Most investing losses don’t come from bad markets — they come from bad habits.
 
This concise, practical guide is built for new investors and early-stage market participants navigating their first real years in the market. It breaks down the most common misconceptions, emotional traps, and self-inflicted mistakes that quietly derail portfolios before strategies ever have a chance to work.
 
Designed for those within their first five years of investing — or anyone rebuilding after a significant loss — Growing, Not Guessing returns readers to the fundamentals that matter most: decision-making, discipline, and perspective.
 
Rather than offering predictions or tactics, this guide focuses on the psychology behind two equally destructive behaviors: reckless risk-taking disguised as confidence, and excessive caution disguised as intelligence. By stepping back and seeing the bigger picture, readers learn to recognize the recurring patterns that cause even well-intentioned strategies to fail.
 
Clear, approachable, and intentionally brief, this guide makes an ideal first read — or a thoughtful gift — for anyone interested in investing but determined to avoid costly early mistakes.
 
This is not investment advice. It is an exploration of human behavior and emotional decision-making — the forces that, when understood and controlled, can lead to healthier habits and better long-term outcomes.