What the stock market is all about
In any lucrative business or venture, preparation and prior knowledge are the keys to success. Without this type of knowledge, attempting to make a profitable financial decision can only end in disaster and failure, regardless of your level of motivation and determination or the amount of money you plan to invest.
In the stock market, this rule applies to the nth degree, as you are investing your own money in what could be considered a high-risk gamble, and you are playing with fire if you don't have at least a general understanding of how it works. Since having expertise in any area is helpful in guiding you down a path in that particular region, the more solid your investment knowledge base, the more likely you are to benefit from any attempt to trade on the open market.
In many ways, trading the stock market can be compared to driving - you don't need to be an expert to drive a car, although you are expected to have some prior knowledge of basic traffic laws, including traffic violations, safety regulations and other legal vehicular infractions, which you learn either through specific studies and courses or even through some form of simple exposure (such as the years you have spent riding with your parents and others who have driven for years). You should be able to understand the basic tools used to navigate a car (where the brake pedal is versus the accelerator, and how to use the rearview mirror, for example), even if you've never touched a steering wheel.
