I can think of two very important principles to keep in mind: -Diversification: Commodities, property, and bonds often do well when stocks fall. Economic shock

I can think of two very important principles to keep in mind: -Diversification: Commodities, property, and bonds often do well when stocks fall. Economic shocks can happen that are localized to a single country or region. It makes sense to put your eggs in several different baskets, both by asset type and by geography. -Long-term inexorable trends: The world's population is getting older. Well-run but less-developed economies will tend to grow faster than well-established ones. Invest in "iceberg" trends, those that are slow-moving, easy to predict, and hard to stop. I recommend medical ETFs and emerging market ETFs Of course, throw in some traditional investments while you're at it. Don't get cocky or daring and don't let short term variations spook you. Trading too much can knock a significant percentage off of your returns.