WEDNESDAY, 5 DECEMBER 2018
Chris Rempel, a marketer whose newsletter I signed up for several years ago, says about time: “[In] business, focus as much on earning time as you do on earning money. And when the money does come in, use it to further guard your time by choosing investments that aren’t ‘jobs in disguise’.”
What that says to me is that you should, almost as a matter of routine, look at look how you spend the hours of each day, and have a conversation with yourself that looks like the following:
“Is there any way we can liberate that hour?”
“Which hour?”
“That one, between 18:00 and 19:00. Is there any way we can pay someone else to do what we do then? Or, isn’t there a better way to do what we do then? Or is there no other way we can get the same result (probably money) by doing something that takes up less of our time?”
SATURDAY, 8 DECEMBER 2018
What is my writing about?
I have a deep-seated need to understand myself, and also to understand the world in which I live out my daily existence, and to make as much of the one life I have as I possibly can.
Then, when I think I’ve sorted something out or received some decent insight, I have a strong need to share it with people. Writing has always registered in my head as a good way to do this.
WEDNESDAY, 12 DECEMBER 2018
Eventually, I would be able to say that the process of becoming financially independent has been enjoyable, stimulating, fulfilling, and extremely interesting, as virtually everything I have read and applied came down to improving myself.
THURSDAY, 13 DECEMBER 2018
First coherent thought after waking up this morning: “I have to change ‘just reasonable’ to ‘still reasonable’. (In reference to a title, “Did I swallow the red pill, or am I just reasonable?”)
Here I am now, a few hours later, and I still think it’s a good idea. But did I really get the idea the moment I woke up? I don’t think so. I think it was already in my mind yesterday, but too many other thoughts had blocked it. When I woke up this morning, there was no blockage – and the idea was exposed, in a manner of speaking.
Must be why so many people say good things about meditation.
SATURDAY, 15 DECEMBER 2018
I can summarise what I have learned about financial matters this year under three headings:
One: Financial intelligence: What is money? How do banks really do business? Where and how should you invest your money?
Two: Technical aspects of making receiving money: To open a business, follow these steps … or, to trade on the financial markets, start here …
Three: Wealth mindset – sorts under Positive Mindset/Positive Psychology
Useful to keep in mind when considering books about personal finances. Few books cover more than one of these areas.
TUESDAY, 18 DECEMBER 2018
My dad is ultimately my hero. In spite of setbacks that would have pushed many other men over the abyss, he simply picked himself up every time, and kept on walking. That is how I want to be. And not only did he keep walking, he did it with joy. And not with fake joy because he believes he should keep up appearances – I’m talking about a stubborn, resilient joy.
THURSDAY, 20 DECEMBER 2018
I’m reading [an Afrikaans book, the title of which translates as “Communion weekend over the years”] by Professor Bun Booyens. I once again realise: The religion of the Afrikaner involves a great deal of tradition – in fact, many folk traditions of the Afrikaner are religious in nature.
It therefore follows that when I abandoned the religious beliefs of my youth, I also renounced important traditions of the cultural group in which I was born and raised.
But what alternative did I have? Tradition is important – without it, it is more difficult to feel connected to your ancestors. But how could I continue to respect the religious traditions of my ancestors if its metaphysical foundation was no longer credible to me? I mean, is dishonesty a traditional value?
______________________