The act of holding an investment for too long. It often occurs when traders attempt to time the market by identifying the end of a price trend and the beginning of a new one, but, due to greed and fear, tend to overstay their positions. This usually results in reduced gains or, worse, further losses. Knowing when to sell or get out of an investment is just as important as knowing when to get in. However, timing the market correctly is a task that even professional investors and traders find difficult to accomplish on a consistent basis, so attempting market timing is not recommended for the average investor.