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How To Be Clutch In Stressful Situations And Win

Updated: 08/31/2020 by Financial Samurai 17 Comments

Watch Texas Rangers relief pitching if you want to learn how to NOT be clutch! Wow, I mean come on.  How does that one kid throw 11 balls in a row and walk two SF Giants batters in the 8th inning of Game 2 when the bases are loaded?  It’s absolutely unbelievable how bad the Texas Rangers relief pitching was, and it’s simply due to mental weakness.  Texas going from having a chance down 0-2 in the 8th to losing the game 0-9 is a 100% ass kicking.

I understand how difficult it is to close things out due to competitive tennis.  I’ve blown my share of 5-4, third set leads before, and 9 times out of 10, it’s because my mind broke down.  Tennis, like many one-on-one sports is a complete mind bend.  I started worrying and thinking about all the “what ifs”.  What if I shank the ball when going for it?  What if my calves start cramping?  What if he starts catching fire?  As soon as I start filling my mind with doubt, my body follows suite and then before I know it, I’ve blown the lead and lose.

I’ve since been able to calm some nerves that have helped me cross the finish line in tight situations before.  Here are some tips for keeping your head in the game.

How To Be Clutch And Win

* Think of nothing. During a competitive situation, my mind literally goes blank.  It’s as if I’m out of my body observing myself act.  From the service motion, to driving the top spin backhand cross court, there is nothing on my mind except the 100% commitment to win.  Some people call this act “zoning.”  To zone, I picture a pure white cloud of nothingness before each serve.  It fills up my entire mental surrounding.  There is nothing infiltrating my mind as I go ahead and act.

* Know that you will win.  In order for you to compete effectively, you have to already believe you have won.  You know this largely due to your preparation.  You don’t have to know that you are better than them at everything.  All you need to do is believe you are better than them at one thing.  I’m convinced I will be able to outrun my opponents and drive them into the ground.  They will collapse from exhaustion if they try and rally, so they try and go for more and make errors in the process.  Knowing that they will eventually wilt from exhaustion gives me confidence to succeed.

* Put everything in perspective. Once you tell yourself it’s just a game you start to relax.  When you know it’s OK to lose, you start swinging away.  Once you start swinging away you no longer worry about the little things because everything just clicks.  Having perspective is healthy in sports, work, blogging, and practically everything you do.  Once you know you are not an unattractive person, but a beautiful monkey, you start feeling great!

Being Clutch Is A Mindset

Being clutch is a complete state of mind.  Nowhere do you see more examples of clutch than with Olympic gold medalists.  They’ve done the moves time and time again during practice.  It’s those few moments that really count where they excel the most.  Playing competitive sports definitely helps one’s abilities in non-physical arenas such as work.  There’s a reason why so many firms look to hire student athletes, and so many CEOs are single handicap golfers.  They know what clutch is and how to deal with difficult situations.

Who knows who will win the 2010 World Series.  But, if I was a betting man, I’d go all-in on the San Francisco Giants baby!

Related: When In Doubt, Just Keep On Winning

Readers, what are some of the things you do to calm the nerves in crucial situations?  Have you ever surprised yourself with your clutchness?

PS For bloggers out there, it’s the same thing.  Survival is a tough one and it is a long slog.  How can you go straight to the top with so much content out there and competition?  You simply zone and write like no one else for a methodically consistent period of time.  And then you patiently wait for things to percolate.  You know you will win because blogging is easy compared to surviving in the Amazon jungle, naked, with no matches or food!

Subscribe to the Financial Samurai newsletter by clicking here.

Regards,

Sam

Isner vs. Mahut: The Greatest Tennis Match In History

Updated: 04/06/2021 by Financial Samurai 25 Comments

As a tennis fanatic, it would be remiss of me not to mention the greatest tennis match in history when American John Isner beat Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 70 to 68 in the 5th set last week. That’s right 70 games to 68 games in the fifth set because one must win by two in the fifth set at Wimbledon.

The Greatest Tennis Match In History Took Forever!

Their 11 hour, 5 minute match spanned over 3 days and finished when John Isner hit a solid down the line two-handed backhand to seal the deal.

It is completely unfathomable that a match could last so long. And, it is unconscionable how Nicolas Mahut could hold serve over 60 games in a row to survive! 

The physical endurance is one thing. But, what’s most impressive is the mental fortitude both players had to never give up.

