Building wealth in the share market is not just about picking the right stocks. It is about building a portfolio you can actually hold through market crashes, corrections, hype cycles, and boring years.
In my experience, the biggest threat to long-term returns is not volatility. It is behaviour. So the goal is simple: construct a portfolio that makes it easier to stay invested.
Here is how I think about it.
Start with quality ASX shares
If I want to stick with a portfolio for 10 or 20 years, I start with businesses I genuinely understand and trust.
On the ASX, that might mean blue chips like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), or ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD). These are ASX shares with established market positions, recurring earnings, and strong balance sheets. They are not guaranteed to outperform every year, but they have proven they can navigate economic cycles.
When markets fall, I find it much easier to hold high-quality businesses than speculative ones. Quality gives you confidence. Confidence helps you stay invested.
Mix growth and income
A portfolio that is 100% high-growth tech shares can be exciting in a bull market, but very uncomfortable in a downturn.
I prefer balance.
That might mean pairing growth names such as Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO), Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB), or Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) with reliable income stocks like Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) or Transurban Group (ASX: TCL). Alternatively, adding exchange-traded funds (ETFs) such as the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) or the Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF (ASX: VDHG) can smooth things out.
Growth provides long-term upside. Income provides cash flow and psychological comfort. Together, they make the portfolio easier to live with.
Diversify across sectors and themes
One of the simplest ways to reduce regret is diversification.
You do not need 50 stocks. But owning businesses across different sectors can reduce the risk of one theme dominating your results.
If one sector struggles for a few years, another can carry the load. That balance helps you avoid the urge to panic-sell.
Invest regularly, not emotionally
I think consistency is more powerful than clever timing.
Investing a set amount each month into quality ASX shares or ETFs removes emotion from the process. It also takes advantage of volatility instead of fearing it. When prices fall, your money buys more shares. When prices rise, your portfolio benefits. This is called dollar-cost averaging.
Over time, this approach builds discipline and reduces the temptation to jump in and out based on headlines.
Focus on a 5â10 year view
Before I buy an ASX share, I ask myself one simple question: would I be comfortable owning this if the market closed for five years?
If the answer is no, I probably should not buy it.
Thinking in longer timeframes changes your behaviour. Short-term price moves become less important. Business performance becomes more important.
That mindset shift alone can dramatically improve your ability to stick with a portfolio.
Accept that volatility is normal
Even the best ASX shares fall 10% to 20% at times. Sometimes more.
If you expect that in advance, it feels normal when it happens. If you don’t, it feels like something is broken.
A long-term portfolio is not one that never falls. It is one built in a way that allows you to tolerate those falls without abandoning your plan.
Foolish takeaway
The best ASX share portfolio is not the one that looks perfect on paper. It is the one you can hold through good times and bad.
Focus on quality businesses, diversify across sectors, mix growth and income, and invest consistently. If you design your portfolio around your own temperament, not just potential returns, you give yourself the best chance of long-term success.
The post How to build an ASX share portfolio you can stick with long term appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.
Should you invest $1,000 in Commonwealth Bank of Australia right now?
Before you buy Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares, consider this:
Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Commonwealth Bank of Australia wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*
And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…
* Returns as of 20 Feb 2026
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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Commonwealth Bank Of Australia, Hub24, Transurban Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Hub24, Megaport, ResMed, Transurban Group, Wesfarmers, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed, Telstra Group, Transurban Group, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Hub24, Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.