All successful people know that the easy way is rarely the “right” way … and that the right way is rarely easy.Think of a time when you tried taking a shortcut in life, business or investing. You probably didn’t wind up at the pot of gold like you envisioned, right?But I also know you’re constantly bombarded — in this new era of internet and social media — with lures down the “easy” path.It’s a troubling change from how things used to be.You probably grew up in the era when your best friend is the guy who told you the truth, not what he thought you wanted to hear.The era when mentors and apprenticeships took you from novice to expert on your chosen path to success.The era when doing the right thing filled you with pride and self-worth at the end of a long, hard day.I know I did … and it’s helped make me the investor I am today.

My first best friend was my dad, and he boldly told me at a young age that “life owes you nothing.”That lesson led me to the first $1,000 I ever made — and the sweetest.My dad taught me how to mow the lawn. Not long after, I set out mowing lawns for my neighbors.$10 at a time … for 100 total jobs for three neighbors the summer I turned 13.God, what I’d give to go back to those simple times.Nowadays, I worry about a lot of the same things I’m sure you do…Inflation — holy cow!This bear market … in stocks and bonds, this time!The 2023 recession that everyone knows is coming.These worries are all real, whether you’re a multimillionaire investor or just starting out, and should be at the top of mind when you make any investment decision.But you also can’t let your worries ruin your wealth. You must act on facts, not fear.And I can show you exactly how to do that.Listen, if you’re tired of trying to find “signal” in the noise of the 24/7 media machine…Tired of worrying about inflation, the bear market and a looming recession…And tired of all constant false promises of the “easy” road to riches…You’re not alone. And more importantly, you’ve found the right place for people who think like you.Today, I’ll show you the path I took to build my own fortune — through systematic investing in only the top-quality stocks in the market.

The “Green Zone” Way

I’ve been walking a path I call the “Green Zone way” for two decades now.And I’m proud to now share this path with tens of thousands of investors, business owners and savers…These are good-intentioned, hard-working, open-minded people who are 100% committed to living a successful life, even if they don’t have all the “answers” when it comes to navigating the economy and markets. (Here’s a little “secret”: No one has all the answers.)In fact, the Green Zone way isn’t about having … or pretending to have … all the answers. It’s built on a foundation of asking the right questions.If I could paint a picture for you…I believe the typical person who finds his or her way to my community is the person who asks good questions:

  • Am I really making progress or still just running a rat race?
  • Is there a better way that I haven’t yet tried?
  • Where do I start?
  • How do I build lasting wealth?
  • If I can’t trust what I read in the news … what should I do?
  • What truly drives stock returns?

As I said, asking the right questions is the foundation upon which the Green Zone community is built.Twenty years ago, I was asking all these questions and then some. I was so hungry for success, I could’ve “eaten a horse,” as my grandmother used to say!But asking these questions is what ultimately led to the Green Zone way and my own personal success in the markets.Particularly the question: “What truly drives stock returns?”I’ll tell you this … it’s not the news flow.Have you ever pulled up Bloomberg.com in the morning and seen a headline like:“Stocks Up on Fed Easing Expectations.”And then, when you checked again after lunch, the headline switched to something like:“Stocks Down on Inflation Concerns.”Of course you have … the media does this sort of thing day in and day out!They’re in the business of selling advertising — not telling you what you should actually do about the news flow they publish.I find it heartbreaking how so many good folks get suckered into that game … doing their best to “educate themselves” and be an informed market participant, only to watch their brokerage account get chopped to pieces.There is a better way.You get there by asking the right questions and learning what truly drives stock returns.

 

What Truly Drives Stock Returns

 

As soon as I figured out what truly drives stocks returns, I never saw the market the same way again.I learned how to unemotionally size up a stock’s momentum…I learned that — perhaps counterintuitively — smaller companies tend to outperform larger ones, and low-volatility stocks outperform high-volatility ones.I learned which valuation metrics are most predictive of future returns…I learned how to judge the quality of a company’s balance sheet and profitability.In short, I learned which factors actually drive market-beating stock returns.And I never again struggled the way I did in those early years when I mistakenly thought I could find all the “answers” in the news flow.This series of epiphanies ultimately led me to where I am today … and gave me the calling to build the data-driven stock rating model I now share with the 77,871 members of my “Green Zone” tribe.It’s called the Stock Power Ratings system. It essentially “X-rays” a company’s fundamentals and stock price movements to assign a rating between 0 and 100.It considers 75 individual metrics across six proven drivers of market-beating stock returns.And my research shows that stocks rated 80 or higher — which we call “Strong Bullish” — triple the performance of the market on average.

Anyone can use it… And you can go here to start putting in your favorite tickers and see how they rank.

Until next time!To good profits,Adam O'Dell's SignatureAdam O’DellEditor, Money & Markets

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