If there were one piece of advice that an investor could ask for, the question would probably be something like What do I need to do to invest better? Better investing choices are sought by investors every day. Some find them and succeed, others do not. The difference clearly lies in better investing, so investors are on the right track. They are, however, asking the wrong questions.

Instead of asking How can I make better investments,they should be asking How can I discern better investment choices? While everyone is looking for that one hot investment tip that will turn them on to the next Microsoft or Wal Mart type of investment, they should be looking into how they can discern those choices for themselves and thus make better investing decisions. All those people who did jump on Microsoft back in the eighties were not just lucky. Some of them were, but some had done their research and were able to realize that they were looking at an opportunity to invest in a company that would revolutionize the fledgling software industry.

Discerning choices for better investing starts with research. The savvy investor would not just read the features in The Wall Street Journal or the articles appearing at The Motley Fool web site, she will read them and then do a bit of research on the company being discussed. The more an investor knows about a potential investment, the easier it is to make the decision whether to invest.

No one can see the future, of course, and there are plenty of companies that look like good investment ideas that wind up falling flat on their proverbial faces. Better investing is not about scrying into a crystal ball; however, it is about using your own powers of discernment to determine which investment is the better choice.

A little luck helps too, of course.