The previous record for longest match was at the 2004 French open. It was just a paltry 6 hours and 33 minutes in comparison. Still quite impressive, but Isner and Mahut had the greatest tennis match by a long shot.

Lessons Learned From The Greatest Tennis Match

There are 5 great lessons from the greatest tennis match in history. Even if you’re not an athlete, you can use these lessons to get ahead.

1) Anything is Possible

If someone were to say that a match would go 30 all in a 5th set, I would say “NO WAY.” And I’d probably confidently bet my life savings and my lucky underwear! 

Even if someone asked for 20-to-1 odds ($10 to win $200) to bet that it could happen, I’d still call them crazy and happily take the other side. I’d probably bet up to $1,000 and then proceed to lose $20,000! Now, I’ll think carefully when I hear impossible sounding feats. 

The greatest tennis match has really shown that anything is possible!

2) Standards Always Go Higher

Roger Federer defeated Andy Roddick 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 in the 2009 Wimbledon final. We all thought that was the greatest tennis match in history at the time. Surely, a 16-14 score would never be breached. 

Fast forward to 2010, and Roger and Andy’s match sounds downright mediocre. The same goes for anything we do, be it creating a product, or being a solid employee. 

Standards don’t go backwards. They go forward. We’ve got to continuously innovate and try harder.

3) Everything is Mental

At some point, you know that the bodies of John and Nicolas were screaming to stop and give up. But, with the crowd of thousands cheering them on, they started to zone and battled away cramps and fatigue to last a marathon. 

Personal finance, physical fitness, blogging, work performance and everything is all mental. If you have the right mindset, you will likely succeed in anything you try. But, if for a second your mental fortitude breaks down, it’s game over. You’ve got to want it like no other.

4) Consistency is Key

John won the greatest tennis match in history because he hit one more ball in than Nicolas. If you workout three times a week for 52 weeks in a row, it’s pretty much a sure thing you’re going to be much more toned than if you maintained an erratic schedule. 

Likewise, if you post 2-4 times a week on your site and get to know one new person online a week, there’s no doubt your blog will grow. 

And, if you get into the office first, and leave last every single work day, you will move ahead in your career.  The list is endless. Stay consistent, and watch everything start going your way!

Related: Are There Really People Who Only Work 40 Hours A Week Or Less And Complain Why They Can’t Get Ahead?

5) Pace Yourself For Long Term Success

A day after John’s match, he lost in just 72 minutes 0-6, 3-6, 2-6 to unknown Thiemo de Bakker. John’s serve was 20 mph slower than average. And he just didn’t have any energy left understandably. 

You don’t want to go from playing the longest and greatest tennis match to the shortest match. Volatility is generally not good for your career or any venture you take.

The biggest risk we can take is taking no risk at all. If we burn out before reaching our potential (See “The Dark Side Of Early Retirement“), it’ll be just one darn shame. Balance out your work and your life, but at the same time stay consistent as well.

Related: How To Become A 5.0-rated USTA Tennis Player

Use The Greatest Tennis Match To Get Ahead

Chances are high that we’ll never be world class athletes or CEOs of mega-cap companies. That said, we should always learn from people at the top of their game to boost our own. 

In “The Mental To Physical Connection For A Healthier Lifestyle“, the article recommends we use sports or general physical activity to balance out work and our creative sides. 

It’s important to be tethered to a counter force so that we don’t burn out. If we can stay consistent with whatever it is we are hoping to achieve, there’s no doubt progress will be made!

Further Reading

  • Average Credit Card Interest Rates Are Way Too High
  • A Self-Directed IRA For Your Retirement Planning
  • In Search For A Good Travel Rewards Credit Card
  • No Point Making Money If You Don’t Spend Your Money
  • Is Early Retirement Worth It? Thinking Of Quitting My Job
  • The Solution To Social Security Problems: Die Young And Stay Single

For more resources check out my:

  • Top financial products page to find the best products for your finances
  • Invest in real estate page to invest in my favorite asset class,
  • Free wealth management page to manage your money better. 

Financial Samurai has been online since 2009 and is one of the most trusted and largest independently-run personal finances today.

Regards,

Sam @ Financial Samurai – “Slicing Through Money’s Mysteries”

Staying Calm Under Pressure: A Super Skill

Updated: 04/03/2021 by Financial Samurai 23 Comments

If you can master the ability to stay calm under pressure, you can excel in a lot of situations. Keeping your cool is vital at work, raising kids, driving, and especially in emergencies. It’s like a super skill. My father is exceptionally good at staying calm under pressure. I learned this one evening during a family dinnner.

