Would you believe that investing in stocks is akin to being in a relationship? On the one hand, it can be exciting, fruitful, and a lot of fun. But it could also be scary, nerve-wracking, and potentially a source of pain.

Here are seven questions and answers pertaining to stock investing, from which one could draw parallels to finding one’s significant other.

1. Why should I invest in stocks?

Looking to start investing in stocks is like looking for someone to start a relationship with. Asking, “Which stock should I invest in?” could be said to be similar to asking, “Who should I be dating?”

The answer to both these questions is in the shape of another question: “What are you looking to get out of it?”

Determining this would allow you to figure out the what, how and where behind finding your potential life partner. Similarly, knowing why you would like to invest will help you better identify the stocks that will help you attain your goals.

2. What are investing and financial analysis?

Let’s say you’ve found a partner you’d like to marry. This could be seen as an “investment”.

If he or she is someone you can foresee yourself spending the rest of your life with, you’d likely look beyond physical attraction. Their direction in life, career path, preferences and displeasures, family members, and so on come into the equation.

What you value is that your partner is dependable, reliable, and also has a desire to build a life with you. In financial terms, this is known as a “fundamental analysis”.

When it comes to stocks, you can determine the “career path”, “direction”, “life goals”, and other factors of the various companies by reading their annual and quarterly reports.

In many ways, these documents are “love letters” that communicate important details to their existing and potential “suitors” – shareholders.

3. What are trading and speculating?

It might be that you’re just looking to have fun, as opposed to a serious long-term relationship. Character, life principles, career, compatibility and so on are no longer important as you’re in it for the short term.

In investment terms, you are “trading” and “speculating”. You invest without reading reports or doing your due diligence, and are happy to move on quickly regardless of whether the stock sinks or swims.

4. What is growth investing?

Let’s assume your life partner is smart, educated, and has good attributes, but his or her career or business is just getting started. They budget, save, invest in their personal development, and are working towards a better future.

He or she doesn’t have much to offer in terms of gifts, holidays, and luxury items. Are you still willing to make a lifelong commitment?

Right now, they may not offer much (dividends) as their cash flow is limited. But over the long term, their “market value” could grow as their career or business flourishes.

This might take years to achieve – so the question is, are you willing to wait? If you are, then this could be called “growth investing”.

5. What is dividend investing?

Now imagine your partner has already attained financial freedom. He or she is wealthy, has houses and cars, plenty of money in the bank accounts, stock portfolios, and other financial assets.

If you’re willing to be in a relationship and eventually get married to them, this could be seen as “dividend investing”.

6. What do you do if the market crashes?

Alas, life has taken a turn and your partner’s income has been impacted by a job loss, pay cut, career change, or slowdown in business. Would you dump them because of these circumstances?

If you are a player (trader), you would probably think, “Yes, I’m no longer interested as he/she has become useless.”

But if you are an investor, you would weather these challenges together. You may even choose to help them out (“dollar cost average”) by investing in them as you believe they will bounce back from the crisis and become stronger.

After all, if your partner is fundamentally good, it would be more rewarding to support/invest in them than to dump them when the going gets rough.

7. What is investing experience?

For this final example, let’s look at two guys, Jay and Bob. Both of them claim to have years of experience when it comes to relationships.

But, when you look deeper, you find that Jay has dated 10 different girls in 10 years; his longest relationship was barely a year, and his shortest just a few months. He remains single and is looking to find his 11th “true love”.

Bob, meanwhile, has had fewer but more meaningful relationships. He’s now married with a loving wife and beautiful children. Life may not be a bed of roses, but he and his family have endured as a unit.

So, what kind of relationship would you like to have over the next 10 years? Do you want to be like Jay or Bob?

If you relate to Jay, you’d fare well as a stock trader who’s in it for the short term and looking for quick gains. However, if you’re a “Bob”, you’d be better off doing your research, committing to long-term stock investments, and building a long-lasting relationship (wealth).

This article first appeared in KCLau.com. Ian Tai is a financial content writer, dividend investor, and author of many articles on finance featured on KCLau.com in Malaysia, and ‘Fifth Person’, ‘Value Invest Asia’ and ‘Small Cap Asia’ in Singapore.