People sometimes talk about investing like it’s the holy grail.
If you start early and buy whatever’s hot (Crypto, houses, tech stocks etc.) you’ll end up richer than Warren Buffett.
If only.
What you consistently do each day is the most important investment. Investing money wisely within an evidence-based, globally diversified portfolio is a great way to grow your wealth.
But investing time into high-ROI habits or daily rituals that make you valuable in your workplace/society will make you more (both money and happiness).
So the goal is to focus on habits or daily rituals that work for you.
This week, I’ve been enjoying The Harvard Business Review’s 100th birthday celebration of its most influential and innovative articles.
The collection starts with Peter Drucker on ‘managing oneself.'
After all, history’s great achievers – Napoleon, da Vinci, Mozart – have always managed themselves.
And success in the knowledge economy comes to those who know themselves – self-awareness around areas such as:
- What are my strengths?
- How do I perform?
- Am I a reader or a listener?
- How do I learn?
- What are my values?
- Where do I belong?
- What should I contribute?
- Responsibility for relationships
- The second half of your life
Take point 3.
I’m a reader.
Genres like personal finance, wealth, investing, management and personal development are what I like.
Here are 3 of my favourites:
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl
This book is described as “one of the greatest books of our time” by Harold Kushner and “one of the outstanding contributions to psychological thought” by Carl Rogers.
It’s about the powerful and insightful exploration of the human will to find meaning, despite the worst adversity.
Many of us are living in an existential vacuum – a feeling of total and utter meaninglessness in our lives.
Frankl says that life is not primarily a quest for pleasure or power, but a quest for meaning.
This is, he believes, the greatest quest of all.
If there is a reason as to ‘why’ you must do a thing, then ‘how’ you do it becomes immaterial, if your 'why' is strong enough.
Millionaire Expat by Andrew Hallam
This brilliant book shows how anyone can achieve financial freedom if they simply put their mind to it.
Andrew Hallam shares insights on how you can build your strongest portfolio from anywhere in the world. And, how to put it to work for you so you can achieve financial freedom.
Understanding what to avoid can make a significant difference to your long-term success and happiness.
The good news is, the book highlights that to succeed in investing, you don't need to commit huge amounts of time to following the stock market or reading dull financial news.
Read this or his latest book called Balance, if you want to learn how to enjoy life on your terms.
Good to Great by Jim Collins
My favourite business book of all time.
It’s taught me valuable lessons which we implement into AES day-to-day.
The book is based upon extensive research, in which Collins explores the conquest of how to make good companies great.
My key takeaway from Good to Great is discipline.
To go from a good organisation to a great one you need disciplined people, disciplined thought, and disciplined action.
This book is about being great, not merely good.
Good is the enemy of great.
It discusses how greatness is not a function of circumstance, but instead is largely a matter of conscious choice.
If you’re looking to grow in business, this is a must-read.
In times of rapid change, if you’re not growing – you're shrinking.
Worse, your skills are becoming out of date and you’re missing great opportunities.
Self-education is simply replacing Netflix, Instagram and YouTube with educational podcasts, books, online courses, and seminars.
My ludicrously simple habits in my click-bait title, therefore, fall into self-management, self-development and self-care.
Become obsessed with self-education and people will think you’re ten times smarter, even if you only have average intelligence like me.
Have you read any of these? Get in touch and let me know what some of your favourite books are and why.
Further reading
Short-term pain versus long-term gain: Can fixed income now deliver stock-like returns?
What I'm reading #40: 5 concepts to embrace that will help you invest and live better
