Category Archives: Game-Changers

Excelling in Non-Conducive Environments

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People are born to excel in conducive environments. 

It’s no great shakes. 

With an appropriate environment around you, you move and shake…

…the world. 

Fine. 

Where’s the growth?

You’re doing something that comes naturally to you, something you’re good at. 

Frankly, there’s not much growth here. 

Sure, your environment grows. 

Whether you grow in the process or not…that’s the question. 

You definitely grow more in a scenario, where you’re thrown into a non-conducive environment. 

Try excelling there. 

Ha!

See!

Let’s see you excel there, let’s see if you’ve got what it takes.

Why’s is this important?

Toughen up, people. 

Lose your comfort-zones. Come out into the open. Do something extraordinary. Excel in non-conducive environments. 

Where’s the fun? That’s what you’re asking, right? Fine. Good question. 

You can always have your fun. 

It takes nothing for you to walk into a conducive environment and start excelling. 

You can always do this. 

For example, if you’re a born teacher, you can always hook up with an institution and commence some classes. Or, if you like languages, you can just enrol with some institute and start learning a foreign language. 

That’s always there. Your backup. For when you’re down. But, right now, what are you doing right now? When you’re world’s A1, how are you then reacting to your good fortune? Are you toughening up? Are you looking around for non-conducive environments to excel in?

It’s difficult to lift yourself up and motivate yourself when you’re looking like a fool and feeling out of place. That’s just it. The act of lifting and motivating yourself – the sheer strength of body, mind and character required – will make you grow immensely. 

Why growth?

What’s so important about growth?

It’s your strength backup account. You can draw on it. It works in a non-linear and metaphysical fashion. It can lend you energy by sheer thought transfer, just by remembering something strong and gutsy you might have done before, in a difficult situation, in a non-conducive environment. 

Build up this account in your spare time. This is one account you’ll actually take with you when you leave the body. This account is real wealth. Its remnants get stamped onto your soul. Build it. Build it more than you build up your physical wealth account. That’s the one you’ll be leaving behind, for your kin to blow, if you’ve not sorted your affairs out properly. 

What are typical examples of non-conducive environments?

Being trapped in a difficult marriage, and having a child or children from the marriage. Leaving the environment is heavy on the kids. Some battle it out for the sake of the kids. They try to make the best of a non-conducive environment for the sake of someone they love, someone who looks up to them. 

Working in an environment for which one is not cut out. Happens. It’s a destiny-play. One glides into it without being able to help it. One can walk out, sure, but not without affecting the lives of many, adversely. Many remain. They battle it out in a non-conducive environment. They grow from within. 

Being trapped in a difficult friendship. Walking out could hurt the other irreparably. Some remain, for as long as it takes. They take some hits in the bargain, but they also grow. 

Being a second-rate citizen in a foreigner-unfriendly country. Tough. Has some advantages, though. Career, wealth-building, systems, language, good education and prospects for children, internal growth…amidst humiliation, sometimes back-breaking work, lack of recognition etc. Many battle it out, keeping the larger picture in mind. Many have no other choice. All grow. 

These are just some examples. 

I’m sure you can add to this list by looking at your own life. 

Don’t be sad. 

It’s ok. 

It’s ok to grow. 

Even if the environment is non-conducive. 

Take it in your stride. 

Conducive breathers will come. 

Moment Enhancement

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How do you enhance your situation at any given moment?

What are we talking about?

You.

Time.

Activity.

Betterment of your situation.

As compared to previous moment. 

What kind of betterment?

Any.

What kind of situation?

Any.

How?

You tell me. 

Yeah, it’s a bit of a personal sphere. 

Everybody’s idea of betterment is different. 

I write, for example. 

Clears my mind. 

I organize. 

My stuff. 

Gears me up to approach the next moment, more organized. 

I clear useless stuff. As in give it away. Frees up more space. 

Are you getting my drift?

What do you do?

To make your next moment more enhanced?

I plan my next three activities – what are they going to be?

I ask my one main question. 

What is the next step?

Yeah people, brick by brick. 

What for?

Yeah, exactly?

Why would one do this?

To lead a fuller and more meaningful life. 

To give of oneself fully. 

To make more of one’s existence. 

Again, reasons are personal, and will differ. 

What would your reasons be, to enhance your next moment?

