One thing all investors do everywhere is tap into their confidence levels, even when betting on something. Would you buy an expensive home in a cheap neighborhood thinking prices will rise over time, or would you rather buy an expensive home in a neighborhood where there are many expensive homes that resell on a regular basis at prices that maintain valuation? Most would feel significantly more confident in the latter scenario. A few might seek out indicators/clues of potential upside.

Right now global markets are reeling from a lack of confidence in many areas. Geopolitically, confidence has been eroded too. Confidence often is what drives consumer decisions around selecting an experienced agent who has a long track record of transacting versus one who may have just started in the profession a few months ago. Confidence is fueled by precedence. There are very few people willing to bet on something new and untested, especially when it involves large sums of money. Like a home, often a consumer's largest single investment.

Politicians often attain power by offering 'an alternative', something new and different to address current challenges. The promise of newness resonates, especially amongst angry citizens. Anger is the perfect fuel for change. Some view the promise of change (or a personality that is extremely convincing) as the better alternative to those who deliver precedence. Many people seek the promise of 'revolutionary change' whilst forgetting that most revolutions are bloody, deadly and damaging. Yes, often they deliver big changes, and often it's for the worse. Often smaller, selective, more cautious and purposeful incremental evolutionary changes and improvements are much less damaging and equally effective.

So to all those who are seeking 'big changes', beware. The old saying "be careful what you wish for" is more true today than ever. The short term and long term damage via reduced confidence can fuel one thing possibly worse than big changes, a "wait-and-see" attitude that freezes markets. Withdrawals from markets, towns, cities, countries, etc. These withdrawals have the capacity to cause even more damage fueled by lack of confidence, the kind of damage that can take years to recover from, if recovery is possible at all.

There may be one thing worse than really, really wanting something, actually getting it.