The best investors treat stock purchases exactly like business acquisitions—with the same rigor, the same scrutiny, the same long-term mindset. Flip it around: if you truly understand how to operate a business, you've already mastered how to value one. The catch? You can't let noise and bad advice poison your judgment. Listen to the wrong people, and suddenly your whole framework collapses. That's where most investors trip up. It's not about rocket science; it's about maintaining discipline, doing your homework, and trusting your own reasoning. When you can see through the hype and evaluate assets with a business owner's mentality, that's when real wealth builds.