When people are in poverty, their attention narrows into tunnel vision, and life decisions can easily become distorted, losing the overall perspective. The same applies to investing. Once funds become tight, strategies will distort, and judgments are prone to errors. At this point, the instinct for survival replaces rational planning, causing focus to be locked on short-term gains and losses, completely losing the ability to compete for the future. My older cousin's most frequently advised phrase to friends is: Always ensure you have enough savings before making any investment.