the Ripening: Assets

Showing posts with label Assets. Show all posts

Goals 15/16 - June Update & Conclusion

A year has passed since i came on here and communicated my goals. Here's the final count:

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	12	17	70.59%
Pullups	2610	5000	52.20%
Reduce Debt	$21,250.21	$25,882.11	$4,631.90
Keep the Fiance	12	12	100.00%
Volunteerism (h)	4.5	24	18.75%
Meditation (m)	115	1440	7.99%

While i can't say that i'm pleased with the results, i can say that i'm happy that i accomplished what i was able to accomplish.

I read a book a month.

I did 2610 pullups.

I reduced my debt by $4632.

I still have a fiance.

I volunteered for 4 and a half hours.

And i meditated a little bit.

I will take time to reflect on what went wrong and work to improve myself based on what i uncover. Nothing is a failure if you learn from it.

Goals 15/16 - April Update

Well, April didn't go very well in terms of goals. Here's the stats:

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	12	17	70.59%
Pullups	2480	5000	49.60%
Reduce Debt	$21,744.63	$25,882.11	$4,137.48
Keep the Fiance	10	12	83.33%
Volunteerism (h)	4.5	24	18.75%
Meditation (m)	115	1440	7.99%

Not going to complain, though. I've still made progress.

Goals 15/16 - March Update

An update of my goals through ~9 months:

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	12	17	70.59%
Pullups	2259	5000	45.18%
Reduce Debt	$21,721.43	$25,882.11	$4,160.68
Keep the Fiance	9	12	75.00%
Volunteerism (h)	4.5	24	18.75%
Meditation (m)	115	1440	7.99%

Not much to say other than the numbers don't lie. I have 3 months left. I'm hoping to make as big of a dent as possible.

Goals 15/16 - February Update

An update on my goals for time period 6/19/15 - 6/18/16:

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	10	17	58.82%
Pullups	1949	5000	38.98%
Reduce Debt	$22,110.57	$25,882.11	$3,771.54
Keep the Fiance	8	12	66.67%
Volunteerism (h)	4.5	24	18.75%
Meditation (m)	115	1440	7.99%

The only notable here is that I've made significant progress on the debt front this month. Not because attitudes have changed, but because i was lucky enough to have parents who opened an investment account for me when i was younger. I was able to cash that in and use the proceeds to pay off debt.

I know that this action might seem like the wrong move, but the investment account was actively managed (read: high fees). I should've rolled into my Roth, but i really want to get rid of this debt --especially the higher interest shit. It's like a weight on my shoulders. Fuck owing people money.

On to the next one.

Goals 15/16 - January Update

Another month in the books, another opportunity to share progress on my goals:

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	10	17	58.82%
Pullups	1734	5000	34.68%
Reduce Debt	$24,660.14	$25,882.11	$1,221.97
Keep the Fiance	7	12	58.33%
Volunteerism (h)	4.5	24	18.75%
Meditation (m)	115	1440	7.99%

I'm beginning to realize that I'm probably not going to reach the goal for pullups, meditation, and volunteering. However, instead of getting upset with myself I'm going to focus on how far I've come.

I'm not going to stop either. Just because I don't think I'll reach the goals doesn't mean I should give up on them.

Check back in a month and we'll see how much closer I'm getting.

Goals 15/16 - December Update

Halfway through the "year" and here's how i stand on my goals:

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	8	17	47.06%
Pullups	1630	5000	32.60%
Reduce Debt	$24,899.12	$25,882.11	$982.99
Keep the Fiance	6	12	50.00%
Volunteerism (h)	4.5	24	18.75%
Meditation (m)	98	1440	6.81%

Boy, do i have work to do!

I'm ready, though. The New Year has given me new inspiration. I'm confident that i can still reach the goals that i've set forth. I have until June 18th.

Goals 15/16 - November Update

Here's the progress on my goals...(for the period of 6/19/15 - 6/18/16)

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	7	17	41.18%
Pullups	1571	5000	31.42%
Reduce Debt	$25,147.61	$25,882.11	$734.50
Keep the Fiance	5	12	41.67%
Volunteerism (h)	3.5	24	14.58%
Meditation (m)	81	1440	5.63%

I'm behind but I have some time to make up for it. I'm happy with my progress in the "Books" department, and I still have a fiance, but those are the lone bright spots.

December is a new month and a new opportunity to get closer to my goals.

