Breakthroughs come at unexpected times. And even though 80% of a child's brain is developed by age 3, grown-ups still have their fair share of aha! moments - especially when it comes to finances. In fact, according to Forbes, two-thirds of American adults can't pass a basic financial literacy test. For many, this is because public education didn't cover everything they needed to know - or because Sesame Street's Count von Count rarely takes his skills to the market. All of us have blind spots - which makes it even more crucial to fill in the gaps. In doing so, we can take a cue from young learners... In her parenting guide Preschool Clues, Blue's Clues creator Angela C. Santomero highlights three key strategies that facilitate learning - and encourage breakthrough moments. What's more, instructional design theory suggests that they're effective for grown-ups, too. Pausing Santomero's first strategy is simply pausing. Children's television icon Fred Rogers piloted the idea of adding a "three-beat pause" after introducing new subjects as an opportunity to process and apply new information. In our finances, it's also valuable to pause now and then... Rather than rushing into a trade because of industry buzz, take a look at a company's financials before investing. This could be as simple as checking its dividend history for a track record of cuts, searching for it in Marc's weekly Safety Net column or browsing its investor relations page. And periodically check on your portfolio to rebalance it and reassess your risk tolerance. As Marc explained on Monday, it's essential to know where you stand and honor your comfort level with risk in order to prevent bad trades. Pausing and "zooming out" may help take the emotion out of your investing and even boost your returns. | 
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