Investing can feel like stepping into a vast forest without a map. You see the towering trees of stocks, bonds, and funds, but where do you begin? The secret lies not in quick wins or chasing the latest trends but in understanding the power of patience and strategy. Long-term investment strategies offer a path through this forest, guiding you toward financial growth that lasts a lifetime.

The FTSE 100 rarely makes headlines for excitement. It doesn’t dominate social media or spark debates about AI breakthroughs. But since 2015, including reinvested dividends, the index has still delivered a modest yet steady annualised return of around 5–6% per year.

There was a time when machines waited for us to act. We pressed the buttons; they obeyed. Today the machines anticipate. They recommend, filter and—increasingly—reason.

Few investors truly enjoy exponential growth while it’s happening. It feels too volatile, too uncertain, too irrational. Tesla was dismissed as a “bubble” countless times. Nvidia’s 2023 surge in AI demand looked impossible until it became reality.

Everyone, at some point, has wondered: “What if I had just invested that £100 instead of spending it?” It’s a simple question, but one that illustrates the single most powerful idea in personal finance — the effect of time on money.

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