors?

Yes, it is. At Investor’s Daily Edge (IDE), ETR’s sister publication, we believe that long-term trends are what make you money. And long-term trends, by definition, take time to develop.

For example, imagine that it’s 1973. Israel has just won the Yom Kippur War. OPEC retaliates against the West by launching an oil embargo. You see the newly united oil cartel for what it is — the start of a powerful long-term trend. You invest in oil stocks. Oil goes from $4.50 a barrel in 1973 to over $39 a barrel in 1980. You make a bundle.

Oil made investors rich once. But can it do it again? You bet it can — especially when you consider another long-term trend, one of the biggest in the world today.

Right, again. Despite an increase in prices, world crude oil production has basically flat-lined since 2005. (Note the shaded section.) And production is not going to increase anytime soon. Meanwhile, with a growing global population, demand is increasing.

Put both trends together, buy oil stocks, add some patience… and you’ll make money. In fact, with the right stocks your payoff can be sooner rather than later. In our Sound Profits portfolio, for example, Andy Gordon’s oil company pick is up 40 percent since last July.

Profiting From the “You Snooze, You Lose” Approach

Is being patient the only way to make big returns by investing in the world’s increasing demand for energy? Hardly. The Type A investor, too, can make money in this sector. And more quickly than his Type B cousin.

Last month, for example, some of our readers made over 30 percent in less than a month in Chevron. Those same readers made 49 percent on a Chinese energy company in 34 days.

How Did They Do It?

Instead of buying the underlying stock, they bought an options contract. That’s it.

Investing through options gives you more bang for your buck. And, amazingly, it also limits your downside.

Aren’t Options Complicated?

The prospect of locking in short-term, double-digit profits with options is certainly attractive. But many investors figure this is a strategy they just don’t have the time to master.

They’re right.

It takes years to develop the expertise necessary to deliver returns like the ones I mentioned above. But Ted Peroulakis, IDE’s options guru, has paid his dues. Ted has worked for some of the biggest names on Wall Street, including Morgan Stanley and Smith Barney. A millionaire himself (many times over), he has been successfully guiding investors for over 15 years.

Will It Take a Lot Of Time?

No. All you need to do is fire up your computer in the morning and open and read the e-mail from Ted’s Options Power Trader service. Click on your online brokerage account and follow the instructions given in the e-mail. Then shut down your computer and enjoy the rest of your day.

This is the only investment strategy I’m aware of that can produce big returns for investors who like making serious money but don’t want to risk a fortune to do so. No patience required. If you’re interested, click here to learn more.

The Best Investment Personality

By the way, in addition to Type A and Type B, there is the Type AB personality. Type ABs understand the importance of being patient, but also understand that opportunity seldom knocks twice. If that describes you, give yourself a pat on the back. You have what may be the best personality for investors.

Obviously, you can’t change your personality. But you can change your investment approach. If you are a Type A, why not adopt some Type B tactics — and vice versa? After all, no one can complain about mixing short-term profits with long-term gains.

[Ed. Note: Bob Irish is the investment director of Early to Rise‘s sister publication, Investor’s Daily Edge. Before coming to IDE, he enjoyed a decades-long career in the financial services industry.]