When it comes to investing, people have this general perception that it is something that is “out there” in the big wide world. But the truth is that all investment decisions start at home with your own choices. Learning about the world of investing isn’t so much about figuring out which investments are best, it’s more about the time that you invest in yourself and your own ability to make good decisions.

The sooner you start educating yourself about the financial system, the better. It’s one of those rare things in life: it’s cheap, relatively straightforward and promises huge returns at the end of the process. Here are just some of the reasons why investing in your own education is one of your most profitable choices.

Reason #1: There’s A Lot Of Dangerous Advice Out There

After a while, most traders get tired of all the conflicting advice out there. One expert says that traders should reduce their exposure to risk, but another says that doing so will severely hamper your results. Another expert says that going into debt is bad, but others say that it’s the key motivator to make sure that what you’re doing turns out to be a success.

With all this conflicting advice, how is somebody supposed to get a grip on financial investing?

This is where education comes in handy. There are plenty of pundits out there who say that they’ve got the right strategy nailed down. But the truth is that there are costs and benefits to all strategies, no matter how well-executed they might be. Some people will prefer to go down the lower risk route and get average returns. Others will prefer high-risk situations and actively seek out circumstances in which they are likely to make bigger profits. Education teaches you that investing is situational: it’s all about the risks that you are prepared to take. After all, there’s a lot of advice out there that is just plain dangerous, especially if you’re a low-risk investor.

Reason #2: Investing Isn’t An Exact, One-Size-Fits-All Science

John Bohle who became famous through Vanguard Investment, once said of investing that “the secret is that there are no secrets.” What he meant by this was that no human has yet devised a system to predict the course of the markets. It’s a truly stochastic, random walk that nobody can reliably predict, day to day.

There are, therefore, many different types of investing that you could learn. Some people might choose to learn forex trading depending on their unique background and skills. Others might prefer to play the long game, investing in commodities or gold. Still others might like the fast-paced world of the stock market, following particular companies in their industry and using their knowledge to trade intelligently.

Reason #3: Financial Intelligence Should Grow Like Money

Many investors find that their financial intelligence, not their capital, is what puts the brakes on them making more money. There’s no use being in control of a million dollars when you only have a thousand dollars worth of financial intelligence. Smart investors know that they need to continually get smarter if they are going to beat the market.