Index funds are a great way to match the performance of the market. So why do so many investors end up falling short?

Index funds have made investing simple—but not easy.

These portfolios that seek to match, rather than beat, a market’s returns usually charge extremely low fees and generate low tax bills. If you buy a handful of index funds, sit on them for decades and never do another thing, you’re likely to outperform nearly everyone who tries to beat the market by trading—including most professionals.

But what’s the fun in that? Can you endure a lifetime of barbecues and cocktail parties where other people brag about their winning trades and all you can do is mutter, “Umm, I own index funds and I haven’t made a trade in a decade”?

No wonder index funds can become tempting to trade.