TGIF! March 11, 2016

Much of life is centered around dreams, wishes and goals.  Often times, they’re mistakenly meshed into one.  The difference really comes with action.  As a kid, it’s common to dream about being a fireman, ballerina, or baseball player when you grow up.  It’s a dream or a wish if you fantasize about it.  It’s a goal if you do something about it.   Now that’s clearly easier said than done.  Achieving a goal requires skill, commitment, focus, some luck and a lot of hard work.  Dreams and wishes require imagination.  Blending them all together is the secret formula.

Throughout life, we always have to balance wants versus needs.  The intersection of fantasy and reality can be a dangerous place.  We always want to promote creative thinking, new ideas and ways for a better life.  It just requires a pragmatic approach because the real world is not fantasyland.  It’s ok to reach for the stars, but it’s important to stay grounded.  Legendary investor Warren Buffet recently said he believes that babies born in America today are the “luckiest crop in history.”  With all of the problems overseas, it’s hard to argue this claim.  Things are far from perfect in the United States.  This Presidential election is painting a clear picture of frustration and divide.  Something that’s really important is the fact that people can speak their minds.  It’s not the case in so many places overseas.

It’s easy to bogged down in the noise today.  The web and cable news are filled with stories and headlines that can scare and depress anyone.  Most of the time that’s the goal.  It’s common for people to raise eyebrows at what’s going on today and how things have changed. It’s evolution.  It’s not a radical departure from the past, it’s a natural progression.  And let’s face it, the good old days weren’t always good.  Tomorrow’s not as bad as it seems.  You can’t sweat the small stuff.

To be an investor, you have to be an optimist.  That’s the case when you invest in the stock market.  But it’s also the case when you invest in yourself and your family.  History has proven it time and again.  Steve Jobs had a vision and invested in himself.  So did Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Ben Franklin and countless other great Americans.  Success can be defined so many ways.  What it comes down to is have a dream, establish goals to achieve it, and work hard and smart to get there.

Our favorite philosopher, Yogi Berra said it best: “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might wind up someplace else”.  Our job is to help you achieve your goals so that you can live your dreams. We do it everyday, one person at a time.  It’s never easy, and there are so many variables, within control and without, that have influence.  It’s always a challenge.  We love it.  We’re living our dream.

This was an important week for the Market.  The volatile price action continues, but the March strength has provided 4 consecutive weekly gains.  That’s the best run all year.  Things are far from perfect, but we like how this Market is behaving.   We don’t always get what we want, but we’re getting what we need.  Planet Earth is a complicated place.

Have a nice weekend.  We’ll be back, dark and early on Monday.  We’re on it.

Mike

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