How to Succeed at Investing Without Really Trying

How many articles offering basic advice to investors in stocks have been written over the last few decades? Thousands, for sure. Millions, maybe? Certainly Merrill Anderson's editors have contributed their share in our newsletters.

So how do you create yet another article on the subject and make it fresh and readable? Not easy. Morgan Housel does a notably good job in his Wall Street Journal($) column, 16 Rules for Investors to Live by.

I like Rule 1:

1. All past market crashes are viewed as opportunities, but all future market crashes are viewed as risks. 

If you can recognize the silliness in this, you are on your way to becoming a better long-term investor.

If you don't have access to the WSJ online, browse Housel's columns for The Motley Fool here. He's won the Best in Business award from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers twice.

Could the content on your web site and in your handouts benefit from sounding less pretentious, more like Housel?