People say wisdom comes with age. Decades of learning via experience probably helps with obtaining that wisdom. That can come to form in many ways like advanced knowledge in a particular field. The elusive "silver-hair" is associated with knowledge, expertise, experience and all kinds of positive factors that lead to "trust". Whether it's in obtaining funding to start your own fund or selling services, the business world looks for age. The bias is there. Where it isn't commonly sought after is in the gym.
Read MoreLife is like a well-made mechanical watch.
You are the craftsman. The Swiss master who tinkers with the vast arrays of gears to create a system to depict the passage of time.
Read MoreIn school we used lined papers. Structured. Fitting to defined spaces. Every notebook was lined.
The way I come up with articles to write about is by scribbling in my notebook. Scribbling random ideas that would pop into my head after a shower, a walk or while training at the gym.
One day, I found the lines too restricting. I wanted to draw pictures, graphs and doddles to get my idea on the paper but the lines posed a mental blockade for me. So I decided to go out and buy a notebook that would allow me to have more flexibility. Dotted notebooks. Genius.
Read MoreNetworking.
Dreadful word to many. Music to the ears of few. Extremely undervalued none-the-less.
Read More“You are the average of the 5 people you spend most of your time with”. We've all heard this before. It's one of the most repeated advice/factors mentioned by high performers of various disciplines. The advice comes in different forms like "work with people you admire", "find mentors who are doing what you want to", "choose a life-partner who will challenge you to grow". All focused on surrounding yourself with people that will aid you in your journey of growth.
Read MoreI embraced this idea of skilled people generating their own luck. This doesn't mean I don't believe in luck.
To the contrary.
Read MoreElevator to the coffee shop: three people staring at their phones. Lining up at Starbucks: two staring at their phones. In my seat as I type: two on the phone, one on phone mid conversation.
Per my weekly report over the past month, I've been on Instagram 37 minutes per day with an average screen time of 3 hours and about 73 pick ups of my phone.
Read MoreMany of my friends still ask me: "So do you still wake up at 4:30am?"
I disappoint them by saying "No, that had risen from a need but I no longer have to."
Read MoreWords are powerful. Even more so are great questions.
If this weren't the case no one should be able to make a living interviewing people, whether it be a therapist, coach, or talk show host.
Read MoreMy mother became a mom at the age I am now.
Read MoreWe refer to Romeo and Juliet as a tragic love story.
What I saw was two degenerate teenagers. What I think is a real tragedy is the life that unfolds the minute after our birth. Some may argue it's a miracle. I see that. The tragedy hits the minute after.
Read MoreEvery time you say "I can't I'm too busy" to someone or something, add on "it's just not a priority." This tactic was inspired by a podcast I listened to with Debbie Millman, designer, and podcaster among many other things.
Read MoreOver a six-week period, I ran a project with seven individuals. I pitched to them that we would work to find out who they were, where they were at in their life now and where they wanted to go. They were told this project would involve a series of talk therapy sessions and have them perform individual reflective activities as homework for the duration.
Read MoreEat your vegetables! Climb that hill! Go train at the gym!
You know it's good for you. But taking that first bite of that broccoli head can be really tough. You look at that spinach and it just hurts your taste buds. As you can tell, I'm not vegetarian... furthest from it.
But after a bite of that spinach. It's okay. It's bearable. Now it's part of your morning smoothie. Like climbing hills, the first one is hard but the others that come after it? Eh, not so hard. You've done it before already. I have the eating habits of an eight-year-old so you may not be able to relate here.
Read MoreHow can you think outside the box if there is no box?
Read MoreJosh Waitzkin, the famed chess prodigy, spoke about the importance of cultivating empty space. He learned this importance when he learned chess from Bobby Fischer. He's another famed chess player, obviously. Josh speaks about knowing how to utilize the empty spaces on the chess board.
It seems too common in life that I find myself drawn to noise. Fear of missing out. Everyone wants to be where the noise is. It's like staring only where the chess pieces are. Ignoring the space available. The space that can become your advantage.
Read MoreNo, doesn't mean never. Just means not right now. I swear this is a quote from someone famous.
Rejection is always tough. Sometimes such rejection is for good reason. It just never feels like it. I swear, when I struck out on my management consulting interviews I thought my world had ended. I mean, you'd think after 3 months of networking to get 3 interviews at the top firms you'd be set... guess not. Yet, my world didn't end. It continued operating like any other day. It was another day to squat and deadlift.
Read MoreCompounding.
Most have heard it's the 8th wonder. It's essentially utilizing time effectively to grow. Though, evidently, many seem to ignore it for they forgo even starting. I'd say starting (ASAP) is truly important for it to take effect.
The most common use of the word "compounding" in everyday conversations is in reference to investing (thank you robo-advising ads from Wealth<Enter Minimalist/Innovative Lingo Here>). Obviously, to start investing one must first save.
"No shit Sherlock!"
Read MoreLet's not forget about Taxes!
Yet, it seems common for folks to ignore the 2 certainties. Well, except the ultra-rich corporations and individuals who do whatever they can to avoid taxes.
But shouldn't we all look at everything on an after-tax basis?
Despite bankers and investors looking at businesses based on pre-tax metrics like Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA), the money the company gets to retain and give back to shareholders (i.e. dividends and buybacks) or grow externally (i.e. acquisitions) uses after-tax money. Of course, companies growing organically will get to use pre-tax profits to fund their internal growth so may not even have any taxable corporate income (i.e. Amazon). Sooner or later though, they will need to utilize other options to grow or generate value for shareholders and that after-tax profit will be important. Why else would the big tech companies like Google and Apple be setting up offices in tax havens like Ireland or Luxembourg?
Read MoreRetirement. A word too often heard. Commonly associated with desire for those seeking it. Envy for those that have announced it before you. Sadness for those that have achieved it years ago.
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