That is a brilliant article. Anything I wanted to contribute to it was already covered in detail! Good writing.

Thanks @UncleWally, thats a great read. It is easy to get bogged down in the current investment environment. I think it's important to take a step back and keep your eyes on the prize: invest in the index and/or high quality companies, and wait for the benefits of compounding to take place over a meaningful period of time. We make it complicated sometimes, and this is mainly because the industry want it to be complicated, but it really doesn't need to be. But I do think it's getting better; investing is becoming far more accessible for the average joe. Who knows, maybe in 10 years time the pie chart will look remarkably different?

I agree @Rocket6

I've been managing my own portfolio for more than 10 years now and when I think of all market corrections I've experienced in that time, I've still done OK and have managed to grow my wealth by hanging in there. Sometimes it is easy to be swayed by the Bad News Bears and act rashly.

When it comes to spread sheets, valuations and deciphering company reports my skills are rudimentary but I figure having a long term focus and knowing things

will eventually improve is important too. When times are tough I try to ask myself where do I think the companies I own will be in 5 or 10 years and that usually helps.