When I was a kid I did various jobs to make a little money -- newspaper delivery (yes way back then kids delivered papers on bicycles, with no helmets!) -- mowing lawns, washing cars, you name it, I did it.

When I graduated to teenager status, I assisted in the painting of a few homes.  I'd had some experience earlier in my child labor career helping to paint the inside and outside of our home.  So I was a mildly seasoned vet when I moved on to painting complete stranger's homes.  Painting was kind of fun since I didn't do it 40 hours a week all year long.  And I was pretty decent with a brush and roller.  Although on one job I did knock over a paint can in a backyard and spilled paint all over the patio floor.  It was a beautiful flagstone floor.  A beautiful, not properly covered floor.  Then I came along.  What a mess.  It took hours to clean up.  The homeowners were sympathetic to my adolescent shortcomings.  However, my house painting career ended shortly after that at the tender age of fifteen.

I'm reminded of my teenage painting adventures when I describe our investing process.  Investing at times can be similar to watching paint dry.  Pretty boring, although occasional fireworks can happen.  Business values of good companies tend to grow over time but that doesn't mean that their stock prices always react right away.  

Good investing habits require the ability to endure long periods where nothing much seems to happen.  About as exciting as, you guessed it...watching paint dry.  But sometimes it's the right approach.  Too much activity can be counterproductive.  Just ask day traders.  Every new investment idea comes with new risks that can trip you up, whereas staying put means you're only dealing with the risks you already know, and presumably understand, better.