Safe Passage
You must remember this: Preparing for the stock market's risks helps you come out ahead.
Investing successfully in today's financial markets may seem as perilous as getting out of Casablanca. If your papers are not in order, you could be in for a rough time--not from the authorities but from the swings of stocks. But don't let the bad guys get to you. There are plenty of steps you can take to assure safe passage.
When it comes to investing, risk counts as much as reward. Stocks generally have provided long-term gains, but the financial markets are still prone to slip-ups, corrections or even meltdowns. Past performance, as any astute investor can tell you, is no guarantee of future returns, and salvaging a ravaged portfolio is a lot harder than protecting one. If you're stretching to make all you can from your portfolio, you could end up with a nasty shock . . . at least in the short run. The key is to become "risk-ready," especially when the financial markets start to rock and roll.
Continue reading this article - and everything on Entrepreneur!
Become a member to get unlimited access and support the voices you want to hear more from. Get full access to Entrepreneur for just $5.
Get 3 months free with code zendesk
Presented by Zendesk

Entrepreneur Editors' Picks
-
Zooey Deschanel Embraces the Word 'Quirky' and Thinks Businesses Should Too
-
A Simple (But Not Easy) Guide to Achieving Almost Any Dream
-
Making Time to Be 'Useless' Is a Vital Part of Creating Anything Valuable
-
A Billionaire Who Operates More Than 2,400 Franchises Knows These Types of Franchisees Make the Most Money
-
How Relentless Optimism Fuels Success for Hilary Schneider, CEO of Shutterfly
-
The Paradox of Celebrity Tequila
-
Social Media Was Draining Me, So I Gave It Up. My Business Has Never Been Stronger.