Saturday Success Series: Volume 22
Making life & money work for you.
Welcome back to the Saturday Success Series email!
In this edition we’ll have:
Five to Focus On: A quote, stock, book, show & a beer.
Master Yourself: A foreign policy quote that works for all of us
Master Your Money: 2 things to always do
And of course…
The Weekly Special: 3 Things to Seek for a Better Life
The goal here is maximum value, so let’s get to it.
Oh, by the way, if you’re feeling generous, please share this newsletter with a friend.
Five to Focus on:
In a noisy world, it’s hard to know what’s good out there. Let me help.
Quote to ponder: “Don’t listen to what people say; watch what they do.” - Steven Levitt
Stock to consider: SRVR (Pacer Benchmark Data & Infrastructure Real Estate)
A strategy-driven exchange traded fund (ETF) that aims to offer investors exposure to global developed market companies that generate the majority of their revenue from real estate operations in the data and infrastructure sector.
Disclaimer- this is not financial advice, I am not a financial advisor, and you should always do your own research.
Book to read: Undaunted by John Brennan
Want to be more successful AND glean more insight into our current climate?
Then read books like this. It highlights an average boy becoming a not so average man and having a decidedly unaverage career. And since he was the head of the CIA until 2017, he can give us some insight on things like Donald J. Trump and what the hell happened there.
Show to enjoy: Moon Knight on Disney +
Check out the fan ratings! Sure, it’ll appeal more to the Marvel/superhero crowd than your average viewer, but it’s pretty good either way.
Beer to sip: Insanity from Weyerbacher
Vanilla and oak. That combo is the combination of champion caliber beverages. Fair warning though, this one’s a doozy and will knock ya sideways 3/4 of the way through.
Master Yourself
Obama had a great mantra, in regards to foreign policy, that works well for all of us.
Don’t do stupid shit- Barack Obama
Life can be a lot better- and easier- if you merely stop doing dumb things.
We always think of what we should be doing instead of what we should stop doing.
Stop self-sabotaging. Stop shooting yourself in the foot. Stop letting bad habits cycle endlessly.
Avoiding bad decisions may be far more important than making good ones.
Think of how people add supplements to their health routine (good decision, sure), but fail to get the proper sleep and nutrition (bad decisions). Sleep and nutrition are way more important. Supplements are complements. Solid sleep and good nutrition are the bedrock of your health though.
This is applicable to your dating life (and everywhere honestly) as well. Instead of thinking about all of the positive traits you want in a partner, just start by avoiding the big red flags.
Avoiding bad decisions is the all important base of a great life, making good ones is a complement to a great life.
Master Your Money
2 things you should always do, no matter what the markets are doing. No matter what the economy is doing. Etc.
Build cash flow
Buy assets
Cash flow: Skill build, job hop, build side hustles, etc. to increase earnings. Then trim costs wherever possible.
Assets: Buy stocks, crypto, real estate, etc. Hold long term.
Weekly Special:
3 Things to Seek for a Better Life
Books
Reading will be one of the most important habits you have in life (right up there with quality sleep, daily movement and eating right). In fact, I myself get mildly depressed if I don’t get enough time to read in a day.
And when I say books, let me be very clear, I mean non-fiction. Sure, fiction can be fun, but that ain’t it, it’s not what we’re going for. Get your entertainment from your friends, family, TV, traveling, etc.
A Pew study showed that the average for Americans is 12 books per year. Which is better than nothing, but you can do better than something.
Science backed benefits of reading:
improves brain connectivity
expands your vocabulary and comprehension
empowers you to empathize with other people
stress reduction
knowledge- cannot be overstated, you will be smarter if you read
improves memory
stronger analytical thinking skills
improves focus and concentration
Why I seek books:
It makes me a better person. Reading not only makes me smarter, it let’s me know that I know enough to know I don’t know enough. My mind is more open, I’m more educated, I’m happier. Books are necessary to update and improve your mindset and mental models.
I was an “eh” person before I really started reading. And yes, to reiterate, it has to be non-fiction. I read tons of fiction from 5 years old to 29 years old. But then I spent all of 2016 just reading non-fiction and it changed my life and who I am at my core. My entire life changed from 2016 onward, I am not exaggerating. Find non-fiction book lists and start consuming like your life depends on it.
Quiet time
Our world and, therefore, our lives, is entirely too noisy. There is always something going on. A chore that needs doing, a TV show that needs watching, kids that need tending, work that needs finishing, friends who need hearing. We are very rarely sitting in peace and quiet.
Benefits of silence:
lowers blood pressure
boosts the body’s immune system
benefits brain chemistry by growing new cells
decreases stress by lowering blood cortisol levels and adrenaline
promotes good hormone regulation
Why I seek quiet time:
I love quiet time for two reasons.
To think- for strategic purpose, for new ideas, content ideas, etc.
To reflect- on who I am, what I want, what I need to do to get there.
Side note- it’s preferable if you can find a spot in nature to do your quiet time.
Conversations
Now, the opposite of quiet time- yapping. Humans are weird, amiright?
We are social creatures and we not only feel better after socializing, we actually learn best from others. We absorb, we watch, we learn and eventually we do for ourselves.
So, socialize and get mentored. We’re seeking conversations for specific reasons. For fun and connection. And then for betterment of ourselves and our careers.
Maybe you’re an introvert, who cares? So am I. Socialize anyway. Maybe you’re already old and successful. Okay great, be a mentor.
Benefits of socializing:
improves both mental and emotional health
increases quality of life, longevity
boosts immunity and reduce risk of dementia, Alzheimer’s, etc.
Benefits of being mentored:
empowerment (and encouragement) in your personal development
help with identifying and achieving career goals
help with identifying and correcting gaps in skills
Why I seek conversations:
I’ll be very honest here- I (almost) never want to socialize. I (almost) always prefer to be alone with books or just with my family at home. But, I make myself call friends, go out to dinner, have happy hours, host guests. Having fun with friends and family keeps us young and healthy. Socializing may be just as important as sleep when it comes to human health.
As far as mentorship goes, conversations with successful peers or mentors allows you to gain new tactics and mental models to use. If you can’t find this in your life, at least listen to successful people on YouTube. Which is something I do a lot of. I also use LinkedIn, both groups and private messages, to converse with successful people. People love being asked open-ended questions and sharing their insight if you approach them properly (concisely and with manners).
Thanks for reading and if you found this valuable, please share with someone who could use it, see you next Saturday!