Saturday Success Series: Volume 35
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: Overfed and undernourished
Master Your Money: You’ll change
And of course…
The Weekly Special: 20 Unspoken Rules of Business & Success
The goal here is maximum value, so let’s get to it.
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Five to Focus on:
In a noisy world, it’s hard to know what’s good out there. Let me help.
Quote to ponder: “Money’s greatest intrinsic value — and this can’t be overstated — is its ability to give you control over your time.” - Morgan Housel
Stock to consider: DOT (Polkadot)
Another crypto. During this crash?? Yes. From Benzinga: Most experts seem to agree that Polkadot is a good long-term investment. It is backed by people who are very knowledgeable in the industry and has already shown great promise in solving the problem of interoperability.
Disclaimer- this is not financial advice, I am not a financial advisor, and you should always do your own research.
Book to read: Keep Sharp by Sanjay Gupta
Who doesn’t want their brain performing at its best for their entire life? Your brain is amazing and is the only reason you’re even reading this article. Treat it well. The quick version of the 5 pillars- move, discover, relax, nourish and connect.
Show to enjoy: All American on Netflix
Yes, it’s a teen show. Yes, it’s a football show. But it shows an accurate depiction of life for a lot of kids. And it deals with issues every adult can relate to as well. It touches on race, class and what sports can mean to people.
Beer to sip: For Fox Sake from Sly Fox
Try this because…the name and the can art. Oh and because hazy IPAs really are a treat, any time of year.
Master Yourself
I saw something recently that has really stuck with me.
“We are overfed, and undernourished”.
They were referencing our diets. The fact that many modern humans eat a shit ton of calories, but consume very little nutrition. But it got me thinking, we are overfed and undernourished in so many ways.
Here are a few examples of how we are shortchanging ourselves.
Tinder hook ups instead of a deep relationship
I’ve been on both sides of this match up. I spent many years living the hook up culture and sure it seems fun, but you’re always feeling a little off, a little unfulfilled, a little lonely. Now being partnered in a meaningful relationship, I realize the wholeness I was missing. The passion and the peace that come with real relationships is unlike anything else. It nourishes the soul.
Social media instead of solitary time
Social media can be great, but most of us are getting way too much of this fix. We live our lives to post bullshit that others don’t care about because they’re busy posting bullshit we don’t care about. We are constantly seeking stimulation instead of seeking solitude. But being alone is amazing. You can finally hear yourself, your thoughts, ideas, feelings, they all come bubbling up. Finding out who you are can only happen in the quiet of your own mind.
Streaming instead of books
Movies, series, documentaries- they’re great. In fact, I write a whole article about new streaming every Monday. I love some good content, but- it’s another thing many people get a lot of while doing very little reading. Overfed, undernourished. Books build knowledge and character. They improve your grammar and mental models. Reading helps with empathy and stress reduction. The list goes on and on. Books are good for the mind and spirit, streaming is just entertainment. Sure, entertainment serves its purpose but building a better you is way more important.
Constant marketing instead of quiet nature
We are bombarded by marketing. Online, via phone calls and text, magazines, commercials, billboards, in stores when the sales rep follows us around. Marketing is everywhere. You know what doesn’t ask us for anything? Nature. We’re meant to be in it. I am lucky enough to have a big backyard that backs up to woods and a greenbelt next door. I try to get there as often as possible.
Master Your Money
You’ll Change
Your wants and needs will change over the years.
But here’s something I think will stay the same. My family will always want our freedom and security.
So knowing this, I can plan long term with my investments.
I don’t need anything to work out today or even this year. I need it to be ready in 10, 15, 20 years.
Focus on things you know in your heart will stay the same.
Weekly Special
20 Unspoken Rules of Business & Success from Gorick Ng
Gorick Ng wrote an excellent book, worthy of your time. But, if you’re not big on reading whole books- here’s the quick version of the rules.
Gorick Ng is a Harvard College career counselor who specializes in mentoring first-generation, low-income students. He has worked in management consulting for Boston Consulting Group, investment banking for Credit Suisse, and as a researcher for Harvard Business School’s Managing the Future of Work initiative.
