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: Simplify everything
Master Your Money: When it comes to investing
And of course…
The Weekly Special: 7 Bulletpoints 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: “In hindsight, I slid into arrogance based upon past success.” - Reed Hastings
Stock to consider: Solana. Another crypto.
The speed and scalability have been even faster than ETH which I suggested last week. I know crypto is getting slammed. It’s not stopping me from buying.
Disclaimer- this is not financial advice, I am not a financial advisor, and you should always do your own research.
Book to read: The Way I Heard It by Mike Rowe
Mike Rowe is a rare blue collar success story in Hollywood. His book is a collection of tales and wisdom blended together in an entertaining book.
Show to enjoy: This is Us on NBC/Hulu
My girlfriend and I are finally catching up on the final season. It’s a show that makes you happy, sad, thoughtful and a million other little emotions.
Beer to sip: Juicy Pebbulls from Bolero Snort
Who didn’t like Fruity Pebbles growing up? This is the drinkable, adult version.
Master Yourself
I would say my entire world revolves around making things as simple as possible. Not (necessarily) in a lazy way. But an efficient one. I hate wasting time. It is one of my biggest pet peeves (the others being really serious people and improperly situated sandwiches).
Anyway, you can’t do anything you put your mind to. Seriously you just can’t. I’m not built to be a mathematician. It’s just not where my strengths lie. So play to your strengths. And simplify. We can all do that.
I simplify my mornings by having my clothes laid out the night before and my shake ready to go, lunch already packed. Laptop on the table, same place every morning. Book next to my chair, same place every morning.
I cut out friends who weren’t real friends. We’ve all been there, that one friend that only comes around when they’re lonely or they need something. What a dreadful distraction toxic people are. Now I spend time only with people that matter. I also have time for new connections.
I answer all my emails within 24 hours. I tackle easy ones first so I feel accomplished and the momentum keeps me moving. I use “downtime” to check my email. It’s the hour an evening I allow myself to catch up on a TV show I like.
Instead of thinking up ways to make money, I think of ways to help people. Putting the pressure of making money on yourself is not part of the simple life. Thinking of helping people, that’s easy and simple. Everyone around you has a problem they need help with. It shouldn’t be hard to recognize this and come up with ideas.
Instead of thinking business partnerships, I think friendships/relationships. Friendships are much more relaxed than business partnerships. Most people enjoy socializing and hanging out with friends, they dislike going to work and networking. So I don’t believe in fancy business meetings at upscale restaurants. It’s BS. Let’s meet at a local bar and chat over a beer. Jeans optional but recommended.
Simplify your routines. Look at what you do and see what you can cut out. There’s plenty.
Master Your Money
When it comes to investing…
Don’t complicate things.
You’re not aiming to day trade, pick stocks, time the market or any number of other idiotic things people insist on doing.
You’re aiming to target low cost (expense ratios under 1%) ETFs rooted in the future (space, AI, marijuana, clean energy, etc.). Why the future? Because this investment portfolio is for the long haul- think 15–25 years +.
The best way to invest?
Do it right now and consistently thereafter.
You should be looking to purchase more shares every month. Who cares if it’s 1 share, 20 shares or a 100 shares? The idea here is just to make sure you’re investing every month.
1 is better than none.
Weekly Special:
7 Bulletpoints for a Better Life
I read a lot of stuff and I like to pull the best ideas from what I read. And sometimes I think of my own twist on the ideas (I know, incredible right?). Below is a quick list of great life lessons you can apply today.
Fight for simplicity in a world that too often defaults to complexity.
Life is incredibly unfair. Humans’ default setting is- ‘Why me?’ when something goes wrong. But…Why not you? Why anyone? Why are we even here?? And yes, privilege exists in all the normal forms we hear about (race, gender, etc.) but it’s prevalent almost everywhere. There is privilege in being born in the 1st world, in being tall, being good looking, being smart. Recognize all of your privilege and help others when and where you can.
When you’re excited, it’s a sign to act. Do something right now. If you’re procrastinating, that’s a sign too. Make sure it’s something worth doing at all.
Ask more questions- how did people come to the conclusion that they did? Ask them to walk you through it. Questions are how we learn.
Endings are important. The last day of vacation, your last hour before bed, the end of your conversations. Make these things impactful, it’s what you (and others) will remember (recency bias).
Deliver insights, not information. Information is often a paragraph of facts, a bullet point list…it’s not necessarily useful. Insights, on the other hand, provide actionable points because you’ve already analyzed the info for your audience. We don’t just want to know things. What we really want is to know what to do with that information.
Don’t confuse motion with progress. Busyness is not productivity.
Thanks for reading and if you found this valuable, please share with someone who could use it, see you next Saturday!