Even at 7:30pm the night is hot. That’s what happens when you go barbecuing somewhere in the South Pacific in the middle of summer. You can almost taste the grilled chicken from the remnant fumes simmering off the grill. Dinner is served!

The family gathers around the picnic table. We take a deep breath and begin to eat. In just the first bite, my father freezes. He tries to swallow and lets out a little gag.

We ask him what’s wrong, and he shakes his head not knowing. One of us gives him a glass of water, and still, no change. My father raises up his hand, excuses himself, and says that he has to go to the emergency room. What?!

Staying Calm Under Pressure



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The Carrot That Makes You Jump Through Hoops

Updated: 12/30/2020 by Financial Samurai 46 Comments

Needs the carrot that makes you jump through hoops. Otherwise, it’s too easy to get lazy, get out of shape, and do nothing.

I started Financial Samurai in 2009, and I’ve been writing 3-4X a week since. I’m constantly looking for motivation to continue because life is too good in America. If you’re wondering, the secret to success is being competing for 10+-years in a row!

It’s crazy to revisit this post I wrote in 2010, more than 10 years later. However, it is absolutely clear to me now that people are successful stick with things.

The Carrot To Make You Motivated

One of my best friends is blessed with skinny genes.  At 5′ 3″ tall, she weighs all of 105 pounds.  When we go out to eat, she doesn’t just order a glass of iced tea and salad with dressing on the side.

She goes all out with mash potatoes, creamed spinach, BBQ oysters and then a nice juicy ribeye for a main course!  I gawk in amazement at her appetite while secretly groaning at trying to keep up towards the end.  After all, shouldn’t she eat 40% less than me if she weighs 40% less?  Guess not!

Despite my friend’s envious genetics, she isn’t exactly iron woman when it comes to sports and outdoor activities.  After three miles on a 10 mile bike ride, she’s pooped and waves at me to take a break.

Meanwhile, I’m going “lah, lah, lah” in my head, not even breaking a sweat as I soak in the glorious views of the Bay.  I let her catch up and we take a five minute pit-stop where she catches her breath as I go do some stretches and sit-ups.

The Gimmick



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“The Happy Loser” Archetype By Clotaire Rapaille

Updated: 02/18/2020 by Financial Samurai 31 Comments

While waiting at the dentist, I picked up the April issue of Inc. Magazine and stumbled upon an article entitled, “The Secret Of Their Success.”  The article discusses what really drives salespeople to succeed.  We are all salespeople, whether we know it or not, which is why being a happy loser helps bring out the best in everyone.

Clotaire Rapaille, a psychoanalyst and ethnographer describes a happy loser as someone who sees rejection as a challenge.  The first “no” stimulates their brains to want to try harder and not give up.  Clotaire highlights one example where a firm defines success not by how many wins a salesperson achieves, but by how many rejections instead.

Read More…

Pretend You Have Arrived So You Can Become

Updated: 04/03/2021 by Financial Samurai 31 Comments

If you want to achieve greatness, you need a strong mindset. Pretend you have arrived so you can become. Believe in your abilities if you want to achieve greatness. For example, before every tennis match, I watch a short video on Youtube of a favorite tennis pro to get inspired. All that goes through my mind are beautiful strokes and luscious sounding *thwacks* each time the ball leaves my strings. 

I prepare my tennis bag with the right equipment: grip, Advil, Gatorade, a change of clothes, flip flops, hat, and sunglasses. My outfit matches, down to my shoes and I say a little prayer. Essentially, I go through a routine that any pro would go through. I pretend to be a tennis pro myself in order to get ready for battle.

Pretend You Have Arrived

Whatever it is you want to be, pretend you have arrived. This will put you in the right frame of mind to tackle many of your challenges with full vigor. For ex, if you are not mentally tough on the court, you will defeat yourself before even giving your opponent a chance to defeat you! In essence, you are your own worst enemy if not properly trained.

Some may think that if you pretend you have arrived, you have a risk of becoming delusional. See the Dunning Kruger effect regarding delusion. There’s no doubt we often over estimate our own abilities, however, I encourage all of us to increase the believe in ourselves. If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else will.

PRO BLOGGER

Anybody who has a blog knows that it’s a lot of work. There’s a  statistic that says most bloggers don’t make it after six months. I don’t know exactly what “not making it” means. But, suffice it to say many quit due to burn out.