Goals 15/16 - October Update

Over a third of my "goal year" has already passed. Here's where I'm at with my goals:
(33% completed means I'm on pace)

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	6	17	35.29%
Pullups	1536	5000	30.72%
Reduce Debt	$25,353.43	$25,882.11	$528.68
Keep the Fiance	4	12	33.33%
Volunteerism (h)	3.5	24	14.58%
Meditation (m)	81	1440	5.63%

Books - I was struggling the whole month of September trying to finish both Money by Tony Robbins and The 48 Laws of Power by Robert Greene so I decided to set those books down. In turn, I started and finished both The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo and God's Debris by Scott Adams. I learned that it's much better to move on from a book you're struggling with and read things that excite.

Pullups - Lowest month of pullups yet. My back has been hurting a little and I wonder if doing nothing but pullups is a bad idea.

Reduce Debt - Fuck! I hate debt. Seeing that I've only put a $500 dent in my debt situation fucking sucks! (Not enough to create real change in my spending habits, though)

Keep the fiance - Surprised the fiance with a single rose and a bagel for breakfast on our wedding "Countdown Day."

Volunteerism - Didn't do a damn thing :(

Meditation - Only sat for 10 minutes the whole month.

I mustn't procrastinate. I need to focus on achieving the goals early as opposed to having a "tomorrow" mentality. Here's to having a more successful update at the beginning of December.

Goals 15/16 - September Update

Still chugging along with my goals for 6/19/15 - 6/18/16:

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	4	17	23.53%
Pullups	1369	5000	27.38%
Reduce Debt	$25,353.43	$25,882.11	$528.68
Keep the Fiance	3	12	25.00%
Volunteerism (h)	3.5	24	14.58%
Meditation (m)	71	1440	4.93%

We're three full months into it, so 25% is considered "on pace."

Books - Slightly behind but i'm in the middle of two books, including Tony Robbins' 600+ page beast Money: Master the Game.

Pullups - September saw the fewest amount of pullups thus far, but I'm still where I need to be to complete this goal.

Reduce Debt - I've paid $528.68 toward my debt. I'm kind of disappointed in myself here, as I need to dig outta the hole asap.

Keep the fiance - Yup! She's still around.

Volunteerism - Behind on this goal. I must remind myself that volunteering doesn't have to be "official." Simply picking up trash at the park would suffice. Work to do here.

Meditation - Still struggling. Not much else to say.

All in all, I'm happy with where I'm at and feel as though I will be able to meet all my goals before my 31st birthday.

Goals 15/16 - August Update

Progress on my goals:

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	4	17	23.53%
Pullups	1095	5000	21.90%
Reduce Debt	$25,536.19	$25,882.11	$345.92
Keep the Fiance	2	12	16.67%
Volunteerism (h)	3.5	24	14.58%
Meditation (m)	71	1440	4.93%

I actually have more debt this month than i do last month, so while i'm still in "less debt than i was last year" i haven't improved in this area. That's the beauty of tracking. You can see exactly where you've been and where you're at and figure out what you need to do to progress.

I also didn't volunteer this month so shame on me for that.

Anyways...fuck it! Onward.

Goals 15/16 - July 2015 Update

As i mentioned in this post, my focus this year (June 19 - June 18) is on longer-term goals.

Here is the status as of 7/31/15:

Area	Current	Goal	Progress
Books	3	17	17.65%
Pullups	672	5000	13.44%
Reduce Debt	$25,339.14	$25,882.11	$542.97
Keep the Fiance	1	12	8.33%
Volunteerism (h)	3.5	24	14.58%
Meditation (m)	8	1440	0.56%

So far, everything is on track except for meditation. Also, "not getting further into debt" might not be lofty enough of a goal. Pretty much all of that progress is forced in the form of bills. However, it's nice to see that I'm a tiny bit closer to getting out of the hole.

Notes & Quotes: Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey

The following are my favorite quotes from Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness.

