Topic: How To Invest

What is Pat's commentary for the week of May 15, 2012?

Article Excerpt

Many people try to learn more about investing by gathering up loads of information. But you also need to learn how to absorb and organize your information, so that you recognize and remember the essential aspects of it. I’ve found that the best way to do that is by writing about it. That’s just the way your brain works. Writing about something forces you to think deeply about it—or at least more deeply than if you’re not writing about it. When I decide to write about an investment or an investment-related subject, I start by gathering up information—hard facts, plus other people’s opinions on those facts. By the time I start to write, I may have read, scanned or simply browsed through 20,000 or more words on the subject. Every sentence I write helps me absorb and analyze the info I have in front of me and in my short-term memory, and extract useful perspectives from it. Some sentences raise questions in my…