Another potential negative headline today, and not much
nervousness for the markets. There are two ways to look at how the
market has been acting. One is that investors are being lulled into
a false sense of security and the other is that the market is
factoring the latest headline events and see nothing there to be
worried about.
Things are getting a bit complacent in my mind, but again, we
need to maneuver as best we can. We could have been saying the same
thing about the markets for the last 4000 points and made no money
sitting on the sidelines. It's about paying attention and reading
the data properly, which is something we strive to do every single
day.
Looking at today's winners, shares of Broadcom (
BRCM
) and W.W. Grainger (
GWW
) were up on positive analyst comments. Financials looked fairly
strong, led by M&T Bank (
MTB
), American Express (
AXP
) & Travelers (
TRV
). Monsanto (
MON
) did not participate in the upside as shares fell following the
company's earnings release. Shares dropped $4 by the close. Also
lower were shares of Cablevision (
CVC
), which finished down following a negative call from a Wall Street
analyst this morning. Dividend payout increases have slowed down
the last couple of weeks as is usually the case when the quarter
winds down and earnings season approaches.
The word "success" has various meanings depending on who you
ask. But the foundation of being successful is usually tied to
one's outlook and actions. Here are some interesting anecdotes to
consider.
1. Successful people create their opportunities while others put
their destination in the hands of others.
This goes hand-in-hand with what being an entrepreneur is all
about. Some people choose to work for themselves for reasons like:
wanting to be on their own schedule, not liking their boss or
co-workers, not being compensated as much as one feels they are
worth, etc.
2. Successful people take good risk/reward chances, while others
do what is considered safe and not risky - little upside, little
downside.
An example I've used before to describe this perfectly:
Investor #1 starts investing $5k a year at age 25 and does so
for 40 years ($200K total invested) in Bank CDs, money markets,
etc. averaging 3% a year. After 40 years, this person's nest egg
becomes worth just over $652K.
Investor #2 starts investing just over $4K a year at age 45 and
does so for 20 years ($81K total invested) in dividend-paying
stocks that historically average an 11% annual return, this
person's nest egg becomes worth over $653K.
You will notice the danger of being too conservative with your
money (as Investor #1 is). They had the right idea is starting
young, but they chose too conservative an investment road.
3. Successful people are determined to be rich, while others
just fantasize about it
The ability to get out of one's comfort zone is going to be
necessary if you want to open the door to intriguing possibilities.
Thinking long-term is great, but when it comes to your career and
finances you need to be on the lookout for opportunities all the
time. Putting anything on auto-pilot is too dangerous and puts you
in a complacent mindset. There are times you will need to
re-balance what you are invested in. Doing an annual checkup of
your investment holdings makes a lot of sense. You also need to
keep a close eye on whatever industry your career may be in.
4. Successful people have big dreams while others keep their
goals too conservative.
I don't care what your age is. You have to keep a dream in your
mind to stay motivated on living. Individuals sometimes get in a
funk and it is because one stops dreaming or having goals in life.
Remember the story about my dad's barber friend Dominick, who at
age 77, bought his first home. He lived till 86 and was probably
enjoying every minute of his home as much as anyone. That's what
living is!
We can all go beyond what we really believe what we can attain.
Stay inspired! I will have more anecdotes about success that I will
be sharing over time.
Here is the latest update on where I will be making media
appearances this week:
WOCA-AM "OCALA LIVE"(ORLANDO) - This is a 15 minute live
interview on 4/7. This show takes calls from listeners. This is
morning talk show that features expert guests from authors to
politicians to doctors and financial experts. WOCA-AM is a
commercial station owned by West Shore Broadcasting Inc. The format
of the station is news and talk. WOCA-AM broadcasts to the Orlando
market and carries 5,000 watts.
KMOX-AM (CBS/AP) "KMOX MONEY SHOW" (ST. LOUIS) - This is a 10-20
minute, live interview on 4/9. This show takes calls from
listeners. This is a weekly financial program aimed at helping
investors, both large and small, with advice on investment
strategy, the economy and the latest trends. The host is a
certified financial planner who has spent years evaluating and
analyzing economic conditions that influence investing. KMOX Radio
(AM 1120) is dedicated to being the dominant information and
entertainment source for the St. Louis region. The station is heard
in 44 states and throughout much of Canada, Mexico, and the
Caribbean. KMOX is affiliated with CBS news and AP and carries
50,000 watts. KMOX is Mid-America's Most Trusted Source for
News.
Thanks for reading, and I'll see you tomorrow! P.S. Please pass
this e-mail on to someone you think can use some financial
motivation as well as being kept in the financial news loop that
could affect them. Thanks again! P.S. Please keep the Amazon.com
book reviews coming for my
"Be a Dividend Millionaire"
. It means a lot!
Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the
Best Dividend Stocks
, as well as a detailed explanation of
our ratings system here
.