Long story short, there’s no set formula or path that investors are encouraged to follow to hit their retirement number Some investments may maintain purchasing power over time, but can fluctuate wildly in the short term. During the same time frame, the average investor experienced an average annual return of just 2. You’ll often find him writing about Obamacare, marijuana, drug and device development, Social Security, taxes, retirement issues and general macroeconomic topics of interest. Trading Psychology Understanding Investor Behavior. A security can be highly volatile on a daily basis but show long-term patterns of growth or stability.