While the stock market is riddled with uncertainty, certain tried-and-true concepts can boost your chances for long-term success.

The first thing that any investor must establish their financial goals, such as saving for retirement, buying a home or funding your children’s education. That will help them determine the amount they should invest in the market, and what kind of investments make sense for their particular situation.

It’s also a good idea to prioritize having an emergency fund in place and paying off high-interest debt prior to investing heavily in the market. If you do have money to invest in the market, start small and gradually increase your investment as you gain experience.

Keady says that one of the most common mistakes made by novices is trying to predict the market. “Nobody knows the perfect time to invest,” she adds, noting that the best approach is to make an investment over the long term and stay with it even through the tough times.

When you’re just beginning out investing, you should be focusing on stocks from companies you know. As the legendary Fidelity Magellan fund manager Peter Lynch famously said that you have a greater chance of winning if you bet on companies with a solid history and strong growth prospects, rather than trying to predict the future.

It’s also a good idea to stay clear of websites and advertisements that promote certain-thing stocks. In a lot of cases, they are part of www.marketanytime.com/ a scam called a “pump-and-dump” in which shady people purchase shares in a thinly traded company to boost prices, then dump their shares to fill their pockets.