I frequently say, "Buy companies, not markets," and I firmly believe that you can achieve success by purchasing high quality firms and making investments without giving the state of the stock market any consideration. Market forecasting is a fool's game, and the strategy will appeal to your emotions. Never forget that bad news sells; at the present, every commentator is overflowing with it. When the audience's opinions and choices are virtually universal and congruent, it can be quite difficult to think differently. When everything seems to be pointing in one direction, consider the opposite. Predicting larger markets will also knock you off your feet. Since you are a stock picker, you shouldn't base your decisions on the direction of the market.
The stock market was set up to fool you, not to make you money. Start with this statement every time you analyze an investment, it will help enormously with discounting the emotional element that can so often be attributed to losses.