Personal finance is 80% behavior and only 20% head knowledge.
I owe, I owe, so off to work I go.
The challenge is you. You are the problem with your money.
If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else.
The enemy of "the best" is not "the worst." The enemy of "the best" is "just fine."
It is human nature to want it and want it now; it is also a sign of immaturity.
Debt adds considerable risk, most often doesn't bring prosperity, and isn't used by wealthy people nearly as much as we are led to believe.
Looking good is when your broke friends are impressed by what you drive, and being good is having more money than they have.
We yearn to become healthy, wealthy, and wise with no effort and with no risk, but it will never happen.
The lottery is a tax on the poor and on people who can't do math.
Ignorance is not a lack of intelligence; it is a lack of know how.
Ignorance is not okay. "What you don't know won't hurt you" is a really stupid statement. What you don't know will kill you.
Find something to do and do that with vigor until it is complete; then and only then do you move to the next step.
You have to tell money to do or it leaves.
If your budget is stopped-up and your debt snowball won't roll on its own, you are going to have to get radical.
Beware not to rationalize the use of your emergency fund for something that you should save for and purchase.
Retirement in America has come to mean "save enough money so I can quit the job I hate." That is a bad life plan.
College is great, but don't expect too much from that degree.
College isn't even a need; it is a want. It isn't a necessity; it is a luxury. This luxury is one of the 1st on my list, but not before retirement, not before an emergency fund, and certainly not as a reason to go into debt.
If you must take out a mortgage, pretend only 15-year mortgages exist.
If you think wealth will answer all life's questions and make you trouble-free, you are delusional.
Until you have $10 million, keep your investments simple.
Always manage your own money. You should surround yourself with a team of people smarter than you, but you make the decisions. You can tell if they are smarter than you if they can explain complex issues in ways that you can understand.
When your money makes more than you do, you are officially wealthy.
Only the strong can help the weak, and that is true of money too.
Money gives power to good intentions.
There are only three uses for money: FUN, INVESTING, and GIVING.
Wealth will make you more of what you are. Let that one soak in for a minute.

This book doesn't necessarily lend itself well to simple quotes. The fact is that if you're in debt, not only do you need to read this book but to apply the principles.

Goals 15/16 - Introduction: Current State of Affairs

As i mentioned in an earlier post during the Introspective Journaling 21-day challenge, i've given myself the following goals for my 31st year of existence:

Read/watch 17 books or documentaries
to do 5000 pullups
to not go further into debt
to "not fuck up my relationship" with my fiance
dedicate 24 hours to service/volunteerism
meditate for 24 hours

My challenges in the upcoming months will be dedicated to the completion of these goals. As i pretty much live by Google Sheets, i've created a spreadsheet to track my progress. The spreadsheet, appropriately titled "15/16" can be viewed (and commented on) by clicking on that link.

I'm looking forward to completing these 6 goals and becoming a better person because of it. Follow my progress!

Notes & Quotes: How to Make Millions with Your Ideas by Dan Kennedy

Here are my favorite quotes from Dan Kennedy's How to Make Millions with Your Ideas. Although i enjoy all of these, i've bolded my favorites.

Don't worry about impressing people, just get busy inspiring them.
You can take just about any ordinary business, do its core business and serve and satisfy customers just a little bit better than the norm, add clever, extra profit centers to the core business, and manage the money very intelligently -- and that business will make you rich.
Wealth is most often linked to exclusive ownership or control of a particular concept, product, or service.
Do everything possible to minimize circumstances beyond your control.
All around you, in every imaginable form, people are profiting by selling what they know or how to do.
"Price objections are value problems." Larry Harmon
"Use the sales techniques used by drug peddlers: give away lots of free samples until the customer is hooked." Burton Morgan
There are four ways to gain ownership or exclusive control of a product: create, publish, secure certain exclusive rights, or have it private labeled for you.
The fastest way to lose a million dollars is to be an inventor.
Create it only if you know how you will market it that you can market it.
There are enough actual obstacles to overcome without manufacturing more of them in your own imagination.
The only way to know for sure how any individual or group of people will respond is to make your best possible argument, under the best possible circumstances.
Most highly promotable products, services, or businesses have at least one of three ingredients: 1. they solve an almost universal need and problem 2. they provide a much better way to perform a common task or do a common, necessary job 3. they have an enormous emotional or impulse appeal that transcends logic and basic needs.
Nothing you can do in a sales script can match the power of a shared passion.
If you ain't the lead dog, the view never changes.
If you can't be first in a category, set up a new category that you can have first in.
Often, success is just one or two minor adjustments away.
"In life, you don't get what you deserve -- you get what you negotiate for." Chester Karrass
Consumers relate and band better with individuals than with corporate entities.
Every time a new media has emerged, the marketers who figured out how to make it work first enjoyed tremendous, once-in-a-lifetime, windfall profits.
If you don't seriously offend at least one person a day, you're not doing or saying much.
The 5 P's of publicity: be predictive, be proactive, be public, be a personality, be persistent.
"I'm absolutely sure that you can never make as much money running a business as you can selling a business." T Harv Eker
6 steps followed by those who get top dollar: (for selling a business)

Do not need to sell.
Demonstrate tremendous potential.
Attract suitors, don't seek them.
Be patient.
Ignore conventional evaluations of what your company is worth
Start by asking for a lot more than you want.

