Book excerpt: "Are you a sinner when it comes to investing? During his long and successful career at Salomon Brothers, Maury Fertig witnessed many smart people making very bad investment decisions -- all because they let their emotions influence their judgment. He realized that whether the result of ego, competitiveness, or just plain laziness, these dire behaviors were rooted in seven common and recognizable human weaknesses: * Envy: focusing on the success of others * Vanity, or Pride: an unwillingness to take advice * Lust: an infatuation with an investment, despite warnings that it is not sound * Avarice: a tendency to hold onto a stock for too long, decreasing its return * Anger, or Wrath: irrational behavior that sacrifices steady progress for a quick hit * Gluttony: compulsive and excessive investing * Sloth: ignoring finances altogether The Seven Deadly Sins of Investing helps readers recognize their investing vices, and offers practical strategies to help them correct the error of their ways. Illustrated by real stories about real investors who have given in to temptation, the book provides solid financial advice for avoiding common pitfalls and staying on the path to "salvation" -- and wealth."