Let's say "little capital" means something like $10,000. Suppose you invest that in stock market. You pick your own stock by watching finance channels, reading financial statements online, and keeping ahead on news events.

You diligently work 2 extra hours per day on these investing activities. And you make 15% annually which is well above average.

So that year with your effort, you made $1,500.

You would then be below minimum wage

Hmmm, $1,500 for about 2 hours/day. This comes out to about $2.88 per hour. But that is actually below U.S. minimum wage...

Say you make $60,000 per year. If you devote that extra two hours per day to your job, can you make more?

Would a 25% extra effort make you stand out from your co-workers?

You Bet!

You only need a 2.5% raise to beat your investment in stock market. If you are paid hourly, you can make up to $15,000 more by working 2 extra hours per day.

Moreover, this is a compounded effort. 25% extra effort devoted to your career could be difference between becoming president of your company or a division director one day.

15% percent pay raise is NOT even enough

However, when your "stock-investable" net worth exceeds your income then it is a whole different story. With $60,000 capital, a 15% return equates to a profit of $9,000 profits annually. And You will need a 15% percent pay raise to beat that.

The following table should make things clear:

CASE 1: Salary > Stock Investment

Specific Numbers: Salary = $60,000 Stock Investment = $10,000

Salary x (2.5% Raise) = (Stock Investment) X 15% Return Conclusion: It makes heck of a lot of sense to bang away at your career.

CASE 2: Salary < Stock Investment

However, I believe majority of people dread having to deal with investment matters, and tend to jump into purchases and then hold their breath hoping for best. After a long day at work and taking care of family, it's hard to get excited about reading up on your 401(k) options, Morningstar ratings and fund performances.

If this sounds like you, there are basically 3 choices.

You can have your investments professionally managed, you can continue as you have in past & keep your fingers crossed, or you can find a methodology that objectifies investing process (that's buying and selling investments) and helps you maximize your long-term results.

To determine if you need help managing your investments(and this doesn't necessarily mean having to pay for advice) you might want to ask yourself these questions:

=> Do I really have time and interest to follow market closely on a daily basis?

=> Have I done well in past managing my own investments?

=> Do I really want to add another layer of work and responsibility onto an already busy schedule?

If you're like most people, you would answer yes to some and no to others, so how do you decide? If you think you could have or should have done better with your investments, then you need some help. Don't feel bad. Having counseled hundreds of people over past 15 years I can honestly say that everybody needs some help, whether they are aware of it or not.

Why? This could come as a surprise, but, in fact, your financial life is a lot shorter than your physical life?

Most people who end up investing don't really start working and making money until they are about 25 years old. Considering average retirement age of 65, this gives you only 40 years to save and invest wisely.

If you make a poor investment decision, such as trying to stay fully invested during a bear market, you could lose big both in terms of diminished dollars and wasted time.