Ross Stone

Connecting the Dots Ross Stone

'Connecting the Dots' - does that sound like a phrase you have heard someplace before? Maybe in school? And do you remember what it means to 'connect the dots'? Several months ago in a major newspaper it was stated in a by-line in the Business Section that most Americans are 'financially ignorant'. Now, no one likes to be called 'ignorant', but what does it mean to be 'ignorant'? I make the distinction between being 'ignorant' and 'stupid' as comparing 'the not knowing of certain truths' vs.. 'knowing certain truths and acting contrary to them'. If one did not know of gravity, and walked off a five-story building, one might well die from the fall - but not from ignorance. If one knew of gravity and decided it did not apply to him and walked off a five-story building, then he died of stupidity - not ignorance. In the attempt to help others in my business become more successful I preached the reading of the business section daily. For if one is truly a business person, should not a business person be aware of business activities? It then dawned on me that most have not been tutored or taught of the financial processes in America. Though they might read of events, what might be truly undermining actions could still remain a mystery. Thus, the birth of Connecting the Dots. A weekly missive sent to all in my business with one goal: to help them start to understand what might be going on, and why. What was ultimately hoped for was that through reading this column and thinking about what was shared, each would come to their own 'truths' concerning the financial world they lived in and how it would impact them. Hopefully, during, and after reading this book, the reader will start to ask more questions, seek more information, and ultimately find that they can better define the 'truths' of the financial world they live in.