Good morning.
The Federal Reserve’s rapid interest rate hikes of the past year were designed to bring down inflation fast. Instead, inflation is at 6 percent. And by some measures, it’s rising once again. The latest PMI data showed services business activity hitting an 11-month high. And manufacturing output hit a 10-month high.
With the Fed now poised to stop raising interest rates, it’s likely that inflation will stay higher for longer. And if the government or the Fed put up billions of dollars to backstop the banking industry, it’s possible that we see an even further resurgence in inflation.
On one level, that may slow the decline in the stock market. But the top winners may be commodity plays, and companies that can raise their prices in excess of inflation.
Now here’s the rest of the news:
A Gold Investor’s Biggest Advantage (Banks Envy This)
These days, the only thing more volatile than gold price is sentiment related to gold. The Fed’s going to raise interest rates this week? Well, a stronger dollar… [Read Here]
This Scheme to “Save Social Security” Cuts Costs by Shortchanging You
So far, the official tally of failed banks sits at two (SVB and Signature Bank). I’m not sure why Silvergate isn’t included. Or Credit Suisse, for that matter… [Read Here]
March 27, 2022
What another beautiful life we live; Newfound and Labrador!
…how could you possibly disagree?
March 27, 2021
Law of the Inner Circle
“A leader’s potential is determined by those closest to him or her.” –John C. Maxwell
Have you ever heard the quote, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”? Motivational speaker Jim Rohn is often credited with that saying, which has been repeated by any number of today’s most influential leaders, including John C. Maxwell, Ed Mylett, and Craig Ballantyne to name a few.
In fact, this is the very tenet of one of Maxwell’s 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: The Law of the Inner Circle, which states that a leader’s potential is determined by those closest to him or her. And it also ties in closely with his Law of Magnetism, which declares that who you are is who you attract. In other words, in most situations, you draw people to you who possess the same qualities, values, and priorities you do.
While these concepts are often discussed in the context of business, they apply to success and significance in any and every domain of life – whether that’s getting into better shape, eating better, being a great parent, improving your spiritual fitness, and so on. In other words, if you want to experience tremendous success and make a real significant impact, you need to surround yourself with incredible people who help you maximize your full potential, and vice versa.
To do that, you need to need to increase relate well to others, which is as simple as…
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- Valuing people every day – You can’t look down on others and build them up at the same time. Recognize people publicly, complement them in writing, and practice gratitude daily.
- Making yourself more valuable to others – The quickest way to improve any relationship is to make yourself better so you have more to give others.
- Putting yourself in someone else’s world – Albert Einstein is credited with saying, “A person starts to live when he can live outside himself.” Often, the best thing we can do for someone else is to recognize when they’re in a time of need and being present for them.
- Focus on giving, not receiving – To foster great relationships, you have to want more for people than you want from them.
- Being a consistent friend – Place a high value on your relationships, believe the best of people, and love unconditionally.
- Creating great memories for people – Wherever you are, be there. No matter how big or small the moment may seem to you, you can make them special for others by being present and intentional with your time, thoughts, and actions.
- Moving towards the kinds of relationships you desire – Put yourself in position to meet and spend time with the kind of people who share your values and priorities and who think positively.
As Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness, the authors of Peak Performance so eloquently said, “Working to build a better self almost always means working to build a better community.” Simply put, emotions, thoughts, and habits are contagious. We were made for relationships, and we all need other people to live our lives to our full potential. Place a priority on loving people, seek to add value to them and their lives, and when you do, the better your life will be.
To Your Best,
Change That Up!
March 27, 2020
Good morning.
Well, that escalated quickly. The U.S. has now overtaken China as the “most infected” country in the world. One of the things about the tally of total COVID-19 cases is that it’s based on how many people you test.
Increase the amount of people you’re testing, and you’ll find more cases. It’s likely that even this elevated official count is close to one-tenth the actual number.
On the bright side, the mortality rate might be significantly less than 1%. As things escalate further, find things that make you happy and don’t fear.
March 27, 2019
On a much lighter-note: Storytyme
An executive was having difficulty with her assistant, so she decided to confront her shoddy performance.
“Nancy,” she began, “you don’t seem to be into your work. The letters you type are full of errors, rarely do you get to work on time, and why don’t you ever answer the phone?”
“The answer to the last part is easy,” the assistant responded. “I quit answering the phone because nine times out of ten, it’s for you!”
There is an employee who is probably not going very far … and probably doesn’t care. 🙂
