SPECULATION

Speculation......this is the word I hear constantly during my work day. It's the word you hear on all the television news shows, it's the word Wall St. throws around like it really means something. Let's call it what it is, an 'Educated Guess', (or more often then not, an uneducated guess).

Speculation......think about it, how many decisions do you make in a day based on speculation? How have those decisions effected your life, or the life of your family. The definition of Speculation in the dictionary is "an assumption of unusual business risk in hopes of obtaining commensurate gain", Now I could tell you what that means, but I'd be Speculating.

As far back as I can remember, Speculation has played a key role in how people spend, save, and invest their money. The money we all work so hard for. The money we need to provide for our families, put a roof over our heads, pay for our medical insurance (If you're fortunate enough to have it), educate our children, and so much more. Why do we do it? Then it came to me!

It''s not the topic of Speculation that draws everyone in, it's the individual doing the Speculating. I listened to two individuals at different times during the day discuss the same topic. As the first individual was speaking about this topic, I watched the stock market fall like a rock. But then not 15 minutes later, another individual was giving their thoughts on the same topic, I began to see the market move back up. Now I know in those 15 minutes, other things transpired that may have caused the market to improve, but I couldn't help but wonder. What did this one individual know that the other one didn't? More importantly then that, both of them were just Speculating on what they thought could occur, so why did the market react to one more so then the other.

I know we all have our own opinions as to why things happen the way they do, or why we do the things we do. But remember, the next time you make a decision, base that decision on what you believe is best for you and your family, based on your thoughts, your experience. Because when it's all said and done, your decision is no different from the professionals. It's Speculation, or an educated guess!

Let me hear from you!