When we drive on highways, we always see some cars that zigzag and try to pass everybody while you drive at the speed limit keeping up with the flow of other cars. Then after ten or fifteen miles driving, all of sudden, you will find that the car was zigzaging before is now right next to you. You wonder why bother doing all that maneuvers if we end up reach the destination around the same time.
This reminds me about the investment which is a long term process and needs to be steady and consistent, not emotional, not going in or out of market based on short market movements. We always hear that so and so are good at investing in stock market, just in 2 weeks, buying and selling stocks and making a lot of money. But after 20 some years of investment, we end up pretty much the same in terms of wealth. I have a post about why you should not go in and out of the market with some examples.
http://blog.wenxuecity.com/myblog/72332/201801/19668.html
You will ask me whether there are people who zigzag on the expressway and get way ahead of everyone else, just like some people in the stock market making a killing. My answer is YES, but not many. Most likely, you and I will not be one of them. To be in their position, you need to have skill, experience, and most of all luck. I am pretty sure that I have the skill and the experience, but the luck part is that I am not sure about. That is why I am doing my stock index investing to make what the market will give me.
