Steady growth and dividend increases over decades can make investors remarkably wealthy. Volatility is a part of life for long-term investors. The reasons the market goes up or down change, but the constant is that high-quality stocks, businesses that increasingly make more money over time, will reward investors if you wait long enough. The market's occasional ups and downs are a feature, not a bug. Use market downturns as opportunities to invest in long-term winners that continue to grow, pay, and raise di ...