Quote from oldtime:
that's why I said if you are 100% flat just DCA in, you can always go all in after a correction, but you have to admit you have made a huge miscalculation if you are flat after this runup. The idea is to be 100% in at the top, or better yet at the bottom. But no strategy can combat fear. And the wages of fear are deteriortation. A little of it is good, that's what self preserves us, but too much destroys the fruits of your labor that was achieved back when you had courage.
Courage
Patience
Flexibility
but all three in balance
never one overriding the other two
I don't think it really has too much to do with what's out there to invest in, it has more to do with what's inside your head.
Don't get me wrong, I wish I went all in @ 6,700 (or 7,500 when the signals turned and told me to do so), but I was flat out scared, and didn't pull the trigger. That said, my return pre-credit-crisis crash had been excellent, and I was lucky that I had the foresight to move to cash prior to that. There are many that I know that lost a bundle (and sold out at low levels and never recovered) and many who rode out the storm and are pretty much at the same place they were at in 2008. I'm better off than both these types of investors since I've been earning 3-4% interest on my high 2008 levels for the last 4 years. I'm not as dumb as you may think I am.