Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible.’
Now here’s the rest of the news:
Hospitals Now Requiring Pay In Advance
If you are in the hospital emergency room, and that’s where most people without insurance go, then you get treated. Otherwise, many hospitals are turning to… [Read More]
Democrats Try “Secret” Tax Hike
A longstanding emissions reduction program may lead to a 50-cent increase in gasoline prices within two years in California, according to a little-known state air quality regulator report. [Read More]
May 15, 2023
Good morning.
During the last 15 years, periods of zero percent interest rates led investors to feel that there is no alternative (TINA) to investing in stocks over other assets. To stay in cash meant a guaranteed loss. And many bond yields even went negative during periods of zero percent interest rates.
Today, there is an alternative, and it may even be king right now. Cash can yield in the 4-5 percent range. And with the latest inflation data showing a decline to 4.9 percent, it may even yield a positive real return in the months ahead. Given the market’s rally so far this year, and looking at the potential for a debt ceiling default in the coming weeks, cash may be a particularly attractive short-term alternative. Of course, investors who stick with dividend paying stocks should continue to fare well. But even they might want to have some cash on hand to buy on any market fears in the coming weeks.
Now here’s the rest of the news:
Will Central Bank Gold Demand Drive Prices to $3,000?
Central bank gold demand last year was undoubtedly one of the main takeaways in the market. That’s an accomplishment, since central bank gold demand has been… [Read Here]
Debt Ceiling Standoff Threatens More Than Social Security
According to the latest Trustees report, around 66 million people get some form of Social Security benefits. The cost of these programs have exceeded its… [Read Here]
May 15, 2022
Today “small town” in Newfoundland is…
Salt Harbour.
May 15, 2021
Struggling … how to break bad habits?
“Nothing is impossible. The word itself say, ‘I’m possible.’” –Audrey Hepburn
There’s no one single reason why we struggle — to break bad habits, achieve our goals, or excel in our desired domain — but more often than not, the biggest challenge is sitting between your two ears.
Yes, your mind is incredibly powerful, and quite frankly, it’s a double-edge sword. The stories you tell yourself, the things you believe about yourself, and the way you talk to yourself can either be the limiting factor holding you back or the key to blossoming.
According to Stanford University researcher Carol Dweck, the difference may come down to your mindset, or more specifically, whether you embrace a “fixed” or a “growth” mindset. Here’s how Dweck describes the difference between these two mindsets and how they impact your performance…
In a fixed mindset, students believe their basic abilities — their intelligence, their talents — are just fixed traits. They have a certain amount and that’s that, and then their goal becomes to look smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset, students understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching and persistence. They don’t necessarily think everyone’s the same or anyone can be Einstein, but they believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it.
Believe it or not, most of us are guilty of having a fixed mindset — at least in certain situations. And that can be incredibly dangerous and destructive because a fixed mindset can prevent skill development and growth, which can be disastrous for health and happiness over time.
If you believe things about yourself like…
- It’s hard for me to lose weight.
- I’m not good with numbers.
- I’m not a natural athlete.
- I’m not creative.
- I’m a procrastinator.
It’s pretty evident that those fixed mindsets will lead you to avoid experiences where you might feel like a failure. As a result, you don’t learn as much, you don’t try as hard (in those areas) and it’s harder to get better.
What can you do about this? How can you change the things you believe about yourself, eliminate your fixed mindset and actually achieve your goals?
The formula is simple albeit not necessarily easy. For starters, realize that skill is something you can cultivate, not merely something you’re born with. You can become more creative, intelligent, more athletic, more artistic and more successful by focusing on the process — not the outcome.
Instead of worrying about winning the championship, commit to the process of training like a champion. Instead of worrying about writing a best-selling book, commit to the process of publishing your ideas on a consistent basis. Instead of worrying about getting six-pack abs, commit to the process of eating healthy each day.
It’s not about the result; it’s about building the identity of the type of person gets to enjoy those results. Sustainable, long-lasting change starts with building a better identity, not by focusing on results like your performance or your appearance.
To your better life!
May 15, 2020
Good morning.
It was trending ugly on Thursday. The weekly jobless claims had the bulls on the ropes, but then it started happening and kept happening until the market was green on the day and then closed near the high of the session. This was one of the bigger intraday tests that we’ve seen for a while, and it passed.
The reason isn’t easy to peg and is probably unnecessary. If we run back to $2950 on the S&P 500, we will have another hurdle to overcome for the market. It’d be good to see it pass coupled with a more aggressive reopening of the economy. That will give participants something real to point to.
In other news…
How Gold Has “Outed” the Recent Stock Market Turnaround
Stocks may be up from March lows, but one writer points to gold’s recent surge as cause for concern that equities may soon turn south again. [Read Here]
U.S. Manufacturing Output Takes Biggest Hit in 100 Years: Virus? What Virus? Wall Street’s Denial.
Sigmund Freud coined a term for Wall Street’s attitude right now: denial. It’s a defense mechanism in which the truth is intellectually denied because it’s too painful to accept.
By my reckoning, the current rebound in stocks seems unwarranted, judging by dismal economic data and corporate earnings results. Bullishness is premature and actually serves as a contrarian indicator.
Below, I’ll steer you toward an industry that’s poised for outsized growth, regardless of the broader markets’ shifting sentiment. But first, let’s survey the investment landscape.
Stocks closed higher Wednesday, as all 50 states started reopening their economies and easing coronavirus lockdowns. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 1.52%, the S&P 500 was up 1.67%, and the NASDAQ rose 2.08%. As of this writing Thursday morning, all three indices were trading in the green.
Oil prices are climbing on indications of resurgent demand and a drawdown in U.S. crude inventories. At the same time, a spike in the shares of mega-cap tech stocks, due to better-than-expected earnings, has boosted the tech-heavy NASDAQ composite to within 5% of its all-time high.
Global equity benchmarks have been rallying as well, amid a falling number of COVID-19 cases and reopening national economies.
Wall Street is bullish again…and that’s bearish.
I’m an optimist by nature and I disdain the perpetual doom-and-gloomers, but I feel compelled to throw some cold water on these overheated hopes. It’s improbable for the stock market rally to sustain its momentum in the face of brutally bad economic data. A second wave of infections could send the market crashing again.
May 15, 2019
“Least likely to succeed?”
Tom “Big Al” Schreiter here.
If there was a “least likely to succeed” award in school, I could have won that award. Clueless. Directionless. Unmotivated.
Not your ideal prospect.
But then …
I stopped giving people information. I stopped presenting facts.
I learned how stories can change people’s lives. And in that instant, my life changed. The thoughts inside my head became their thoughts inside their heads. There is no way to describe that magic. It is an experience.
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- Stories are how we learn.
- Stories are how we communicate.
- And stories move people.
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Sound like something we should get good at?
Quick Lesson: How to start a story.
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- “Once upon a time …” (Okay, only for children’s stories.)
- “When I was young …”
- “Here is what happened …”
- “Can I tell you a secret?”
- “I have to tell you …”
- “This didn’t turn out like I thought it would …”
- “You won’t believe this …”
- “My mother explained why she was late …”
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→ #2! ←
“When I was young …”
Why does this phrase create instant rapport with our listeners?
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- Everyone was young once.
- Everyone was a child once.
- Everyone was a teenager once.
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Amazingly simple, right?
Children beg us to tell them stories. Could that be a hint of the power we can wield when talking to prospects? Certainly.
The human mind desperately wants to put our business opportunity offer … into a story. Stories can be understood. Stories work.