This is a baby-step strategy. You’re living in the moment with it. You’re not looking far ahead, only actually till your next defined moment. 

Big targets are approachable one baby step at a time. 

One enhances moment upon moment, and suddenly, one hits a big target. 

Not too bad. Was well worth it. 

Try it out. 🙂

Patience and Nerves Anyone?

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As someone I look up to put it recently – “It’s a game of patience and nerves!”

What is?

The stock-market. 

For whom?

The long-term investor. 

Do you have any?

What?

Patience, or nerves, or both?

You do?

Well, then you’ll do well in the markets, over the long-term. 

We look for complication. Meanwhile, we forget the basics. 

These are basics. 

If you’re not patient, you’ll for example jump into a stock at the wrong time, or you’ll jump out of it too early, or what have you. 

If you don’t have patience, well, develop it. 

If you can’t, do something else instead. Trade. Don’t long-term-invest then. 

If you cannot develop patience, you are not cut out to be a long-term holder. 

One method to cause the tree of patience to grow in you is to create the correct environment. 

Just don’t do anything that will make you jump. 

Invest your sur-sur-plus, money that is then pickled away, money that you won’t miss, yearn for or require over the very long-term. 

Go in with margin of safety. 

Stay in a stock you’ve singled out and entered until there’s a glaring reason to exit. Try to exit upon a high. This is the market. Highs are its nature. So are lows. That means that highs come. Wait for them to come, to exit from anything you need to exit from. 

Nervers, well, they come into play if you’ve not invested with margin of safety. 

I do remember two instances though, where everyone’s nerves were tested. October 2008, and March 2009. At these times, stocks sold for a song. Good ones and bad ones alike. Fear did the rounds, extreme fear. That’s what fear does. It creates once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Take them. Maintain a clear head. Your nerves of steel will do that for you. Create an environment for your nerves to become strong. Or, perhaps expressed another way, create an environment where any weakness in your nerves is not required to show itself, and gets subdued into extinction. 

How?

Again, just go in with your sur-sur-plus. You’re not going to miss this money even if the sky is falling upon your head. And you’ve gone in with margin of safety. Your nerves will stay intact. 

Ensure your basics. Allow them to shine. 

The rest will take care of itself. 

Good investing. 🙂

Do You Know What the Most Underrated Activity is?

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C’mon, try guessing at least… 🙂

Yeah…

… doing nothing is the answer, in my opinion. 

We want to move. Be active. Do this. Do that. We’re a “doodat” society. 

For us, activity has become synonymous with achievement. 

How wrong is that?

Completely. 

One can be active…

…and be achieving zilch. Nix. Nadda.

The moment we realize this, the value of doing nothing dawns upon us. 

What are we achieving by doing nothing?

A lot. 

Believe me. 

A lot a lot a lot. 

For starters, we are not taxing our eyes with media. That’s one of the greatest side-effects of doing nothing. Our eyes take a hit in today’s media-packed world. Doing nothing gives them a very valuable break. 

Furthermore, while doing nothing, we are perhaps watching our thoughts and not reacting to them. Or, we are listening to our breathing pattern. These two activities fall under the category of “meditation while doing nothing”. 

So now, doing nothing is a form of meditation…wow! Already we are moving in higher circles. 

While doing nothing, we are refraining from most or all activities, and these include all negative activities, so we’ve got our Karma-usage pretty much on hold. That’s already very big. 

Meanwhile, our thoughts drain. We are getting empty. Positive energy flows in to fill the vacuum. We are getting healthy by doing nothing, and are filling ourselves up with goodness by default. 

Our focus turns to our breath. Wow, we breathe. We are a wonder. There’s metabolism happening. We realise that our existence is already something big. All this while doing nothing. 

We rest. Our senses get a break. Our heart needs to beat less. Poor heart, it never gets a full break, until the very end. In the interim, it has to make do with beating less per unit time. It is grateful for such small mercies. 

Resting makes us gear up for forthcoming activity. Our bodies and minds refresh themselves for new endeavours…by doing nothing. 

Try it out. 

Do nothing. 

Perhaps it was lacking in your repertoire. 

It won’t be lacking now. 

Use it like a secret weapon!

Multitaskers and OnebyOners

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Yeah, I made up that word…

…why not?

Who makes the rules?

Do you listen to all rules?

