Are We Headed for Another Lost Decade?

A few months back, I received some surprisingly solid investment advice from a cab driver, of all people.

But it wasn't a hot stock tip, or any sort of insider information. Instead, it was a simple observation about life in general: "Sometimes the key to getting what you want is to stop looking for the right answers -- and start asking the right questions."

Sure, it's a bit cliche. But, you know, I think if financial headlines are any indication, right now every investor in America is looking for the right answer to the wrong question …

Are we headed for another lost decade?
Granted, I can't blame them. After all, every dollar invested in the S&P500 on Dec. 31, 1999, was worth a mere $0.75 one decade later.

Not to mention, nearly every company that seemed invincible in the '90s went on to absolutely take it on the chin in the '00s.

Phenomenon or foreshadowing?
Believe it or not, according to Standard and Poor's, this was the first time the 500-stock index ended a calendar decade with a negative total (dividends included) return. Equally amazing, the S&P500 has never posted back-to-back real (dividends excluded) losses in calendar decades.

In fact, the last time it finished a decade in the red -- when it posted a real annualized loss of 5.3% -- was the 1930s. Of course, it then went on to post annualized total returns of nearly 9% in the '40s and 19% in the '50s.

Meaning we're headed for the next great bull market?
It might be tempting to think so given that iconic American businesses like Ford (NYSE:F) and Caterpillar have skyrocketed from their March lows, while Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Amazon have hit all-time highs despite a sluggish economy.

But then again, it's hard to ignore all the doom-and-gloomers calling for crippling hyperinflation, unprecedented national debt, and the complete collapse of the dollar.

Point is, you might be so busy looking for the right answer, that you've stopped asking the right question …

"How can I make my money work hard for me?"
It's what got all of us into investing in the first place, yet we often get so sidetracked looking for right answers that we forget to keep it front and center in our decision-making.

Of course, given everything that's happened over the past two years, it is quite possible that the rules of the game really have changed. And like it or not, simply stashing your hard-earned money into an index fund may no longer work.

Which brings me to another piece of advice that was drilled into my head at a young age ...

"Always change a losing game"
It's with this in mind that Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner and options guru Jeff Fischer launched their Motley Fool Pro service.

While they continue to believe in the long-term wealth-building power of investing in great businesses, they also recognize that in order to succeed, you've got to adapt.

That's exactly why they used $1 million of The Motley Fool's own money to construct a cutting-edge long/short portfolio built for the next decade. It not only invests in domestic and international stocks, but also utilizes more complex investment instruments like options and ETFs.

One final question: Are you in?
David and Jeff are inviting investors like you to join them in their quest to make big money over the coming decade -- no matter what the market does. If you'd like to learn more about this unique opportunity, simply enter your email address in the box below, and they'll get in touch with you shortly.