Where do we stand today in relation to where we’ll stand tomorrow.  Investors and non-investors alike seek the answer to this question.  For investors, forecasting can help unlock the answer to what tomorrow holds.

In his recently released book, The Next Boom: What You Absolutely, Positively Have to Know About the World Between Now and 2025 by Jack Plunkett, a broad stroke depiction of where we’re headed as a world is provided.  Thought he author readily admits he is bullish on what the future will bring, obstacles are noted, but they’re not a focus of his grand tour.

What I’ve found most helpful in reading this book is not only the subject matter presented, but the way in which it is presented.  Daily news does not do a very good job of giving a big picture view of actions of the day and how they fit into overarching developments and trends.  This book helps readers understand where things are set to progress.  Though the trajectory provided might not be exactly as it is in the future, a general frame of reference is presented based on current states of affairs and likely outcomes.

When you’re thinking about your investment strategy and where you should spend your time researching, it’s very helpful to have a frame of reference regarding where certain economies and industries are headed.  Plunkett provides a clear view of where he sees a number of economies and industries moving within in the next 25 or so years.  Much of what he talks about pertains to demographic trends which are already set in motion.

Although I’m not fully done with the book, I will say that the bullishness that Plunkett expresses throughout the book in his forecast for the future could be a drawback for readers looking to use the book strictly as a guidepost for their investment decisions.

Even if all that is stated in the book comes to fruition in the time frame provided, investors will likely not succeed if they run out and buy X, Y, Z sectors, industries or economies.  Corrections will occur over the period.  Think of the path of progress like that of a hike to the peak of a mountain.  From the start until you reach the peak you will experience some periods of decline, some shallow and some deep.  Ultimately you will get to the top, but it’s not a straight climb up.

For investors or those interested in what lies ahead, I would highly recommend reading The Next Boom: What You Absolutely, Positively Have to Know About the World Between Now and 2025 by Jack Plunkett.