The Market's New Year Gift: Start Over

"When you have completed 95 percent of your journey, you are only halfway there."

-- Japanese Proverb

Although our market journey for 2006 may nearly be over, our preparation for what lies ahead has barely begun. One of the great things about the stock market is that you can have a fresh start any time you like -- simply sell your holdings and start over.

What is even better is that you can be certain that there will be money-making opportunities in the future. As long as you have capital, there will be chances to find good trades or investments.

As we relegate 2006 to the record books, we might reflect on the lessons learned, the mistakes made and the opportunities squandered, but no matter what happened we can take solace in the fact that we can wipe the slate clean and begin the battle anew. There is no way to know what lies ahead, but if you are patient and stay vigilant, you will have plenty of chances to profit. It truly is a remarkable thing that we have so many fantastic opportunities day after day. We simply need to make sure that we have capital to work with and nothing can stop us.

Too many market players fail to understand that opportunities in the market are a function of our flexibility and not the market itself. You can have a great year even if the market declines. It is up to you and the only thing that can stop you is if you allow yourself to be sucked into close-minded thinking. Keep your mind open about how the market will unfold and you will always have the potential for great success.

We have a quiet morning with little news on the wires. Action is mixed with a slight negative bias. The Nasdaq has confirmed that it will be closed on Tuesday but management at the NYSE, which has little repeatedly shown its disrespect for the working man, has yet to comment.

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James "Rev Shark" DePorre is the founder and CEO of Shark Asset Management, an SEC-registered investment advisory firm. He also operates sharkinvesting.com, an interactive online community that serves and educates active investors. DePorre holds business and law degrees from the University of Michigan, is a member of the Michigan Bar Association and a former tax attorney and CPA. He lives in Anna Maria Island, Fla., with his wife and two children.Under no circumstances does the information in this column represent a recommendation to buy or sell stocks. Rev Shark appreciates your feedback; click here to send him an email.