{"id":1206657,"date":"2026-01-14T06:04:01","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T04:04:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.etoro.com\/?p=1206657"},"modified":"2026-01-14T06:28:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T04:28:52","slug":"how-to-build-better-investing-habits-in-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.etoro.com\/au\/news-and-analysis\/investing\/how-to-build-better-investing-habits-in-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build Better Investing Habits in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

January is usually when you promise yourself you\u2019ll be better with money than you were last year. <\/span>This week, instead of making big resolutions or bold predictions, I want to help you put a few practical, actionable steps in place for your investing in 2026. Nothing complicated, just simple habits you can actually stick with, boring, repeatable habits that work in rising markets, falling markets and everything in between.<\/span><\/p>\n

One of the biggest reasons people put off investing is simple, they feel like they\u2019ve missed the boat or should have started earlier. <\/span>Here\u2019s the thing, markets spend a lot of time near all-time highs because, over the long run, they tend to rise. So yes, in hindsight, starting earlier would have helped. But the next best time is today. <\/span>That feeling usually shows up when looking at some of the world\u2019s biggest companies. Stocks like Microsoft, Apple and Google have spent much of the last decade making new highs. Over the past five years alone, they\u2019ve continued to deliver strong returns, with all three seeing shares rise by more than 100% during that time, despite rate hikes, inflation scares, and plenty of volatility along the way.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The chart below shows annual S&P 500 returns over the past 40 years. Some years are very strong, some are clearly not. But zooming out, the long-term picture is what matters. Despite corrections and periods of uncertainty, markets have continued to move higher over time. <\/span>That\u2019s why I always come back to the same idea, time in the market beats timing the market.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Past performance is not an indication of future results.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Habit 1: Have a plan (and keep it realistic)<\/b><\/h2>\n

When you start investing, create a plan and stick with it. A plan helps investors stick to the good ideas they came up with during calmer times. Investing also lets you work toward specific financial goals, whether that\u2019s a nest egg for the future, a passive income stream or something else you care about. And the earlier you start, the more time your money has to compound and ease the pressure of trying to \u201cpick the perfect moment\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your plan doesn\u2019t need to be fancy. It just needs to answer a few basics:<\/span><\/p>\n