Once you’ve worked out a strategy, leave it alone. There is no point fiddling, you’re unlikely to make it any better, and you might make it worse. Not only that but you could incur lots of extra charges or penalties if you start changing things after a short time. You have to know when to leave things alone. It’s like the proverb: ‘Look before you leap’. Look, look long and hard. Then make your plan and take your decisions. Then leave it alone – don’t mess with it.

Looking is weighing up the odds, seeking advice, considering the pros and cons. Leaping is acting on all that information. But once you have decided to leap, get on with it. Once you have formulated your plan, your objective, your strategy, your goals and targets and ambitions and destinations, then be committed.

It is so easy to get scared or panicky. We all fear unemployment, poverty, financial traps, falling behind, falling below, falling in debt. I’ve been there: paralyzed by fear into staying in a job for years because I didn’t believe I could survive outside it. Once I stepped outside, I survived just fine. We always do.

Plans and small fish require the same amount of cooking. Once they’re in the pan, leave them alone or they’ll fall apart. Don’t keep stirring or they’ll disintegrate. Don’t keep fiddling, tinkering, changing your mind and changing it back again. If you do keep on fiddling you may end up achieving very little and worse still you will have frittered and wasted money on early redemption charges and the like. Many investments are long term and fiddling means paying more or not reaping the full benefits.

Sure you should keep your eye on things, and on the market generally, but stick with your strategy and, having done your homework, leave as well alone as possible. Don’t panic and don’t fiddle.