Without a crystal ball (or time machine, fairy godmother, or other magical trick) to predict market movements, even the smartest market timer is likely to miss some of the market’s best days. Just missing the ten best days between 1997 and 2017 would cut your return nearly in half over that time. What’s the moral of this chart? Keep your focus on a long-term investment strategy designed for your risk and return objectives, and stick with it.

Sources: Bloomberg, Standard & Poor