Page 1003 - How to Make Money in Stocks Trilogy

xiv Introduction

Plus, by taking the Action Steps you’ll find throughout the book, you’ll
get the hands-on experience you need to apply these rules in the real world.
If you follow these steps and stick to the checklists, you will see a major dif-
ference in your ability to buy and sell stocks profitably.
After reading the book and practicing the Action Steps, you’ll know how to:

• Protect your money
• Quickly identify stocks with the greatest potential
• Use simple routines and checklists to buy—and sell—those stocks at the
right time

How to Get the Most Out of This Book

A few years ago, I spent several months working with Bill O’Neil to create
the IBD Meetup Investor Education Series, a 13-part course designed
specifically for members of the free IBD Meetup program, a nationwide
network of local investing groups.
That course was made to be highly interactive: Each IBD Meetup group
can go through a lesson at their monthly get-together, then members can
apply what they learned on their own at home.
This book is also meant to be highly interactive. As an old IBD slogan
used to say, “Don’t just read it. Use it!”
Nothing would make me happier than to see your copy of Getting Started
marked up with highlighters and notes and dog-eared with coffee stains.
(You should see my copies of How to Make Money in Stocks.)

Don’t Try to Do It All in One Go!
I suggest you take this book in bite-sized pieces.
First, check out Chapter 1, “Start Here.” That’ll give you a “big picture”
look at the basic game plan for making money in the market.
Then go through the subsequent chapters one at a time . . . take the
Action Steps . . . then take a little time to digest and practice what you’ve
learned using the simple routines (Chapter 4).
In other words, don’t force it. You’re not going to read and remember all
this in one sitting! Take it step by step, and you’ll start to see how all the
pieces fit together. Then the light bulb will turn on, and you’ll be ready to
start right—and begin making money in stocks.