Here is your Five-Bullet Monday
A quote I am pondering:
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for a newer and richer experience.” Eleanor Roosevelt
When our lives have too much “same old, same old”, our internal spark goes out, and we can slide into plod mode. Some of us might find it difficult each day to try something new or do something for the first time. But when we do, it’s like applying a blowtorch to our soul, and fresh excitement about life is rebirthed. It could be speaking to a stranger on the train, signing up for a new aerobic class, giving away something, speaking up about an issue – whatever it is, please do it. You will be amazed at your increasing boldness, and it will be enriching.
A question I am asking myself:
Where do I need to develop most, and what am I doing about it?
The area in which you feel you need the most development could be a strength or weakness. Whichever it is, intentional and focused practice is going to make the difference. Measure now and measure later, and that way, you can objectively view your progress. A great way to improve is finding an accountability partner and asking them to help you with that specific area.
A book I am reading:
Great at Work: How Top Performers Work Less and Achieve More – Morten Hansen
Morten Hansen’s latest book has become required reading for leaders in my company, Conuma Resources. Having just finished the book, I can see why, because it offers simple but powerful insights on performing better at work. I especially liked the first theme of “Prioritize, then obsess in chosen areas.” This advice is powerful because we often get spread so thinly at work that we lack penetration in our most critical areas. By narrowing the focus down, we recreate a sharp edge that can make breakthroughs.
My favourite podcast this week:
Disruptors – the Climate Conversations: Where do we go from here?
In this podcast, the presenters speak to Dr Katharine Hayhoe and former Bank of Canada Governor, Mark Carney, about climate change challenges and potential solutions. It is the start of a series on climate change, and I am looking forward to the next few episodes, given how good this one was. I also purchased Katharine Hayhoe’s delightful book, as she has been a powerful voice of reconciliation between the two climate change camps.
Hugh-Tips
Buy stocks with a margin of safety
The basic premise of margin-of-safety-investing is to purchase shares in companies for less than their intrinsic worth. By buying companies at a discount, you create a safety margin if things don’t go as planned or the market dips. Warren Buffet made his fortune by buying companies at just the right time. What he would do is keep a close eye on these companies over time, and when they encountered some form of temporary difficulty, became out of favour with the market, or the price dipped, that’s when he would pounce and make big purchases. This requires some analysis and patience, but the rewards can be very significant. Joel Greenblatt and Phil Town have some great free tools online to help you quickly develop margin-of-safety tools.
My highlight this last week
Soaking up the Fall colours
We are nearing the end of Fall here in Vancouver, and the rich tapestry of Fall colours from our deciduous trees is simply magnificent. Each time I’ve gone out in the car, I’ve taken a few moments to enjoy nature’s feast on display. Ekhart Tolle’s message of living in the Now has been no more timely than just appreciating the beauty of these trees, one moment at a time.
My challenge to you for this week
Retain your good eating and exercise habits no matter the season
As someone living in a colder climate, my experience has been shedding weight in the warmer, more active summer months and gaining a few (or maybe many) pounds in the cold and dark winters. This winter, I reckon it’s time for a change – why don’t you and I, instead of resigning ourselves to gaining a few pounds by the time next Spring rolls around, rather target to lose a few pounds over the winter. Yes, it takes a little more commitment, but the reward will be well worth it. Just think how good you will look when you can finally get round to shedding that bulky winter jacket.