Invest for growth. Invest in stocks, either individually or in mutual funds, for long-term growth. While in any given year, stocks can be more volatile than other investments, over time, stocks have typically out-performed all other types of investments while staying ahead of inflation. Stocks should be the core of a long-term investing strategy. Take a long-term view.
Patience is a virtue.
Maintain the discipline to hold onto or add to appropriate investments through down markets as well as up markets. Build a diversified portfolio. Choose an appropriate asset allocation model. Doing so can spread risk over a variety of investments and may provide more consistent and reliable outcomes. For many investors, broad-based index funds are an excellent investment strategy.