You are not a fund manager. Don't behave like one.

You don't have to chase hot stocks. You don't have to restrict yourself to blue chips. You don't have to compete with the smartest money managers in the country. Do you believe your options are as limited as those of someone managing ₹10,000 crore? Fund managers often end up overpaying for popular stocks because their choices are limited, and everyone else is vying for those shares. The **universe of opportunities** is incredibly vast for a retail investor. Explore areas of the market and stocks **overlooked** by the giants. Leverage your small scale and flexibility. This doesn't mean you should buy fraudulent penny stocks or only browse through smallcaps, but to confine yourself to one portion of the available market that is already saturated does not make sense when you manage your own money. **Note**: This applies only to serious investors who are willing to do their own research. The rest shouldn't even be buying stocks. Stick to funds.