From Zero: Not just Linkin Park's comeback, but your clarion call to start investing

In one of Linkin Park's most iconic songs, "In The End", Chester Bennington raspily croons about how time is a valuable thing, and you can only watch it fly by, as the pendulum swings. 7 years have flown by since the death of their lead singer Chester Bennington, and in the end, it matters because Linkin Park is finally making a comeback.

Bringing in singer Emily Armstrong and drummer Colin Brittain in the fold, the rock band was a huge rage in the 2000s and originally comprised of Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Phoenix and Joe Hahn. Linkin Park's latest album, titled "From Zero", will release on November 15th this year. The new lineup also launched a brand new single yesterday, called "The Emptiness Machine".

With Armstrong stepping into Bennington's mind-numbingly daunting shoes, all she'll want perhaps, is to be more like herself, and less like the popular former vocalist, who tragically took his own life in 2017. But before we get on that lane, here's a walk down the memory lane, reliving some of Linkin Park's most celebrated songs, and some snippets of financial well-being you can derive from them.

I am a little bit insecure, a little unconfident
'Cause you don't understand, I do what I can, but sometimes I don't make sense
-Faint, Meteora, 2003

Well, who isn't a little bit insecure and unconfident while starting something new? Plus, if you just figuring out the complexities of the stock market, it can certainly seem daunting. But if you're someone who's been wanting to start investing in stocks or mutual funds for a long time now, know that it is most important to begin. Don't let your fears procrastinate your investments further, till the time 'the market is better off', or 'I know a bit more about the markets', or 'I'll start investing next year, when I am earning more'.

The best time to start investing in stocks, mutual funds, or even in your skills, was yesterday. The next best time? Today. And dispel any notions that you have of not being able to create a meaningful corpus over a long term, with just Rs 500 a month. Right now, it wont make sense, but this amount, invested consistently over a 20-year period, could mean you end up with around Rs 5,00,000. So, start with what you can, but start right away.

Somethin' in here's not right today
Why am I so uptight today?
Paranoia's all I got left
I don't know what stressed me first
Or how the pressure was fed
-Papercut, Hybrid Theory, 2000

There's a sea of difference between long-term wealth creation and dabbling in the market to earn some quick bucks. If you're only tracking the market from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm everyday, in hopes of the markets doubling down on your investments within the next week or month, you'd always be stressed, pressured, paranoid, and uptight. And rightly so!

You see, when you're in the game for quick money, the slight downtrend in the stock you own could send you in a panic mode, or not holding a stock that's making massive gains during the day could make you angry. But the market has the tendency to compound and average out the impact of market volatilities on your investments, provided you stay put. So, unless you're not an experienced trader, you should let go of all this stress, and pay heed to what Warren Buffett says-the best holding period to have is forever, or better, "If you aren’t willing to own a stock for 10 years, don’t even think about owning it for 10 minutes.”

And it can't be outfought,
It can't be outdone,
It can't be outmatched,
It can't be outrun.
No!
-Catalyst, A Thousand Suns, 2010

There is perhaps, no better way to describe the stock market than this. You think you can time the market, or outpace it to make the most of your investments, only to realize why even veteran investors like Ramdeo Agrawal call the market their guru. As tempting as it might sound, trying to outwit the market is a loser's game. More people have lost money trying to unsuccessfully time the market, rather than actually losing money during market corrections. While investing, time in the market trumps timing the market, any day.

In cards and flowers on your window
Your friends all plead for you to stay
Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple
Sometimes goodbye's the only way, oh, oh
-Shadow of the Day, Minutes to Midnight, 2007

The next time your friends or relatives insist that you invest basis a 'solid stock tip' they have, its time to say goodbye. Random youtube videos, tips on telegram or recommendations by your acquaintances should never serve as the basis for any investments that you make. Do your own research, or consult a SEBI registered RA (research analyst) before you decide to invest in a particular stock. Consult a financial planner who will properly understand your long-term and short term goals, and then craft a customised portfolio that will help you financially achieve all your milestones in life.