- "The best way to spend your money is to spend it on time, not on stuff." http://su.pr/2tr5iP #
- First bonus by stock options today. Not sure I'm impressed. #
- RT @chrisguillebeau: US border control just walked the train asking "Are you a US citizen?" Native American guy says: "One of the originals" #
- @FARNOOSH My credit score is A measure of my integrity not THE measure. in reply to FARNOOSH #
- I'm listening to a grunge/metal cover of "You are my sunshine" #
- There's something funny about a guy on reality TV whining about how private he is. #LAInk #
Crying is for Winners
Have you ever seen a kid come off a wrestling mat, crying his eyes out because he lost?
Often, that kid will get told to be tough and stop crying.
That’s wrong.
I’m not opposed to teaching kids not to cry under most circumstances, but just after an intense competition, I love it. It’s the best possible sign that the kids was pouring his soul into winning. It means he was trying with everything he had.
It means he is–or will be–a winner.
When a kid, particularly a boy in a tough sport, is crying, you know he’s going to try harder and do better next time.
For all of the “tough guy” ability it takes to succeed as a wrestler, I’ve never seen another wrestler teasing the crier. They’ve all been there. Wrestling is a team sport, but you win or lose a match on your own. When you step out in front of hundreds of people and spend 3 to 6 minutes giving every ounce of everything you have to give, only to find it’s not good enough, you’ll often find you don’t have the final reserve necessary to control your emotions.
This is different than a kid crying because he lost a game, just because he lost. Some kids feel entitled to win anything they do, regardless of the effort they put it. That’s also wrong.
Crying at a loss is okay after putting in maximum effort and full energy, not because the dice went the wrong way.
Saturday Roundup
- Image via Wikipedia
I’ve got a birthday party today and a class to teach tomorrow. Sometimes I think I take on too much, but it’s hard to roll that back when the side-hustles are all making a bit of money. What I need to do is make the side-hustles profitable enough that my straight job is optional.
In other news, I’m 10 days away from my first blogging anniversary(here). I’ll have to come up with a way to celebrate that.
Favorite posts this week:
GOOG-411 is shutting down, but there are alternatives. My favorites are Google SMS and Bing-411.
I’m a Zimbabwean quadrillionaire due to their version of “quantitative easing”. If you’re not pushing an agenda, QE is also known as devaluing the dollar.
I’m happy to be living in the future. When I told my wife this story, she was ready to cry at the beginning, but had to see the pictures by the end. Yay, technology!
And finally, thanks to Chris, here’s a primer on the absurdities of the security theater known as TSA:
Carnivals I’ve rocked:
Experiences v Stuff was included in the Carnival of Debt Reduction.
Thank you!
If I’ve missed anyone, please let me know.
Be Happy With What You Have…
…or you will never be happy.
A newer car, a bigger TV, a nicer house, a fancier phone, better tickets, more friends, more gadgets, more toys…more, bigger, better…whatever.
It’s all a disappointment.
Nothing on that list will provide happiness. If that is your goal, you will spend your life miserable. It’s not possible to buy happiness, either directly or indirectly through the accumulation of “stuff”. A purchase may fuel your ego or trigger endorphins, but it is all temporary. There’s no sustainable happiness in the “high” of the latest purchase.
The search for stuff pales in comparison to the search for meaning. Find your passion and follow that. Chase that to the ends of the earth, and come back feeling fulfilled. Feel something that will last longer than the drive home or the next product release.
Find contentment. At some point there is a satisfying level of “enough”. More than that, you feel empty. Less, envious. Find enough and stop there. Find the level that allows you to do the things you need to do and some of what you want to do. Find your balance point and be happy with it.
Living life constantly disappointed that you don’t have more is a sure way to live life disappointed. How do you find your balance point?
Also, have you started the Happiness Challenge?
How to make Forex spread betting accessible to you
Easy to start and accessible, spread betting UK wide has grown in popularity. Forex spread betting in particular has attracted interest from traders all over the country, since it is a leveraged (or margined) product, which means that you are only required to deposit a small percentage of the full value of your position to place a forex trade. This means that the potential for profit, or loss, from an initial capital outlay is significantly higher than in traditional trading. They can go either long or short on their chosen currencies and can trade across a number of currency pairs. While Forex spread betting can be exciting, for newcomers, there are a few things to do before commencing trading. With advice from experts such as City Index, there is a possibility of being a successful trader.
The first thing any new trader should do is research their market. A combination of technical and fundamental analysis usually works: some traders follow one more than the other, as it works better for them. Over time, you’ll find which research style works for you, while doing so before each trade will help you when looking at each currency pair.
Creating a clear, easy-to-follow spread betting plan is vital. Doing so will prepare you for each trade you make, while simultaneously eliminating any indecision you may have in the event of not having a plan. When trading, it’s also important to make use of the many risk management tools at your disposal. They mean that any potential losses are limited to a pre-set level.
Tying in with any research you do, following the news constantly is imperative. Monitoring any stories which will have a direct impact on the market you’re spread betting on, and looking at the live market regularly is especially important with Forex spread betting.
For beginners in Forex spread betting, there are plenty of resources available online for anyone with an interest in getting into it. Websites of companies like City Index have everything you need to help get you started.
Late Pass: Insurance for the Terminally Ill?
This is a guest post.
Uh oh. Not only have you put in decades of loyal service for a company that does not offer a life insurance policy to employees, now you have a terminal disease that has numbered your days. You always meant to get a life insurance policy at some point, but it was just one of those things that there was never enough money left for at the end of a month after bills, groceries and just enough fun to make worthwhile.
Your life is one that needs insuring to protect your family following the now-inevitable, but has that ship sailed? Is it possible to make up for lost time by obtaining a life insurance policy as a terminally ill patient?
You already know that insurance companies are experts at assessing risk. Each potential policy holder is effectively examined to determine their likelihood of living a reasonably long time, and a terminal illness is an obvious negative in this department.
Many insurance companies will be hesitant to offer a comprehensive policy that they know they will have to pay out in fairly short order, but you may be able to get a type of life insurance known as graded premium life insurance.
With graded premium life insurance, you pay a monthly premium to retain coverage. If your illness should terminate within two years, your family will receive all the premiums you have paid as a benefit. Should you last longer, the insurance provider pays the full value of the policy. This is a compromise that gives you the peace of mind that a life insurance policy can provide while allowing the insurance provider to minimize their risk.
These policies typically have cash values ranging from $10,000 to $50,000, so while they might not guarantee the permanent stability of your family, it will offer them much-needed assistance through what is sure to be a difficult time in their lives. Premium amounts vary by age and relative health, but generally the closer you are to qualifying for a payout, the more it costs to enter the lottery.
Life is unpredictable except for its certain end, and sometimes this reality leaves us less prepared for the future as we would like. Fortunately, a terminal illness does not make a person completely uninsurable in most cases. Of course, it is much easier and less expensive to get life insurance as a person who is not dying, so the best strategy may be to invest before your health becomes an issue.
