If there's one thing I've learned over my 21 years as an investor, it's that high-quality businesses often increase in value over time. While recessions and inevitable stock market corrections will occasionally test investors' resolve, the fact is that good companies tend to make investors money, if they're patient -- the key word being "patient."
The problem is that the U.S. and global economy aren't static, nor are the businesses we hold in our portfolios. Business dynamics are constantly changing, which requires investors to regularly review their investment theses in the companies they own a stake in. It's these changing dynamics that often keep investors from holding on to stocks for very long periods of time.
As for me, of the more than one dozen holdings currently in my portfolio, there are three that I have absolutely no intention of ever selling. Though business dynamics are constantly evolving around these three companies, they have all the tools necessary to continue thriving.