If worrying about the next market crash is affecting your investment decisions, you might be making an expensive mistake.

People spend so much time worrying about the next downturn that they miss out on market returns, which tend to be positive in the long-run.

These errors lead investors to hold more conservative portfolios than a more optimistic investor would, to avoid participating in the stock market altogether, and to sabotage their long-term returns with short-term decision-making. There are some potential solutions.