They have low short-term risk, yet climb at a low average rate over long periods. Stock market based securities equate to the mountain ranges. They have more risk, yet climb at a greater rate over long periods. This mountain range analogy is easily seen when looking at the stock performance graph profiles below. This is a misconception because it is ignoring time.
Risk is a time relativistic term.
The key point here is that risk is relative to the duration for which the investment is held. The risks of two different investment products can actually reverse themselves if you compare the two products over a short period versus a long-term investment period. This is the type of risk one usually thinks of when considering investments. For example, CD's and EE savings bonds are considered safe investments because the probability that the actual return on your investment will be what you expect is 100 percent. They are guaranteed.