Today, I had a conversation with some young people (late teens/early twenties) who had incredibly strained relationships with their parents. First, it was strange to realize that I was inclined to step in and represent their parents’ absent perspective (I guess I’m officially a parent). But, second, the conversation was incredibly enlightening to me as…
As I approach age 50 and recollect 30 years of post-childhood lessons learned, I recognize a pattern I’ve lived through a few times. I’ve learned that times of economic expansion have tended to teach me fallacies. It was easy to think I was a good bet-taker when every bet paid off. Until it didn’t. Since…
While our attention, motivated by media headlines, is focused on rising inflation, I humbly believe there is an equally high risk of a deflationary shock to the economy in the coming months and quarters. I worry that it is such a shock that could trigger the next recessionary cycle. Let me explain my thinking. Yes,…
I have paid a high price over the past six years. I used to think of myself as a sometimes flawed but generally well-intentioned person. Those who knew me well would agree that, even though I was (and still am) very ambitious, I was paradoxically not competitive at all. I felt that I had few…
While I’m not an economist by training, I’ve grown fond of contemplating and simplifying complex economic concepts so as they make sense to me. As I consider how to understand the scale of our economy (or of any economy, for that matter), I’ve realized that the answer is the product of three simple variables: working-age…
It had been a while since I had asked it. I was reluctant to ask it of my two sons and my wife all on the same day. But, yesterday, I gathered the courage to do so. There were opportunities for me to be with each of them individually: on the way back from our…
Dear 18-year-old self: It’s not your college degree or your grades that will define you.It’s not your intelligence, either.And it’s certainly not your paycheck or your wealth. What defines you as a human, a professional, and a member of society are just two things that matter above all else: your ACTIONS and your WORDS And…
The things you own own you; if you don’t need it, get rid of it. Few things are worth arguing over; let people believe what they want. Seek happy, humble, hungry people; most think they are, but few actually exist. Life’s most impactful decision is our choice of a life partner; choose wisely and invest…
What’s your most valuable “asset”? Easily the most fulfilling aspect of life, in my humble opinion, is derived from our relationships: friends, family, coworkers, and everything in between.I’m so grateful for the relationships in my life and the fulfillment I derive from each. Those who know me will appreciate that I’ve given a great deal of…
I’m nearly 50 years old. Some people live 100 years or more. With that in mind, I contend that so-called “history” is a lot more recent than we may have realized as students, especially for a very young country such as the United States. • Only 244 years ago, until Congress voted to declare independence…
Against the Herd 