Breaking some rules is harmless…

… and those are the ones I love to break!

We live in the fast-track. 

Is there a place for slowdy-lumps?

Well, no, and yes. Or, yes, and no. 

Are you a fan of multi-tasking?

I’m not, by the way. Have to have to, sometimes. Don’t like it. 

Why?

I don’t like doing anything in a half-baked fashion. I’m sure that on some level, you don’t either. Either in it for the whole hog, or count you out, right?

Yeah. Or so thought I. 

World moves. It passes you by. If you don’t multi-task. Juggle. Use whatever word you wish to.

Is it healthy? 

No. 

Multi-tasking leads to confusion in the mind-body continuum. Feelings of enjoyment and satisfaction are muddled and befuddled at best. 

Is that the quality of life you want?

No. 

I want clear-cut stuff. 

Clear-cut defined effort. Clear-cut defined satisfaction and enjoyment. 

I’m a onebyoner. I get the above kind of satisfaction and enjoyment. It is wholesome. Quality of life enhancing. 

Am I old-fashioned?

Don’t care. 

Why?

Because quality of life is more important to me than looking stupid for a bit. 

Try being a onebyoner for a while. Note the difference in the flow of life. You get to stop between completed tasks. Breathe. Take a break. Do something else. Move on to the next task. One step at a time. Brick by brick. 

Life is more enjoyable. 

Try it. 

Nothing Uncool About Solitude

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Solitude…

… happens.

Sometimes, we’re in company, and sometimes we’re alone.

Being alone is ok.

One thinks.

One evolves.

There’s introspection.

Solutions dawn.

Before greatness…

… comes solitude.

In company, you grow relative to another.

In solitude, you grow relative to yourself.

Both kinds of growth are necessary. In other words, growth that occurs whilst being by yourself is also necessary.

Cut to the markets.

In the markets, one is responsible for oneself.

Decisions are required. Sometimes big ones. Who does one rely on?

On oneself.

How?

One has learnt to.

During tenures of solitude.

Impedimenting

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Market strategy often sounds ridiculous. 

Take impedimenting for example. 

You put impediments in your own path. 

Absurd?

No. 

Uselful?

Very.

Why?

Because we are human. We are full of behavioural quirks which invariably cause market losses. 

That’s why impediments. 

Where?

In your path?

Why in your path?

Who are these impediments meant for?

They are speed-breakers for your quirks. 

Because your quirks are inside of you, the breakers are in your path, put by you, not for yourself, but for your quirks, when these choose to expose themselves. 

1). One example – money transfer before market entry – there’s no beneficiary added. Ha. You need to add the beneficiary first and wait for it to be approved. Then you transfer money to your other account, which is linked to your transaction account. Impediments. 

Why have you done this? You don’t wish to enter anything on a whim. Whenever money moves, it’s movement should not be made easy. You’ve seen to it. Good. 

2). Example numero two – Calls Blacklist. Make it very difficult for market people to speak to you if you don’t wish to speak to them. Why? Bias. You don’t want their bias. You have limited time. You have your own opinion. Many times during market-play, there’s no room for another opinion. 

3). Doing the DD (due diligence) – don’t act without DD. Make the DD huge. Have steps and procedures which you are going to follow – period. When you shudder at the idea of DD, that’s when DD becomes an impediment. You want the upcoming DD to make you shudder. You don’t wish to enter the underlying on a whim, remember?

4). Don’t discuss your portfolio – with anyone. YOU DON’T WANT ANYONE’S BIAS. You are mentally diligent enough to build your own opinion. People asking for causal tips are going to bother you. You need to impediment your way away from these. 

5). Systems – make systems. Stick to them. They cost time. They are impedimenting. Good. While a system engulfs you, it gets the chance to scour your approach for mistakes. Your system will alert you, so it’s been worth it. 

6). Blockage – new funds are to be blocked for a while. Don’t act with new funds immediately. Give yourself ample time to decide your strategy with new funds. Pickle them away in a fixed deposit till you are sure what you want to do with them. 

Make your own list. Above are just examples, and yeah, there’s more, but double yeah, make your own list. 

Working with self-made speed-breakers to enhance your performance makes you grow. 

Your returns grow too. 

‘Sup Mr. Laptop

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Yeah, where are you, Mr. Laptop?

Is this goodbye?

Singing your swan-song?

