It’s October the 31st, so best witches to you today 😉
Here is your Seven-Bullet Monday
1. A quote I am pondering:
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." – Leonardo da Vinci
If Steve Jobs could embrace this quote and live by its mandate for everything Apple, why can't we? Don't you love solutions and designs that are simple but elegant? Let's not over-complicate things when simple solutions and explanations will do quite nicely.
2. A question I am asking myself:
Will I ever enjoy doing burpees?
I've been doing a lot of F45 training sessions recently, and I love all the exercise varieties thrown at me every session, except for those dreaded burpees. They are apparently one of the best exercises possible, but I still hate them, sigh! One day ……..
3. A book I am reading:
Quit: The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away – Annie Duke
Annie Duke's brilliant first book, Thinking in Bets, helped me understand the role luck plays in outcomes, whether or not we make the right choice leading to that outcome. I think her second book, Quit, is even better than her first. In this book, she teaches that it is okay to quit if we do it thoughtfully for the right reasons. Quitting at the right time might also save your life or open you to a much better future. This book could be for you if you are struggling with a difficult choice. It provides some excellent insights into the psychology behind difficult decisions and gives you a framework to make a rational choice between 'grit' or 'quit'.
4. My favourite podcast this week:
My First Million: 9 Business Ideas To Profit From The 2022 AI Gold Rush
If you are interested in computer technology, you will enjoy this episode, which details some of the exciting and perhaps a little scary Artificial Intelligence (AI) already used for various applications. AI these days is going well beyond the Siris and Alexas of this world, and the variety of AI uses already in play is astounding. Whether improving helplines, composing music, creating art or presenting realistic interviews with now-deceased celebrities, it's shaking up the world as we know it.
5. Hugh-Tips
Don't be swayed by short-term market sentiment
Benjamin Graham, the father of value investing, once said, "In the short run, the market is like a voting machine (i.e. pricing which firms are in or out of favour), but in the long run, the market is like a weighing machine." (i.e. truly valuing the actual substance of the business). In the long run, a company's underlying business performance matters, not how fickle investors feel about it now. So spend less time listening to commentators opining on fluctuations in a particular stock price. Instead, figure out the quality of that business, its management, real growth opportunities and longevity, and make your investment decision.
6. My highlight of the week
Attending Elton John's Last Ever Concert in Canada
Elton John's Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour made its way to Vancouver last weekend for his very last concert in Canada. He's 75 now, wants to spend more time with his family, and is the only act to have UK Top Ten hits in six decades. The concert was brilliant, and he has lost none of his powerful voice, energetic piano playing or goofy outfits. Several band members on stage go back to the beginning of his career, which must have put the combined age on stage at over 400 years. Despite this, they rocked it out of the park.
7. My challenge to you for this week
Take four people you care about, and for 15 seconds each, put yourself in their shoes and imagine how they may be thinking of you
Okay, this might take a little time to wrap your head around, but it is a worthwhile exercise in empathy building. It's an excellent way to try and see yourself as they see you. It will help you better appreciate what they like about you and where they might struggle. This process can help us speak or behave differently around them, strengthening those relationships.
Have a wonderful week
