By Scott Ronalds

Every NFL football team is allowed to field 11 players. The Seattle Seahawks are an exception. They play with 12. The “12th Man”, however, isn’t a player per se. He’s 67,000 fans. He’s the raucous group that packs CenturyLink Field to cheer on his beloved Hawks.

The 12th Man is a passionate, energetic fan, well-versed in football. He knows when to be silent (when the home team has the ball) and when to bring the thunder (when the visiting team steps to the line of scrimmage). He can be so loud that opponents can’t hear play calls or snap counts. He’s broken world records for crowd noise. He’s caused earthquakes. Seriously. He’s a difference maker. His behaviour has impacted the outcome of games. Indeed, he helped get Seattle to the Super Bowl this year. Ask any player or coach who the MVP is, and #12 will certainly be in the conversation.

The 12th Man will get his credit today when the Seahawks host their Super Bowl parade in downtown Seattle. He will be hundreds of thousands of people strong. Flags waving, horns honking, faces painted, voices booming. Productivity in the Emerald City will grind to a halt as he takes to the streets (there will be a lot of “sick days” at Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon, and Boeing). The Seahawks 12th Man is an amazing spectacle. He has the traits that every team wants: educated on the game, a fervent supporter of the players, and a virtuoso of noise at all the right times. He’s a master of fan behaviour.

Then there’s the 12th Man of Investing. He’s a highly coveted client by investment firms far and wide for his investing conduct. He’s educated about his holdings, engaged with his team (portfolio manager or advisor) and passionate about the investment process (Go Undexing Go!). He has a Strategic Asset Mix (SAM) and he knows that his behaviour is one of the most important influences on his returns over the long run.

So what does it take to be a #12 on the investing gridiron? Review your account statements, undertake a thorough performance review once a year, read your quarterly reports, keep your cool when the blitz comes (which it inevitably will), and most importantly, have an investment plan and stick to it. And a little face paint never hurt anybody.