Fooled by averages

The S&P 500 rarely delivers so-called "average" annual returns of 5-10%, as most years experience either substantial gains or notable losses. Historical data since 1950 ( source: Matt Cerminaro on LinkedIn ) shows that years within this range are the exception rather than the rule, making the long-term average somewhat misleading. Investors who expect steady, predictable growth risk being caught off guard by the market’s natural volatility. Instead, success comes from staying invested over the long term, allowing the ups and downs to balance out and ultimately achieve those historical average returns.