Bangalore: Disclaimer: Some ideas discussed in this post may not be applicable to the author. All marriages, no matter how good, can be made better. A good marriage has some basic qualities. One, for instance, is that both partners are fully devoted to the relationship. They are willing to invest time and energy to make it grow and flourish. They also communicate effectively with each other and know how to resolve their differences. And they learn to be flexible with each other's behaviour and choices. See, there is no right way to be married. Many marriages just work out great. However, there is a wrong way to be married. And it is when you don't invest in the relationship. Anyways, a happy marriage can serve a very good example for an investor in stock markets. "What's the relation?" you may wonder, like my wife did. Well, I'll let the rest of the post to do the talking. So let's get on with it. Know Your Partner I remember seeing a show on television a few years back, wherein one partner went behind a soundproof screen whilst the host asked the other partner questions about the former's life and interests. For example: 'Where in the world would your husband most like to travel?' or 'What dessert would your wife most likely order in a restaurant?' The idea was that the more the answers correlated, the stronger the relationship. Knowing your investment ' your stock or mutual fund ' is equally important for you to have a fulfilling career as an investor. It's very important to understand the business behind the stock. The idea of buying a stock without understanding the business - the growth drivers, challenges, opportunities, and risks - is risky and thus unacceptable.