1. Reject, embrace or bend the rules.
Find out which rules work for you and make sense, ignore the rules you can and bend the ones you need to make work for you. Example- I’m technically hourly, 9–5, but I work at 8pm sometimes to finalize a spreadsheet or do some research, respond to a client, etc. It’s a rule I’m willing to bend to be more effective.
2. Take a look at the big picture.
Your work encompasses more than simply your work. Your job has an impact on others and contributes to the company’s ultimate vision. How? What impact does your job have on your industry? Keep up with what’s going on with your team, company, and industry.
3. Do your homework.
Don’t start asking inquiries right away. First, figure out your own answers; if you can’t, group your queries and ask a coworker, then a supervisor, and so on until you receive your answers. Before you ask, let them know what you discovered on your own.
4. Think like an owner.
Ask for more, be proactive, bring solutions not problems. No one likes people who live in the problems, live in the solution.
5. Demonstrate a desire to learn and assist.
Always ask yourself, “How can I be of assistance?” You should be in one of two modes: learner or leader, with one asking questions and the other answering them.
6. Understand your internal and external stories.
You should understand why you do what you do. Share what you’ve accomplished, what you’re working on now, and what you want to accomplish in the future.
7. Understand your audience and the context in which you’re speaking.
Be aware of potential prejudices against you as a junior employee. Personalize your message to your target audience by asking them what they want to hear and how they want to hear it.
8. Mirror others.
Find people you respect and see how they dress, behave, talk, etc. Copy them.
9. Manage your intent and impact.
Your intent is how you mean to come across, your impact is how you do. Example- it may be better to have a face to face chat instead of an email exchange if your intent could be misinterpreted.
10. Send the right signals.
Look professional, act professional, show up on time, do what you say you will do, take notes when someone is explaining something to you. People are always watching.
11. Think multiple steps ahead.
Think of what your manager may ask of you or need help with and have answers and solutions prepared. Before attending meetings, brainstorm ideas around the topic. When making decisions, consider who they affect and how.
12. Work backward from the end goal.
Pick a worthy goal. Then map out what you need to do to get there.
13. Save others time and stress.
Before asking for help, consider the steps needed and try to remove as many as possible. Be clear with subject lines and calls to action. Explain your ideas in 3 points or less. Don’t waste their time. Don’t add stress to their day.
14. Recognize patterns.
Avoid making the same mistake twice or needing something explained more than twice. If you notice someone is always asking for X, have X ready in advance. Learn from your mistakes. Taking notes helps here. Use tools like OneNote to keep track of things.
15. Prioritize what’s urgent and what’s important.
Understand what’s important to you may not be important to others. Prioritize deadlines that affect others and matter to those who matter most (CEO for example). Try splitting into a have to do list and a nice to do list.
16. Read between the people.
Know when to step up vs. overstepping. Understand who reports to who and who confides in who. Who are the influencers? Who’s friends with who?
17. Engage, ask, repeat.
Ask, listen, absorb, think. Ask open-ended questions. Send thank you emails, greet others, introduce people, share news. Engagement is a topic I could go on and on about. Decide to engage in your life, be an active participant.
18. Own up.
Ask for feedback. When you mess up, admit it and explain how you’ll fix it and avoid it in the future. Ask for advice to create allies.
19. Push gently.
Ask for help using a request not a demand. No one is here to serve you. Try framing feedback as “what if” or “have we considered”.
20. Show performance and potential.
Be very good at your current job, then show how you could be good at your next. Do what hasn’t been done, fix what hasn’t been fixed, bridge what hasn’t been bridged, know what others don’t know and share what others haven’t shared.
A Bonus: A strong focus on the 3 Cs
Competence- can you do the job well?
Commitment- are you excited to be here?
Compatibility- do you get along with us?
Your goal is to persuade your bosses, coworkers, and clients that the answer to all three is a resounding yes. Where the three of them converge, opportunity arises.
Thanks for reading and if you found this valuable, please share with someone who could use it. See you next Saturday!
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