What’s happening?

You were heavy. 

Competition got lighter. 

You reduced. 

Did you reduce enough? Dunno. 

Along came apps. 

Most didn’t have a version for you. 

They did for your competition. 

People loved apps. 

One button-touch, and one was in the midst of everything. No hassles. You lacked that extra comfort. 

Along came the Cloud. 

Took away your storage-advantage. 

Along came tablets, smartphones, connectivity, and internet speed. 

Have these taken whatever remained?

Are you going to survive?

Where do you fit in?

The mouse, you say?

Technical work?

Complexities?

Proprietary software?

You’ve got a long list which you’ve prepared, I can see that. 

Okay. 

Stop. 

Put that list in your pocket. 

Close your eyes. 

Smell the coffee. 

What kind of a world do we live in?

Who succeeds?

What lives on?

Inclusion?

Or exclusion?

Inclusion. Decisively. Inclusive ventures scale mountains. Ventures that exclude, well, masses don’t care for them eventually. 

So, firsly, swallow all that proprietary talk. It’s not going to work. 

Then up, are you increasing convenience? Or, is your competition increasing it more? Vital question. It’s answer will decide who shall survive and become undisputed king.

Now comes the last question. 

It’s also a little heavy.

You might not like it. 

Nevertheless, here goes. 

Is there use for you anymore?

There. I said it. 

Hmmmm. 

In some areas, I guess, but we’ll again be going down the proprietary lane, which actually doesn’t cut it anymore. Not going down that lane. I think that might also answer your question. 

What remains?

Reinvention. 

Merge with your competition. 

Become a staunch part of the tablet, to save yourself from extinction. 

I think you’ve already started gong down that road. Yeah, only way out. And it’s a good one. It is highly successful. The lightness, portability and convenience of a tablet, coupled with storage and keyboard-ability with only 10-15% size and weight increase. Sounds amazing. 

Go for it!

Things To Hold On To

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There are some up days…

…and there are some down days. 

Could be because of anything. 

On down days you need to hold on to something(s). 

These provide anchor. 

You wedge yourself into something, and are not swept away. 

There’s right diet. Leads to good health. You make sure your diet doesn’t stray on a down day. It is likely to if you don’t watch out for its deviation attempt. 

Exercise. Get moving. Alone the hormones secreted during exercise should make you feel better. 

If your down day is not because of professional issues, get professional (baby)! Meaning, use your profession as an anchor. Dive into it. Deeply. Forget about time. 

Look after the well-being of someone you care about. 

Pursue something extra-curricular. Again, dive into it. 

Travel, if you can. 

You can fill in the blanks. 

I’ve set up a very basic list. 

We’re very basic here. 

We don’t believe in sophistication. 

We break life down to basics. 

We keep things simple. 

So, what does the anchor do?

Yes, it stops you from being swept away. Your anchor gives you stability and solidity. 

Then, your anchor consumes you. You lose track of time. 

What was time, – oh ya – a healer. As time passes, you forget the issue, or the issue dissolves, or dilutes. 

You wake up on another day, refreshed, and join the battle where you left off. Issue seems smaller. Your forces are replenished. You fight. You win. 

Never forget your anchors. Have them ready. Anytime. Any place. 

What’s the Next Step?

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Movement is from step to step. 

That’s stable movement. 

During stable movement, one is aware of former step, gap, and latter step. 

Transition is smooth. 

Former step is digested well and moved on from. 

Latter step is taken on with enthusiasm. 

The cycle repeats, so on and so forth. 

Yeah, given above is one question that I ask myself many times a day – What’s the next step?

The next step dawns upon one. 

Mostly, that’s when it’s the correct one. 

It’s coming from depth. 

It’s the Universe speaking.

The Universe tells you the next step, from within you. The Universe is in you. 

Sometimes, you’re not sure. 

Ok, happens. It’s normal. 

Ask, simply. 

Ask the Universe. 

It’ll tell. 

You need to listen to the answer. 

The Universe speaks in many ways. These are subtle ways. You have to be receptive to subtle answers. 

Once you realise what’s the next step, you also feel that – oh, so simple, the answer was staring at me in the face, why didn’t I realise this earlier – or something to that effect. 

The most logical next steps in the world are also the simplest ones. 

We’ve become complicated. We refuse to think simply, till Nature forces us to do so, sometimes causing pain during the cleansing process. 

