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5 Ways to Lose Big by Picking Stocks

Looking at what we could do if we wanted to lose money can teach us big lessons about making money.

By Matt Koppenheffer – Jan 6, 2013 at 12:00PM EST

In the following video, Motley Fool financial analyst Matt Koppenheffer discusses a quote from one of his favorite investing minds, Michael Mauboussin, about the difference between luck and skill, where he says that if you can lose on purpose, then the activity takes skill. Matt notes five things he would do if he wanted to lose money on purpose in his portfolio, and he gives us some takeaways for what these things teach us about making money.

Read Next

About the Author

Matt Koppenheffer
Matt Koppenheffer is the former Head of the Coverage Team at The Motley Fool. He was a full-time Motley Fool employee from 2012-2025 and is a former advisor and analyst for multiple Motley Fool services. Matt's articles and analysis have been published around the world and his views have been cited in worldwide publications from the Financial Times and The New York Times to the Toronto Star and Germany's Focus Money. He has appeared to offer analysis on a variety of outlets including CNBC and NPR. Matt is the co-author of The Astonishing Collapse of MF Global as well as the creator and former co-host of The Motley Fool's Industry Focus podcast.
TMFKopp
X@KoppTheFool

Stocks Mentioned

Bank of America Stock Quote
Bank of America
NYSE: BAC
$52.72
(-1.64%)-$0.88
Citigroup Stock Quote
Citigroup
NYSE: C
$129.09
(+1.17%)+$1.49
Apple Stock Quote
Apple
NASDAQ: AAPL
$287.40
(-0.04%)-$0.11
M & T Bank Stock Quote
M & T Bank
NYSE: MTB
$213.02
(-2.02%)-$4.40

*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.

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