To invest successfully over a lifetime does not require a stratospheric IQ, unusual business insights, or inside information. What’s needed is a sound intellectual framework for making decisions and the ability to keep emotions from corroding that framework. ~ Warren Buffett
My fundamental philosophy of life: Preparation. Discipline. Patience. Decisiveness. ~ Charlie Munger
Combining whatever I have learned from these and other legends of investing, and also my little investment experience spanning the last 14+ years, here is my “framework” for selecting stocks that have mostly worked well for me over time (sorry for a bit darkish image, but it just shows how cloudy it is here where I live).
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A few pointers from this framework –
- Screeners I use – Screener.in, Google Finance
- My screening criteria is what has worked for me over time. You can modify it to suit what you are looking for
- What this framework shows is the science part of investing. The art part involves changing the flow of filters in the funnel to suit your style. So, some people may have the “moat filter” prior to the “financial stability filter,” etc.
- Warning – This framework has also handed me to a few mistakes, so beware. But overall, it has helped me build a portfolio of stocks that have done extremely well over a period of time. How well? I won’t put a number to it. Just that it’s been a number that has helped me build enough to pay off my financial liabilities, quit my job, and work on things and with people I love (don’t want to prove this to anyone).
Anyways, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. So I would suggest you try this process, in case you don’t have one of your own, and let me know your thoughts/results five years from now.
And by the way, this framework will only help you prepare. You must get discipline, patience and decisiveness on the table yourself.
