The Surprising Reason You Shouldn't Try to Get Rich Quick in a Bear Market

Investing in the stock market is all about delayed gratification. Instead of spending money, a person can acquire stakes in companies in the hopes that the majority of those companies grow to become more valuable in the future than they are today. The objective is very simple. But people get it wrong all the time. Especially during a bear market.

During a bear market, falling asset prices can lead to some great deals. But when the broader indices are down 15% to 30% and continue sliding, it's going to be very hard not to lose money in the short term. While we all wish we could snag a stock at the exact time it bottoms, the reality is that this is incredibly hard to do. And you should ignore anyone who claims it's easy.

Rather, the goal during a bear market should be to put money to work by building positions in companies you believe in -- even if those positions go down in the short term. Here's a look at the dangers of trying too hard to make money in a bear market, and a better approach you can take to get wealthy over the long run.

Source Fool.com