Investing in stocks is a risky business. Is that possible you ask? Well, all I can say is there is always light at the end of a tunnel! It is not only possible, 20% is considered the mere minimum for a stock investor or trader, and in my case, it is a benchmark.

If you invest in the right market* such as the USA's, it is guaranteed to go up in the long run. Take a look at the Standard & Poor 500 (S&P 500) index and you will understand what I mean.

For $1 you invested in 1971, it would now be worth $3,270! That's an insane capital return of more than 68% a year over 48 years! Now, compare this with the mere 20% a year I set out earlier. Does it make more sense now?

Not convinced? Let's look at the technology sector then. Technology stocks are forerunners of any market rally. How much annual return rate do you think a technology-heavy index such as Nasdaq 100 produced?

Nasdaq 100 broke S&P 500 record with a 6704% return over a 34-year period! That's a mind-boggling capital return of more than 197% a year! Where is our 20% target again? You will also notice that for every market correction, downturn or crash, the next rebound or recovery always rallied to many folds the previous height.

So, if you invested $1 in 1986, it would have been turned into $6,704! What if you invested $200? You would have been a millionaire by now! That's the power of the stock market. It is one of the best instruments you do not wanna have without in your portfolio!

What if you know how to screen for the best stocks right now, understand stock market timings for entry and exit, and even master the skills of shorting a stock? Do you still think 20% a year is unattainable?

Before we end this article with jaw-dropping awe, let me give you another teaser. All convinced now?