My favorite ETF, EWZ, did 4.19% in 2010. I did better than that buying low, selling high. All throughout 2010, I was unemployed and chose to stay that way, without collecting unemployment. If I continue in my strategy, I won't need to look for employment.
No one knew where the bottom was and no one will know where the top will be. That being said when this market sells off it will sell off hard, markets drop twice as much as they rise. Weeks of gains can be lost in days.
S&P500 daily chart shows a megaphone wedge. A common pattern in various markets these days which exemplifies current market sentiment : a volatile battle between buyers and sellers and only one side will win. As mentioned previously on my blog, USD strength will keep recurring. This will affect commodity prices.