Think SIMPLE, people. Empty your minds. Let the next step dawn upon you. Let your mind experience that – aha! of course! that’s it! – feeling. 

The most beautiful ideas in the world – are simple ones. 

Evolution Anyone?

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What kind of a game do you prefer?

Do you like to play without challenge? Where you won’t be pushed, to your limit perhaps? Where you know the solutions? Where you’re king?

Or, do you like the game to challenge you? The game pushes you around. You don’t know the solutions. You’re not king. Do you like that kind of game?

Why am I asking?

Well, simply because I concern myself with growth. 

As in evolution. 

I measure life in evolution per unit time. 

The latter kind of game evolves you. You score heavily, though this might not show on the outside, yet. It will eventually. Big time. Promise. 

The former kind of game deceives you. You kinda start believing you’re actually king, and start behaving like one too. The fall from a height can be so heavy, that it can decapacitate you, forever. Who would want that? Not even you. But you’re too busy playing king to remember. This is the reminder, right here, right now. 

Wake up pal, to the coffee. 

Play some latter games. Try converting loser odds to winning ones. That’s the big league. 

If you’re king, fine, be a good one. Do good to many. Make it count. In your spare time, though, do some other stuff which takes you into uncharted territory. That’ll round you off as a king. 

What is it about uncharted territory?

Eventually you’ll find yourself in one. It just happens, suddenly. 

What do you count upon?

Assets. 

Ability to not panic. 

Clear thinking. 

Savings. 

Relationships. 

Gut-feel. 

Courage. 

Mental strength. 

Fill in the blanks. 

All of the above have to be developed / nurtured. In some way or the other, all of the above come by charting new territories. A new relationship is nurtured into a solid life-long asset. A new job becomes a steady earner. Savings accrue. Mental / intuitive assets strengthen themselves by being exposed to tricky situations. These will always be there for you, in your next situation. 

Don’t be a bore. Take that calculated jump. No one’s asking you to jump off the cliff. However, times are such that you’ll need to think out of the box, again and again, and again. 

Pioneers

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Pioneers pioneer.

However, it’s a rough ride.

They don’t mind the ride.

There’s a fire which won’t be stilled till they’ve carved out their path.

Pioneers refuse to conform to their surroundings. What’s around them puts them off.

You see, many are not happy with what Nature offers them upfront, without any ado. A very small fraction of these unhappy people choose to do something about it. Majority of the latter fails. Those who succeed are called pioneers.

In a weak moment, pioneers look for comfort. The path is devoid of any. Is there someone, on the way, who offers them a cup of coffee? Seldom. Nobody really bothers with people who’re carving out their own path in the first place.

It’s ok.

Sometimes, though, things get lonely. Pioneers feel grossly misunderstood. They feel like misfits, till they make it fit by sheer and gargantuan effort.

After it fits, and the path’s been carved out, it’s all hunky-dory, mostly. The world wants to ride along any kind of recognition coming someone’s way.

There are those who carve their paths which the world isn’t able to understand immediately. Yeah, some pioneers die unrecognized, perhaps in misery. There’s been nobody to offer them that cup of coffee, their whole lives.

Such are the lives and times of pioneers.

Their achievements ultimately benefit the world monumentally.

Don’t be afraid of becoming one.

Yeah, do the world a favour.

Walking on the Moon?

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giant steps are what you take
walking on the moon
i hope my legs don’t break
walking on the moon

Don’t know how old this song is.

There was the version from Sting, or perhaps The Police.

Heard another jazz version of the song on internet radio the other day.

Got me thinking.

We all do. Walk on the Moon, that is.

The Moon stands for something undiscovered.

Each human is unique.

Our next moments are undiscovered, yet.

We live them in our own way.

Yeah, we walk on the Moon, each day, every new moment.

Even in uncharted territory, one wants a smooth walk, doesn’t one?

There are three steps that ensure this.

1). Proper due diligence.

2). Smelling liability from a distance.

3). Walking the other way, away from liability.

Even a donkey understands what’s written above.

Enjoy your walk, on your Moon, on your own personal journey.

The lyricist has penned it aptly. He or she knows about giant steps, so due diligence has been done. He or she hopes that his or her “legs don’t break”,  so he or she is alert that liability could be lurking.

