InvestIdeas

The companies that consistently trounce their peers in the most relevant metrics generally have two or three of the following characteristics:
1. A strong brand name.
2. A product or service that is difficult or not plausible to replicate.
3. A product in high demand that is resistant to recession.
4. An extremely focused niche and no viable competition.
5. Expertise in “dirty” or “unattractive” businesses.

Let's say you do have a specific goal and it is reasonable. Then what?

The next step is knowing The Only Six Factors That Will Determine Your Future Net Worth:
1. The amount of money you save.
2. The length of time you let it compound.
3. Your asset allocation. (How you divide your investments up among stocks, bonds, real estate investment trusts, metals, etc.)
4. Your security selection.
5. Your investment costs.
6. The tax liabilities on your interest, dividends, and capital gains.

Notice there is nothing here on forecasting annual GDP growth, outguessing the stock market or determining when the world's various geopolitical problems will be resolved.

Those things aren't important to you as an investor. What is important is saving as much as you can, letting it compound as long as you can, asset allocating properly, choosing your investment selections wisely, and minimizing your investment costs and taxes.