June 30, 2022

Something I’m Reading

I just read The Changing World Order by Ray Dalio which lays out a pretty bleak future for America but it has some really good data points and some hope in there. It’s definitely a complicated read and I felt like I wasn’t smart enough to full understand everything - but still a great book.

Something I Teach

This week, I swam in a triathlon. It was a relay, with two buddies and each one of us took one leg of the race. I did not have a lot of time to prepare, and had never swam in a wetsuit before. So, I got in the water and immediately start to get overwhelmed with how far I have to swim. 1.2 miles is a long way. The first half I struggled and couldn’t seem to find my groove. I probably looked like I was drowning the entire first half and hundreds of people passed me in the water. What was going on?!

But then, I decided to stop fixating on the finish line and even stop fixating on the buoys that were placed every hundred yards or so. Instead, I put all my mental energy into focusing on one thing: the rhythm. Arm, arm, breath. Arm, arm, breath. Arm, arm, Breath. And suddenly, I found my groove. And I started passing people (or as David Goggins calls it, “taking souls”). And really…it became easy. I kept an eye on the buoys every few minutes to make sure I was still on track, but my focus was on the rhythm. And before I knew it, I was at the finish line. I don’t know for sure, but I bet my 2nd half was at least 50% faster than my first half.

So what is the lesson? It’s easy to be overwhelmed when you focus on the goal. But when you focus on the rhythm, and really try to get into a sustainable groove, that’s when you see the biggest impact and growth.

Something I Photographed

Brian, Nate, and myself post triathlon finish!

Something I’m Excited About

I’m hiring for a new “house assistant” (that title will probably change) to help me out in Maui. More details coming so, if that’s you, keep an eye on my Instagram over the next few days!

Something I Can Answer

Every week, I answer one question asked by a BTB subscriber. Have a question you want me to answer? Reply to this text with your question!

Question: “How can you balance diversifying investments without just “building another bridge” and getting distracted?’”

When I think of diversification in terms of investment, I think it’s a good idea, generally speaking. If you have all your eggs in one stock, and the stock goes south, you can lose a lot of money. That said, when it comes to business, I don’t believe in diversification until you’ve already found the financial freedom you are looking for. In the beginning, you don’t need diversification. You need success. And success comes from focus.

So if you want a diversified portfolio, great! Do it. But when it comes to your business, I’d focus on doing a great job first. Once you have financial freedom or “success” in that business, you can spend your time dreaming up ways to make a more diversified plan for wealth. But if you spend your time building several different bridges and businesses, you’ll hinder your chances of becoming successful (or at least significantly slow your progress and limit your focus).

Your Friend,

P.S. Comment below and let me know your thoughts on this week’s BTB! Please be friendly :)