In an era of instant gratification, it can be tough to step back and think about your portfolio in the long term. Everyone wants to find that one penny stock that is going to jump 1000% in the next few weeks. I’ve been there. I’ve been known to peruse literature surrounding a once in lifetime medical stocks. Stocks that seem like a sure bet because they are the only people who can produce a certain drug that is going to change the world. Oftentimes these stocks catch a snag, but it’s hard to see that at the time. Getting rich quick is the American way. But, the more I think about it, the more important I realize it is to have a core group of stable stocks in your holster. If nothing else, they can help you maintain your sanity. That’s why I was intrigued by this recent article by 247 Wall St., where they discuss a bunch of stocks that would be good to buy and hold. Out of their list, the one I was most intrigued by was Proctor and Gamble (NYSE: PG). This is because they are down for the year, but mostly because they do so much of their sales overseas. As the world economy improves as I predict it will (if it doesn't, we have much bigger problems on our hands and we all might as well invest in seeds instead of stocks) than they are poised to gain in the short term as well as the long term. They produce things that pretty much every household owns, and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. Now, whether you should hold them “forever” still remains to be seen.