Posted by webmaster on May 15th, 2008 — Posted in Peace, Sustainability, Thinking, People, Money, Personal finance
Food price inflation is creating new levels of hunger and poverty among the world’s poorest; we are increasingly aware that we are part of an invasive species that is doing irreparable damage to our small planet; we hear almost daily that we are not saving enough for retirement.
In the face of all of this, we feel insufficient.
But Helen Keller had a beautiful response to those feelings of inadequacy: “I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.”
Living life richly means dedicating our moments to doing the right thing that lays before us to do. We can’t solve the problems that create world hunger, but we can give what we can to the organizations that are working to feed people now. (Visit Canadahelps.org.) We can’t heal the environment but we can choose to take our gas-guzzling vehicle off the road, or change our light bulbs, or wash our clothes in cold water. (That will help the financial plan, too.) We can’t create a million-dollar retirement portfolio, but we can choose to spend only what we have to this month, and to apply the savings to our mortgage.
Small steps in the right direction are the only way to attain any goal; doing the right thing, one person at a time, is the only way to change the world. Celebrating our relationships, our small steps; the right thing, quietly achieved — that is the only way to joy.
No Comments »
Posted by webmaster on April 29th, 2008 — Posted in Uncategorized, People, Money, Investing, Personal finance, Management tools
Not too long ago, I wrote about the way I believe we get it wrong when it comes to financial advice. If you didn’t read that post, you can find it here.
Then, in last month’s issue, the Canadian version of More magazine included advice from some female financial experts — something along the lines of ‘what can we learn from the pros.’ It was a good example of this misapprehension that the pros know what it takes to build wealth, and it was interesting to learn that these ‘financial heavyweights’ made some of the most common mistakes — getting over their heads in debt and acting on inappropriate advice.
But if you need yet further evidence, here is an article from today’s Globe and Mail that I think speaks for itself.
These are turbulent times in financial markets. So now, more than ever, we should be putting our faith in analyst recommendations instead of trying to pick stocks ourselves, right?After all, analysts are paid generously to spend all day scanning company financial statements, so of course they’re in a better position to know which stocks will rise and which will sink.
No Comments »
Posted by webmaster on April 27th, 2008 — Posted in Prosperity, Thinking, Books, People, Money, Investing, Personal finance, Retirement planning, Management tools
One of the great misapprehensions underlying almost all financial mishaps goes something like this, “The experts are in charge. They’re professionals, right?” This article examines the foundations of the credit crisis, but in doing so, it asks a bigger question: Who is looking after your money? And should they be?
Published: April 27, 2008
How did all of the mechanisms operated by the mind-bogglingly well-paid men and women of the Street go so wrong?
No Comments »
Posted by webmaster on April 22nd, 2008 — Posted in Peace, People, Money, Personal finance
No Comments »
Posted by webmaster on April 7th, 2008 — Posted in Prosperity, Peace, Sustainability, Thinking, Books, People, Money, Debt, Investing, Personal finance
This article, by an academic who has studied the disparities between men and women in pay and other benefits, finds that women are not socialized to negotiate. The result, inevitably, is that they are paid less and promoted less often.
But this may not be exclusively the province of women — in my work with not-for-profit and faith-based organizations, I’ve often noted the same tendencies among men as well.
As a society, though we undoubtedly worship the pursuit of wealth too fervently, we also think it is more virtuous not to ask for more. Those who devote themselves to creating a better world often tend to aim for a degree of asceticism. The result is that the power of wealth often (not always, obviously) ends up in the hands of those who are less concerned with virtue. We pay money managers millions of dollars a year and day care workers live below the poverty level.
Certainly, living with less stuff is better for the planet, but money itself is the single most transferable, flexible form of energy we have. Money enables us to care for ourselves and reach our fullest potential free of the limitations that having too little money can impose. It enable us to support the people and causes we care about.
The key is not to view money as unimportant, or to pursue money for for its own sake, but to see it as a resource that can help us achieve meaningful goals and live a purposeful life. Remember, Mother Therese lived a vow of poverty, but it was her ability to raise funds to create orphanages and hospitals that made her so effective in the world.
So … the next time you’re offered a salary, don’t just accept it. Ask for 10 per cent more. And devote that 10 per cent to creating your richest life, or to supporting a cause that is important to you.
No Comments »
Posted by webmaster on April 2nd, 2008 — Posted in Peace, People, Money, Personal finance
But in the short term, you may need to ration!
Get the details here…
No Comments »
Posted by webmaster on March 24th, 2008 — Posted in Peace, People, Money
but only if you’re spending it on someone else.
Read about the research in the NYTimes…
No Comments »
Posted by webmaster on March 11th, 2008 — Posted in Books, People, Management tools
What is your six-word memoir?
Can your values, goals, vision and mission be clarified into just six words?
For inspiration, enjoy…
No Comments »