Yeah, above three steps, people.

Let It Come To You

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Don’t run after the investment.

Let it come to you.

Let it breathe down your neck.

You’re not hungry for it…

…but, if it’s that good…

… you might take it.

Let it reveal its hidden goodness.

Let it ignite your curiosity to look for even more than basic goodness in the investment.

Play a passive-then-active role.

Some call this the sweet spot.

I call it the sweetest spot…

… which you really want to be in, in the world of investing.

Yeah, don’t be in a hurry.

Hurry spoils the curry.

Take your time, to the extent that…

… take time out of the equation.

Give your money the best possible chance…

… to make loads more.

Did You Hear About the Last Mile?

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Yawn.

So you did, huh?

In investing?

No?

Yeah, I just thought about it.

Sharing it with you.

Churning, churning, churning…

… inside.

As you do your due diligence, information churns inside of you.

What is it that says yes, I’m investing?

Where does that go-ahead moment happen?

In the last mile.

Inside of you.

This is not to take away anything from your due diligence.

DD is central.

Very important.

However, last mile is important too.

One needs to respect it.

First, one needs to know about it.

Knowing about it will stop you from pushing an investment.

Don’t push… …in the markets.

Just be.

Take the shape of the container. Your container is your system.

Wait for your last mile to respond. Learn to understand its style of expression.

It’s a feeling…

… of well-being, …

… or something suffocating, nausea-like.

Embrace the former. Dump what’s causing the latter.

It’s as simple as that.

The most meaningful things in life are…

… exactly…

… SIMPLE.

Steps are the New Currency

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Walking walking walking…

… steps.

We’re logging them.

We’re thinking more about them than dollars, pounds, euros or rupees.

How many steps’ve you done today?

And who’s we?

We’s a collective. People who’ve gotten financial basics sorted, but perhaps not health basics. However these people have realized that. Smart.

Why smart?

Simple.

To enjoy one’s financial basics, one’s health basics need to be in place.

Place health before wealth, and you enjoy your wealth.

No health, but wealth, well, then you don’t enjoy your wealth.

We’re also in it for quality of life, right?

Therefore, yeah, treat steps as a very valid currency that gives you the ticket to enjoy other physical currencies and their benefits.

Logged 10k for the day yet? Or 15k?

Yeah? Super.

No? Why not? What are you waiting for? Step up, buddy!

Manipulation / Fraud / Ponzi – I Reject You

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I detest manipulation, and manipulators. 

I like people who are straight-forward, without hidden agendas. Simplicity is gold. Simplicity breeds success. Simplicity gives satisfaction from within. 

All the twisting and turning, wheeling and dealing, wangling and dangling of manipulation makes me want to puke. 

Therefore, manipulators, frauds, Ponzis, I reject you. Manipulation doesn’t make the manipulator happy. Try it and see. I’m 100% sure your story won’t have a happy end.

Rejection is a simple process. When you reject something, you stay away from it. You get out of its way when it is in the vicinity. You head off elsewhere when that something is headed in your direction. Everyone’s probably been rejected sometime or someplace, so everyone probably understands rejection. 

Well, rejection is one thing, but how does one recognise a manipulator, fraud, or Ponzi?

Recognition is key. 

This breed of people talk sweet. They appear harmless. They don’t lose arguments. Quick, witty, sharp. Fast thinkers. They keep you hanging. Give ambiguous answers. Mostly, they like to not answer at all, so as to keep you dancing around them, making you more vulnerable to their schemes or ulterior motives. If you’re interested in their something, they use silence as a weapon. You’re hot, you’re interested, they’re silent, makes you hotter, makes you more interested. The idea is that ultimately, when the manipulator breaks the silence, you lap up whatever you’re getting. Also, they keep you hungry for more. Manipulators are vicious, vile people. 

Where manipulators push you to act, slowly, but steadily, by twisting and turning your world in the manner they consider appropriate (since you’ve given them that power), frauds outright present a reality which sucks you in to sign the dotted line. Frauds sell a dream. It’s a great dream. You want to be a part of it. It overwhelms you. It’s almost too good to be true.

Ponzis are frauds. They sell the dream of unrealistically large returns. They count on greed to cloud your vision. They lure new sets of investors by distributing investorial proceeds from one set of investors as dividends to slightly older investors, and so on and so forth, till the bandwagon is overloaded with thousands of investors paying full-throttle only to see the Ponzi vanish next day, with everything, never to be heard of again. 

