money guidance and how to get rich_295

_{Learning to invest successfully isn't a straightforward endeavor. You'll}

_{frequently run across seemingly contradictory advice, which will leave}

_{you scratching your head. The solution to this confusion is to understand}

_{that investing is both 1) simple and 2) complex.}

_{At the beginning, it's simple. Your first steps should be to get out of}

_{debt, read broadly about investing, and perhaps invest your initial dollars}

_{in an index fund.}

_{But once you begin looking into picking individual stocks on your}

_{own, you may run into some contradictions. For example:}

_{1) Don't waste your time trying to time the market. Always remain}

_{invested in stocks.}

_{2) Don't be afraid to stay out of the market, at least partially, for a}

_{while. Wait for the fat pitches.}

_{Here's another pair:}

_{1) Don't add money to a falling stock position.}

_{2) Dollar-cost average, investing regularly in a stock no matter}

_{whether it's up or down.}

_{There are many such dilemmas that frustrate new investors:}

_{1) Buy and hold forever (or at least for a very long time).}

_{2) Sell when something much better comes along.}

_And:

_{1) Let your winners run.}

_{2) Rebalance your portfolio when one or more stocks come to dominate}

_{it in a big way.}

_{are bad, technical analysis is dubious), but there are many points on}

_{which we differ a little. Furthermore, scratch the surface of a Fool and}

_{you'll likely find that many of us are a little contradictory even within}

_{our own attitudes. That's fine. It just means we're complex, and that}

_{investing can also be complex. In some situations, buying and holding}

_{for decades might work well. In others, it might make sense to sell}

_{when something much more promising comes along.}

_{If you're a good Foolish investor, you're always questioning, examining,}

_{thinking, and rethinking. You're continually changing your perceptions}

_{of investing, perhaps after making some regrettable moves}

_{and pondering how they came to pass. With knowledge and experience}

_{you'll develop an investing approach that you understand and}

_{are comfortable with, and that will continue to evolve over time.}

_{Life is simple: Eat, drink, breathe, sleep.}

_{Life is complicated: Prepare a tax return, study physics, and raise children.}

_{Wherever you go, even in investing, there are always contradictions.}

_{But that's okay.}