Stock market investment in troubled times

Stock market investment is not for the weak. It is for those of us who have enough vision to seize opportunities when they knock on the door. It is for those of us who believe that you have to sweat, bleed and cry before being rewarded.

Now, this mortgage crisis (and dare I say possible recession) is here and we're sweating, and we're bleeding (and yes... some of us might be crying when looking at their broker's statements). But be brave my friends, we will get back up. We always did. Remember that tech boom a few years ago? Remember those Nortel shares? Yeah that hurt. But what happened after that? Right, a bull market. And after that, a mortgage meltdown. And what will happen next? If you're following me, you know the answer. We will eventually return to happy days of stock market profits. It won't be next week, it won't be next month but we will be rewarded.

Rewarded for what? For being patient. Because investors who panic loose money. Buy high-sell low is their strategy... and they loose money. If you're confortable with the outlook of the companies you own why would you panic? Relax, don't "sell low" something that you believe has potential. If it really has potential, you will be greatly rewarded once the panic is over.

Panic is associated with overreaction. Overreaction is associated with opportunties. Yes, I'm impliying that you probably want to slowly build positions in companies that are or will be oversold. After careful analysis, gradually build a position in the names that were punished too much by investors who acted on emotions. So be patient with the good stocks you own and be patient with the stocks you want to own. Your patience will eventually be rewarded because stock market investment is a patient people's game.