The word “analogy” is defined by the Cambridge Dictionary as a “comparison between things that have similar features, often used to help explain a principle or idea.” It is a useful way for us to understand a topic that’s complicated or new to us. One topic that is often made overly complex is investing in stocks. Fortunately, I have three analogies – sourced from greater minds – that can help us cut through the fluff and get to the point about the core of stock market investing.

Watching the right thing

The first analogy is from Ralph Wagner, who ran the US-based Acorn Fund from 1970 to 2003. During his tenure, he led Acorn Fund to an impressive annual gain of 16.3%. This is also significantly better compared to the S&P 500’s return of 12.1% per year over the same period. Wagner once said:

“There’s an excitable dog on a very long

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