The Daily Meaning
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A Christmas Fortune
Contentment. For many, today is about getting more and having more. Millions of Americans will inventory all the cool gadgets and gizmos they now possess. Countless people will record and publish "Christmas haul" videos on YouTube, showcasing their new swag.
You’re Still An Author
Each day, when you wake up, you're the author of your journey. Every decision you make, every encounter you have, every challenge you face, and every win you celebrate each represent an excerpt in the story you're writing.
But What Inputs?
As you probably know, I love investing. It's been a passion of mine since I was 16 years old. To summarize, I'm a big believer in investing in the entirety of the U.S. stock market, paying as few fees as possible, and remaining extremely patient. Doing so has a 154-year track record of success (9.2% per year over 154 years and 10.4% per year for the last 100 years).
It’s the Inputs, Man!
On the flip side, I'm a big believer in focusing on the inputs. If we do the right things for the right reasons, and stay consistent with it, the outputs will eventually reveal that. When we dwell on the inputs, unwanted outputs don't necessarily have to derail us. In the case of the house, we absolutely made the right decision. We did the right thing despite the outcome.
The Unlikeliest of Inspiration
Then, he added something else. "Do you know the Mickey Christmas Carol movie? That's what made me interested in helping people who are poor and don't have homes. They talked about it on there, and I was really interested. Giving stuff to people for free and helping them."
Corralling the Impulses
One of my friends, frustrated with his continual debt, reached out and asked a practical question: "How do you stop overspending?" Despite a fantastic income, he and his wife have ebbed and flowed in and out of credit card debt for nearly two decades. They are frustrated. They are tired. They are stressed.
The Relentless Pursuit of Excellence
"I want to create the single best coffee shop in America." Uh, ok. Pretty audacious for someone who had failed in his first few iterations of the company.
The Creep Is Real
Today, I'm going to share the story of a friend. It's about his unique situation, but the same story plays out in millions of homes. It's the story of lifestyle creep. Lifestyle creep is a term that gets thrown around a lot, but today, I will give you a real-world example to shine a light on how destructive it can be.
Keep Doing Good
Our nation was hit with another senseless school shooting yesterday. It was the latest in a string of tragic events that have ripped countless families apart. Day after day, bad things keep happening. Do you ever wake up some days and ask yourself why all this keeps happening?
All Of It
Are you human? Good, I was hoping so. This post is for all the humans out there. We humans have a knack for playing little tricks on ourselves to get what we want. In today's piece, I'm going to discuss "extra." Specifically, extra income. We're not good at managing extra income. Tax refunds, bonuses, extra paychecks, commissions, gifts, etc. We love treating these irregular cash inflows as extra, and by extra, I mean we don't have to be responsible with it.
Shinin’ Shoes and Savin’ Souls
“Here’s how it works over here. We shinin’ shoes and savin’ souls. Salvation is free, and so are the shoe shines. You just give whatever your heart tells you.”
Weird, I Know
With the holiday season approaching, especially in conjunction with Small Business Saturday, small businesses have been on a rampage encouraging, begging, pleading, demanding, and even guilt-tripping society to "shop small."
The Cheap Gifts Linger
We live in a culture obsessed with putting a price tag on someone's value. Or, as famously quoted by Michael Scott, "Presents are the best way to show someone how much you care. It's like this tangible thing that you can point to and say, "Hey, man, I love you this many dollars worth."
Wait, Are They Spitting In My Food?!?!
Last month, I wrote a piece about listening to nudges in our generosity. In it, I used the example of leaving a large cash tip on a DoorDash order, mentioning that I typically try to tip cash to ensure the person receives the entire tip. Remember that?
Days That End in “Y”
That's the funny thing about people. My normal is crazy to him, and his normal is crazy to me. I dig it! I wish I could develop that type of lifting habit. For as diligent as I am about writing, I lack in many other areas.
Flipping Tipping On Its Head
Tipping has developed a bad reputation over the last few years; some of it deserved. It seems like everyone, eyes wide with envy, is chasing the almighty tip dollars. Everyone is asking for tips these days! People are burned out, and in many ways, I don't blame them. Example: I was recently asked to tip at a self-serve kiosk with ZERO employees. Who am I tipping, the machine?!?!