Well, let me put it this way. What I said, is that many aspects of investing in the stock market and realizing outstanding returns can be relatively simple.  Easy it is not. In fact, in many respects trading is decidedly difficult. It might be helpful to view stock trading as a game in which there are no rules, very little certainty, and one in which randomness and Murphy’s’ Law inject themselves with dismaying frequency.

Expect The Unexpected

Unexpected things happen all the time and we have to respond. One of the most common conundrums we face when we trade stocks is the necessity of making decisions in the face of overwhelming ambiguity. This is never easy, even for the most experienced traders. However, with time and experience it does become less difficult. Intuition plays a significant role, but even intuition is a product of practice, which requires time. You might ask a musician: "how long does it take to learn how to play the piano?" Answer; "It all depends." What is certain is that if you practice for thirty minutes twice a week it will take longer that if you practice four hours per day.

The Key to Success

This brings us back to analyzing stocks, which is the key to successful investing. Technical Analysis is reading and interpreting stock charts. Chart reading is similar in many respects to reading music. If you have ever learned how to play a musical instrument you will recall that the first time you had a sheet of music placed in front of you it meant nothing. Over time, with practice, you progressed to the point where you could not only glance at a sheet of music and understand what was going on but in all likelihood actually hear the notes in your mind.

The first time you look at a stock chart it will probably mean little to you. However, as with music if you practice, over time you will discover that you can run a stock screen, end up with a sort of 300 to 400 stocks, scroll through them and determine in just a few seconds whether or not there is anything of interest going on in any particular chart. This ability takes time to develop. How much time depends on how much you practice, for most it’s four to five years.

Fundamental Analysis is a technique that for most of our subscribers is more readily acquired. It too however requires practice. As an example, an annual report always begins with the CEO’s letter to the shareholders. Over time we learn that what is said is frequently not as revealing as how it is said, and sometimes what is most profound is that which is not said at all! Developing the ability to read between the lines is invaluable, but it doesn’t happen overnight.

It Ain't Rocket Science

The nature of the stock market is such that the average person can, if they will put in the time and work necessary to learn the basics, get paid off far in excess of the energy they have expended.