For the starters, understand the basic fact: stocks make money because the business, companies are making money. If a company is doing good business and has sustainable growth prospects the share of the company will consequently make money. E.g. Tata Motors is one of the biggest automobile manufacturers in India. It has good market capital and excellent management which ensures good quarterly results and regular dividend payouts. Now that you know these details - imagine how likely is it that Tata Motors will go bankrupt and all shareholders' money will sink along with it? It's impossible, right? It simply means that if the company is good you will grow with the company. So look at the big picture; be a stakeholder of some big success story.