Notes and Quotes: The Best Investment Advice I Ever Received by Liz Claman

The following are my favorite quotes from Liz Claman's The Best Investment Advice I Ever Received: Priceless Wisdom from Warren Buffett, Jim Cramer, Suze Orman, Steve Forbes, and Dozens of Other Top Financial Experts. I've bolded my favorites. Share yours in the comments.

Time and compound interest are magic. - Paul O'Neill
There is a big difference between investing and speculating. - Paul O'Neill
You only buy stock with money you can afford to lose.
Look at stock as being part of a business versus something that has a lot of flash about it or something that your broker or neighbor simply tells you about. - Warren Buffet
Look into the company reports and filings the SEC requires every publicly traded company to provide investors. Ask yourself whether this business is straightforward and understandable. Does it have cash flow? What are its long term prospects? Are its earnings reports relatively consistent? Does it have a solid, consistent operating history? High profit margins? These are all important sign posts. - Warren Buffet
Buffet believes investors should turn a deaf ear to the day to day gyrations of the stock market. Good quality companies can withstand these gyrations.
Time is a friend of the wonderful business, the enemy of the mediocre. - Warren Buffett
Three characteristics successful companies seem to share. Invest in companies that:

are in good markets
have a great culture, great people, and great values
are constantly reinventing themselves. - Stanley M Bergman

Save. Save a lot and save often. - Richard Bernstein
Savings and consumption are mutually exclusive. You simply can't do both. - Richard Bernstein
Debt is an insidious detractor from building wealth. - Richard Bernstein
If you live for today, you have less for tomorrow. - Richard Bernstein
The key is to look for companies with a high return on equity and a low PE ratio. - Scott Black
Attempting to time the market is a mistake. - Scott Black
You should have most of your money in equities, especially when you are younger, because this enables you to participate in the growth of the U.S. economy. - Scott Black
There is room to be a successful investor, merely by understanding three simple concepts:

how to reduce stock risk
what drives stock prices
how to optimize investment returns. - John Bogle

You can accumulate wealth not through salaries but by acquiring equity. - Burt Upjohn
7 common principles of value leadership:

value human relationships
foster teamwork
experiment frugally
fulfill your commitments
fight complacency
win through multiple means
give to your community. - Peter S Cohen

Pay attention to the organization's leaders, track record, and core values, and then ask the question, "Do I trust him?" - Art Collins
Diversify your portfolio and minimize taxes and trading costs. Know your investment goals and choose your assets to achieve your goals. Invest regularly and avoid timing the market. - John Core
Save as much as you can and your investments will do better. Do not pick stocks unless you are following stocks regularly. Resist temptation to sell stocks short. - John Core
Taking risks is key to a successful investment strategy, but you have to take prudent risks. - David Darst
All the investment greats go in with baby steps and with flexibility. - David Darst
Investing is part science and part art. The science is the discipline and the art is the judgment. - Bob Doll
In investing, you should diversify -- don't try to hit homeruns. - Steve Forbes
The bottom line is if it feels good, don't, and, if it feels bad, do it. - Steve Forbes
Save the pennies and the dollars will save themselves. - Debby Fowles
People tend to buy the most expensive home, car, clothes, and the latest tech gadgets, but this is all money that could've been invested. You need to make a conscious decision regarding what really matters the most. - Debbie Fowles
They don't understand the fundamental relation between a profitable company and a company with great service. Most investors don't look at this correlation even though it is the leading indicator of a profitable company. - James Walton, son of Sam Walton
This is a process, not a lottery ticket, and you have to be in it for the long run. - Dr Bob Froehlich
The portfolio theory of investing makes much more sense for the average investor. - Jim Hackett
While risk is direction related to reward in our world, risk needs to be prudently managed. - Jim Hackett
You can never have a perfect game because you can't control the referees or the weather. But, you can have a perfect practice. - Vince Lombardi
The single most important determinant in your investment strategy is to develop a thorough understanding of your individual risk profile and your long term requirements and goals. - Susan Ivey
When it comes to investing, boring is a very rewarding thing to be. - Mike Jackson
Cash flow needs to line up with profits. The stock price should relate to performance. And the company should be poised for continued success by leveraging whatever advantages they have over the competition. - Mike Jackson
Pride, impatience, ignorance, shortsightedness, and farsightedness can all lead to bad investment decisions. - Doug Kass
To win over the long run, you need to grind it out. - Doug Kass
The more certain the crowd is, the more certain it is to be wrong. After all, if everyone were right, there would be no reward. - Doug Kass
Four green houses turn into one red hotel. - Robert Kiyosaki
Everyone who wants to be a successful investor needs a plan, then needs to follow their plan. - Robert Kiyosaki
By holding on to your investments, you are making a bet on the long-run health of the American economy and our free market capitalist system. - Lawrence Kudlow
Look for companies that are pretty easy to understand and that focus on long-term growth and leadership. - A G Lafley
Don't get into credit card debt. If you do, you are giving up the opportunity to invest your own money because you owe money. - Alexandra Lebenthal
Once you have educated yourself, diversity in a portfolio is the most important thing. You should never have all your eggs in one basket. - Alexandra Lebenthal
Bonds are the stable part of your portfolio, they are what you can depend on, the thing you can plan on.
Start investing as early as you can and invest for your life cycle. - Joe Lee
When you look at a company you should ask, "Does this company have good leadership? Does this company provide a product or service that is greatly desired or needed by the people? Do they have a long-term market?" - Joe Lee
Cash is not trash. If you don't have cash available, you can't take advantage of opportunities. Cash is a very valuable offensive weapon. - Steve Leuthold
Don't invest in anything you don't understand. - Peter Lynch
Invest and save, even in small amounts, but with every paycheck. - Edward Ludwig
Follow the path of your own experience. Your years of experience coupled with your instincts are the best guide for your business and personal investment decisions. Follow them. - Terry Lundgren
I am not in favor of buying single stocks because I think it is impossible to have enough information to do it successfully. - Howard Lutnick
Don't look at stocks like marriage. When you buy a stock, you are just supposed to date it, sell it when its up, and whatever you do, don't marry it. - Howard Lutnick
I encourage everyone to diversify your portfolio, invite annual reviews by a professional advisor, and make important adjustments as your age, time horizon, and risk tolerance change. - Mackey J Mcdonald
You can generally lose more money in a matter of minutes than you can make in a matter of years. - Roger McNamee
Invest with competent, successful management, that's the key. It's the same in all business -- it's the management! - Alan B Miller
To be a successful investor, you need to have a thorough understanding, both intellectually and emotionally, of what your risk tolerance is. - Joe Moglin
There is no such thing as a dumb question when it comes to your own money. You have to take ownership of your finances! - Georgette Mosbacher
Investments should be broken into 3 specific and well defined buckets:

money that will be absolutely safe no matter what happens in the world. (treasuries, agencies, and triple-A insureds) This should be your largest bucket.
equities of world class companies. There must be a long-term commitment to this bucket and it should be reviewed on a regular basis. (30 - 40% of holdings)
"Go for the gusto" pot. Junk bonds, high risk stocks, and from time to time a trip to Vegas. Be emotionally prepared to lose everything in this bucket. < 10% of holdings, preferably 5. - Angelo Mozilo

The only way to analyze a company and judge the quality of management is to look at what management is doing as portrayed in the financial statements rather that what they are saying. - Angelo Mozilo
Never row out farther than you can swim back. - Swedish saying
Paying the wrong price for a good company is the equivalent of buying a bad company. - Robert A Olstein
The desire to be right all of the time is a roadblock to being right over time. - Robert A Olstein
It's better to have 50% of something than 100% of nothing. - Suze Orman
Fear, shame, and anger are the three internal obstacles to wealth. - Suze Orman
Generally, it is going against the grain that will better enable you to find investment success. - Wilbur Ross
When you invest, make sure you know what you're investing in. Move toward opportunities you have an affinity and passion for. It will be a winning combination. - Ronald L Sargent
People will always pay for brands. - Irwin Simon
We continue to believe that staying focused on the key investment principles of diversification, buying quality investments, and maintaining a long-term perspective is the best way for investors to reach their long-term goals. - Alan Skrainke
People should stop chasing performance and just put together a sensible portfolio regardless of the ups and downs of the market. - David Swensen
You will get plenty of exposure to international markets by investing in the S&P 500 index funds or broad-based equity funds, since many of these companies do business globally. - Don Washkewicz
By hiring an advisor or financial planner, you aren't giving up your responsibility to understand what they are telling you and what they are advising you to do... - Robert Weissenstein
You should not take advice at face value from a single person. - Robert Weissenstein
The more that people try to hit home runs, the less likely they are to get on base. - Robert Weissenstein
There are three things I always look at to improve my odds as an investor: business model, earnings potential, and management. - Miles White
The reason for holding a stock is that you believe in the future of the company. If you don't believe this, you should sell. - Stephen P Zeldes
If you aren't a high-level executive who is forced to hold company stock, it is generally better to avoid doing so. - Stephen P Zeldes

If you enjoyed the quotes, consider picking up a copy of the book for yourself.