Twenty years ago your rich uncle invested $15,000 in an aggressive (i.e., risky) mutual fund. Much to your uncle's chagrin, the value of his investment declined by 18% during the first year and then declined another 31% during the second year. But your uncle decided to stick with this mutual fund, reasoning that longterm sustainable growth of the U.S. economy was bound to occur and enhance the value of his mutual fund. Eighteen more years have passed, and your uncle's cumulative return over the 20-year period is a whopping 507%.