With the market having a few wild swings lately, the investment chatter has been increasing at the gym, grocery store, and in restaurants.

I keep overhearing people talk about the stock they own.

That is where I am having trouble with the conversations. People aren't talking about how their mutual fund, index fund, or 401K is doing. I mainly hear people talking about how the current economy is effecting xyz stock.

I cringe whenever I hear people say they are heavily invested in a single stock. I want to ask them questions, but I know I need to keep myself out of other people's conversations.

I keep telling myself that most people have a boring diversified investment portfolio and they just talk about a specific stock as a way to participate in the discussion. Then I cringe again when I decide that most of these poeple seem to not be diversified at all.

I can't say it at the gym, the grocery store, or while other people are having dinner, but I can say it here. Please, people, diversify your investment portfolios. We never know what is going to happen so we need to minimize risk by holding a diversified investment portfolio.

Don't get burned by a story like Enron. The Enron stock was a strong growing champion stock just before it became worthless.