Time And Seasons: Understanding the Times and Seasons of Investment
One of the most significant ways in which humanity has distinguished itself as an evolved species is its understanding of time and seasons. Nature in its bid to maintain balance moves in a seamless changing time flow which is evident by a transformation of its elements. These changes dictate what we wear, what we eat, and how we live our lives, and failure to recognize their relevance results in missed opportunities and closed doors.
As it is important to understand these changes, it is also important to be aware of the alterations in times and seasons of investment. To maximize wealth and thrive in any market, it is crucial to be able to anticipate changes in the market, understand your financial capacity, and actively prepare for these changes.
This article hopes to guide you on ways to navigate and smartly use these changes for your benefit. You will learn about what to do and how to prepare for the 3 seasons of investments: Rainy season, Dry season, and Harmattan seasons of investment.
Times and Seasons of Investment
The key to thriving in every season of investment is to start preparing for a coming season during the season that precedes it. This means that you prepare for the dry season during the rainy season and you prepare for the harmattan season during the dry season.
1. Rainy Season (Season of Abundance)
The rainy season is known for an abundance of rainfall, a cooler climate, lush green leaves, and breezy evenings. This can be likened to a period of economic boom when you have cash flow from different directions with a lot of resources at your disposal.
Most of us pray for a season like this to remain or last for a longer period but the truth remains that every season has come to pass. This implies that eventually funds dry up, business crash inflation sets in, and several other agents play out in a way that is beyond our control.
Hence in a season of abundance, it is advisable to do the following:
- Put your cash in passive assets: Passive assets include bonds, treasury bills, real estate, and any other assets that can keep generating income for you.
- Skill Up: You can also take advantage of these periods to improve your portfolio and garner more skills that will make you more efficient and better positioned.
You cannot manipulate the elements of a season but you can prepare adequately and make it work in your favor
2. Dry Season (Season of Parched Lands)
The dry season occurs when the rains cease and the land dries up. It is comparable to a time when resources are scarce and the pace at which business is conducted is slowed. The dry season should be the period where you prepare for the coming harmattan and your survival during this season depends on how you used your rainy season.
The Dry season is a period where you strive to attain balance and retain your vital assets. This is because during this period the lack of resources and slow pace of business will likely result in you earning just enough to sustain yourself and keep your business afloat.
To stay refreshed during the dry season and to actively prepare for the rainy season, here are a few steps you could take:
- Live within your means: This is not the time for profligacy and indiscriminate spending. You will want to preserve your resources for the opportunities coming in the next season.
- Identify investment opportunities: As things heat up in the economy, several opportunities will begin to open up. Sellers become increasingly desperate to exchange their commodities for cash and you will likely get massive offers for items at a cheaper price
3. Harmattan Season
The Harmattan season is far worse than the dry season. To a large extent, Nigeria’s current situation is comparable. Currently, we are witnessing rising inflation, Naira depreciation, insecurity, and growing apathy among foreign investors.
Unlike during the dry season, when only the flow of business is affected, the danger here is businesses packing up and closing down. Like other seasons, surviving or thriving during the harmattan season is dependent on the choices made during the rainy and dry seasons.
Here are a few steps to take in anticipation of the coming rainy season:
- Strategic Positioning: the harmattan is the preparation period for the coming rain and you will want to leverage the resources you have been able to acquire in previous seasons as a commodity for exchange.
· Sow in the land:
The ability to recognize opportunity amid difficulty is what differentiates winners from losers. Even though the dryness of the harmattan season leaves people apprehensive and unwilling to invest or take major business decisions, you must be willing to look beyond your fear apprehension. This is because the harmattan season is the perfect period to make investments. During this period the prices of stocks are being dropped and there is an increased willingness to sell off assets. So, take advantage of this season and sow in the land for the coming rain.
Conclusion
How you fare during these seasons is greatly dependent on how well you prepare for them and taking the right steps at the right time can be the difference between a massive boom in your business or an impending doom, borne of a change in seasons. Be wise and make the seasons work for you.