Read Lead The Field, Watch the next Cosmos, and use auto when possible

Read, watch, stop:

• The Strangest Secret is one of my top favorite books of all time.  I’m recommending another book from Earl Nightengale, Lead the Field.

• Cosmos: Possible Worlds with Neil deGrasse Tyson is a family-friendly continued look into space. 

• Stop spending time with payments, services, or subscriptions that can auto-pay or auto-renew.

Read The Strangest Secret, Watch Cosmos, Get Back to Life!

Read, watch, stop:

• The Strangest Secret is one of my top favorite books of all time.  I’ve recommended it in my blog, and I’m recommending it again.  This book is worth a yearly read.  “We become what we think about.”

• Cosmos with Neil deGrasse Tyson is a re-swizzle of the Carl Sagan classic.

• Stop saying no to friends, co-workers, and others… or maybe this one is just for me.  When COVID hit, after researching past plagues, I learned that survivors used being away from the masses as key.  So, we did.  Today, I’m saying yes to meetings, lunches, and conferences; it feels good to be back.

Read Happy-Go-Lucky, Watch Norm Macdonald, Stop Not Delegating

Read, watch, stop:

• Happy-Go-Lucky by David Sedaris is a laugh-out-loud read.  He’s my favorite satirist.

• The late Norm Macdonald is one of the best.

• Stop not leveraging support staff.  I used to feel guilty about having others do work I could do.  Today, for anything I’m doing, my first question is, “Who else can do this?”

Read ITR Economics, Watch Waco, Stop Worrying About In-Person or Online

Read, watch, stop:

• ITR Economics by brothers Brian and Alan Beaulieu provide a-political insights on current and upcoming economic conditions.

• While starting my firm out of my house, I remember being overwhelmed by what was happening at Waco.  There has been a docu-drama and a follow-up series on Waco and the aftermath of Waco.  I’m not sure it’s worth a subscription to Showtime, but if you are a subscriber, check it out.

• Stop worrying and balance in-person or online meetings.  One size doesn’t fit all.  With COVID in the rearview mirror, I question whether meetings should be held in person or online.  We continue to have those meetings online via Teams for daily management huddles.  For get-togethers, like our quarterly meeting, where we bring the whole company together to review progress on strategic goals, anniversaries, and celebrations, we hold them in person but also simulcast on Teams.  A hybrid approach makes sense.

Read Those Bastards, Watch The Last of Us, Stop Not Taking Notes

Read, watch, stop:

• Those Bastards by Jared Dillian is a book that was just released, and disclaimer:  I haven’t read it.  I’ve subscribed to his financial newsletters for years and find him insightful and challenging common opinions and thoughts. If you’re willing to risk $20, give it a shot.

• Our firm’s attorney mentioned The Last of Us when we met for a wonderful dinner and a Minnesota Wild game (thanks again, Steve).  The Last of Us is intense, entertaining, and binge-worthy. Every episode has a pretty gory scene. If you’re not a fan of gore, learn to fast-forward because the plot is that good.

• Stop not taking notes.  I use a notebook and pen instead of notes on my phone or laptop for meetings where I want to focus and have no distractions from email or other apps (yes, I know my last post was about digitizing content). While a little old school, I think it shows respect for the others in the room and my written notes always work regardless of battery life.