When someone doesn’t give you a straight-forward answer, walk the other way. Don’t bother with benefit of doubt, just walk the other way. With very high probability, you’ll have avoided a manipulator. When someone uses silence as a weapon, walk away ten miles. Warn everyone of a mega-manipulator in the neighbourhood. Analyze sweet- and smooth-talk ten times. Is there any truth in what’s being said, or are the words an eye-wash, hiding a fraud behind themselves? If you’re not greedy, you won’t fall for a Ponzi. Don’t be greedy. Period. 

You’ve hit full cycle. 

You’ve understood the existence of the breed we speak about. It has dawned upon you. Let’s call this “internal realization”.

Then comes “external recognition”, of the breed being in your vicinity, and trying to exercise its powers upon you. 

Lastly, comes “complete rejection”. 

Well done. 

You’ve saved yourself from lots of emotional and or monetary trouble. 

Spread the word. 

Not in the Mood?

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Right, good.

You don’t have to be. And good that you’ve recognized it.

Mood sets the tone for success… or failure.

For example, just now, I’m not in the mood to conduct due-diligence. There’s one company which has sparked my interest, a few days ago. Work needs to be done, to decide whether I’m investing or am out. Quality of work needs to be of the highest order. Otherwise I might take a wrong decision, meaning that I might invest in a dud, or might reject a multibagger. And what happens? I’m not in the mood to conduct any kind of due diligence. For whatever reason. What’s to be done?

Nothing.

I just don’t conduct it.

Period.

What if the opportunity goes away?

So be it. Another will come along. When? Whenever. World is full of opportunities.

Why am I so pricy about my behaviour?

Well why not? It’s called being in the sweet spot. You call all the shots. Including working when in the right frame of mind. Such a condition enhances the probability of success.

When will I be conducting the due due-diligence?

When would that be?

Whenever it happens naturally, without artificial pressure.

Am I just born lucky, to be in a position to work when I want?

Well, I’ve definitely had my share of great luck, and continue to have it, by the grace of Nature. On the other hand, and to put things in perspective, I also have, over the last twelve years, worked hard to create a situation for myself where I only invest when I wish to. There’s no pressure on me to invest. My bread and butter isn’t dependent on it. I call it being in the sweet spot.

Work towards your sweet spot.

Now.

Apple just went Retina plus, right?

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Not that your retina is going to register it, …

… but we’ve entered the retina plus age, …

… and nobody intends on stopping.

Where’s this going?

“They” themselves don’t know.

Similar goes it perhaps with your funds in the bank.

Work towards your magic number.

Fine.

Totally fine.

Fine fine fine.

Wish for you that you go beyond…

… your magic number.

What happens for you then?

Do you revise your magic number, and start working towards your new magic number…

… thus enslaving yourself for life?

Or…
…do you now start functioning…
… beyond money?

Think about it.

Do you cap it at retina? I mean, you could then use your time and resources to something bombastically world-changing, something that has nothing to do with retina?

Or…
… will you continue to be a zombie?

Wish for you, that you take the “wake-up”  decision upon arriving at above juncture.

🙂

What is it about Vacuums?

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I borrow often.

Shocked?

You won’t be, after you hear my borrowing ideology.

You see, I only borrow against a solid structure I’ve already created. Free and idle cash makes me take grossly irresponsible and wrong decisions with itself. I’ve learnt to first bind my free and idle cash in a structure, and then to borrow against this structure to create another new and ultimately free-standing structure. I’ve been amazed at the quality of investment decisions coming through for me with this methodology.

Also, I try to only borrow for the purpose of creating this new (solid) structure. Because I’m creating this new structure with borrowed money, this makes me work that much harder during due diligence.

Furthermore, I borrow to create vacuum.

As you understand already, vacuum attracts flow.

On top of that, and this is the icing on the cake, when I’ve borrowed, there’s pressure on me to save, and to nullify the borrowing as soon as I possibly can. Believe it or not, this fact, coupled with the principle of attracted flow, leads to the borrowed amount being filled up (paid back) very, very fast indeed.

What I then have left standing is my original solid structure.

Oh, yeah, I also have my new structure, which I have just created, and which will serve me.

So worth it.