Welcome back to the Saturday Success Series email!
In this edition we’ll have:
Five to Focus On: A quote, stock, book, show and beer.
Master Yourself: The universe doesn’t care.
Master Your Money: Lifestyle inflation.
And of course…
The Weekly Special: 2 Powerful Questions to Drive Growth
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: “Doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” - Oprah Winfrey
Stock to consider: EWEB (Emerging Markets Internet & E-commerce ETF). The Global X Emerging Markets Internet & E-commerce ETF (EWEB) seeks to invest in companies positioned to benefit from the increased adoption of Internet and E-commerce technologies in emerging markets.
Book to read: The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson. Erik is a wonderful storyteller (this is a WWII story). This is gripping history at its finest, written almost like a fiction novel, as are most of his works. I’ve read everything Larson has done and this may well be one of my favorites- which is really saying something.
Show to enjoy: The Harder They Fall on Netflix. Another movie, not a show. It’s a black western and it’s masterfully done. A star-studded cast delivers fine performances left and right, across a riveting plotline. You can’t ask for more out of a movie.
Beer to sip: Mornin Latte (8.9% ABV) from Toppling Goliath (Iowa). I love a good stout, particularly a good milk stout and Toppling Goliath does not disappoint (they rarely do). A touch of sweet and you can certainly taste the ABV, but that’s not a bad thing in this case.
Master Yourself
The concept of god(s) and things like karma are very popular, but the truth is they are not real. There is zero indication that anything supernatural actually exists, except in the minds of humans.
Things don’t happen for a reason, other than cause and effect and, ultimately, the universe does not care about you. It doesn’t care about anything because it doesn’t think or feel.
This is why bad things happen to good people. This is why babies are born blind or with cancer. This is why life seems random (it is!). This is why fairness does not exist.
Stop expecting fairness and start creating it where you can. Stop expecting things to fall into place and take action to put them in place. Nothing is looking out for you, except you and those that truly love you.
Live life as if it’s only you who can take care of you. And then do your best to help others.
Master Your Money
Don't get caught up in lifestyle inflation.
I make a lot more money today than I did 10 years ago, yet the way I live looks pretty similar.
Lifestyle inflation is why you hear about people who make 100k/year saying they’re broke or having a tough time.
When you get extra money or you start making more, don’t upgrade your lifestyle. Invest the difference and buy your freedom early.
What you really want is time and freedom to do whatever you want. Not be tied to flashy objects that you have to pay off.
Weekly Special:
2 Powerful Questions to Drive Personal Growth Through the Roof
Life gets better when you start asking yourself real questions.
I keep a running list of questions to ask myself and when I think of or hear of new questions, I add them to it. My journal always starts with a question that I think about that day. Questions, questions, questions- constantly.
What do I want? Why do I want it? How do I get it? What do people who have it do? Where do I find those people in person? And on and on and on. But below are 2 of my favorite questions. These questions- and particularly your answers- get the ball rolling like no other.
What do I do that I don’t need to do?
First, start with a personal inventory of stuff you do that you don’t need to do. Things that waste your time and sap your energy. What are you doing that you don’t need to be doing?
For me it’s Netflix and arguing with strangers on Facebook because I’m opinionated as hell. They both pull me away from more important things. I tend to get sucked into them for longer than the allotted 30 minutes I usually like to give.
Yours will be different, maybe it’s perusing Pinterest or playing Madden or giving attention to a negative “friend”. But you do stuff you don’t need to be doing. Stuff that never helps you in any meaningful way.
Figure out what things you do that do not serve you, and be very honest with yourself here, then stop doing it.
What do they do that they don’t need to do?
Second, ask what your most successful role models are doing that they don’t have to do.
Personal example, my boy Tom Brady goes to bed at 8:30pm. He’s already the GOAT and the owner of 7 Super Bowl rings. But he goes to bed at 8:30pm. Wow.
Some really successful people get up at 4am to start their day before the sun even starts its own. Some call a customer a day to thank them personally, instead of having their CS team do it. Some pep talk their teams daily and in person.
None of these people have to do these things, but they do them anyway. This begets success. Figure out what you could be doing, that you really don’t NEED to do, then start doing it.
So, the simple formula here is- find out what you can stop doing and then replace it with things you could do even if you don’t have to. Also, remember to have fun doing it.
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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