Every time I sit down to write an article, I pretend like I blog for a living. It doesn’t matter I work ~50 hours a week at my day job. What matters is that in order to successfully compete, I must realize there are those who are able to spend 50 hours a week just on their sites! As a result, I’m constantly in search for new marketing ideas and thinking of ways to write better content.

I often envy journalists and columnists of large publications. They are in a field they probably aspired to be in since college, and they have editors to make their writing perfect! As a blogger, I am the editor, writer, content director, marketer, and tech help. I don’t have a multi-million dollar marketing campaign behind me, and it takes a long time to get noticed. Oh well! I’m just going to have to try that much harder.

Because I’m motivated to compete with professionals, I don’t mind the the challenge. Besides, creating this site is simply one of the funnest things ever! If Financial Samurai can rank higher, or be recognized by some mainstream publication like it did on The LA Times a couple weeks ago over a professional blogger, that makes the time spent all the sweeter.

The beauty of the Internet is that anybody can start a website and compete against anybody in any field. Every single big site started small, so keep the faith you will one day get there. Pretend you have arrived, and one day you’ll get there.

NBA Baller

Basketball is actually my first true love. There’s no more beautiful a sport than basketball, where you actually have to use your entire body to play. The problem is that injuries rack up in a hurry, and if I want to be able to walk when I’m 50, I better tone it down. I’ve got the sleeveless jersey, loose fitting shorts, and Jordan retros as a point forward.  In my mind, all I think about is “making it rain” from beyond the three point line.

Basketball culture is very strong. If you don’t look the part, you won’t be taken seriously in my local gym.  People from all over the city come to compete, and you will get hooted and hollered all night long if you look out of place.  Ballers travel in packs, and it’s showboat central sometimes.  Showboating is showing off to the crowd, while trying to make your opponents look bad in the process.  We never showboat, because we aren’t idiots.

We play fundamental basketball, always moving, swinging, setting picks, and taking high percentage shots.  And guess what?  We are 80% winners.  When we don’t win it’s because our opponents simply outsize with 6′  6″ point guards who can take one jab step, fake me out, and end at the rim with a dunk.  Remember, this is my local gym, not the NBA!  Our tallest guy is 6′ 4″ and plays center.

By getting into the mindset that you are an NBA player, you start believing your shots will go in upon release.  Without the proper mindset, you’re going to brick it every single time.  When the last buzzer sounds, if you’re the winner, you’ll get respect no matter what you look like.  It’s all about respect in the end, but not so much in the beginning.

Musician

My 10 year old acoustic guitar has given me more pleasure than I could have ever imagined. With a beautiful cherry wood top, and a lemon oil smell emanating from the fret board, just touching the guitar brings an instant smile. Unfortunately, I’m quite mediocre at musical instruments. I’ve tried them all, including the violin, trumpet, saxophone, and drums and I’m not very good at any of them.

Despite my lack of musical talents, I still try to play the guitar until my finger tips turn purple from one too many slides. I lock myself in the back room of my house pretending to be Jack Johnson playing his latest songs.  Whoever I pretend to be, I realize they are gifted because of practice. And so, I practice and practice and sing as if no one is listening.

The guitar has been my outlet when my body is too sore from tennis and basketball. After a 2 hour long singles match, my feet blister and my knees ache. It takes me at least three days to fully heal now from just one or two before. It actually pains me more to have to rest and not play, but that’s where my guitar comes in. When the time comes when my fingers are just too raw to continue, I’m ready to play sports again.

Conclusion

A positive attitude is tantamount towards progress. When we were kids, we wore costumes and turned into our favorite superheroes and fairy tale characters. Sometime during adulthood, we forget what it’s like to pretend.  That joyful feeling of being someone else eludes us as we grow up.  How sad.

If you’re going to do something, you might as well aspire to do your best. Pretend you have arrived, so you can one day become. I guarantee that if you do, you’ll have a grand old time in the process!

Is Faking It The Reason Why People Don’t Make It?

Start A Website That Makes Money

It’s been over 10 years since I started Financial Samurai and I’m actually earning a good passive income stream online. The top 1% of all posts on Financial Samurai generate 31% of all traffic. And the average age of the top 1% posts is 2.3 years old. In other words, after putting in the hours to write some very meaty content over two years ago, 10 posts consistently generate a monthly recurring income stream that’s completely passive.

I never thought I’d be able to quit my job in 2012 just three years after starting Financial Samurai. But by starting one financial crisis day in 2009, Financial Samurai actually makes more than my entire passive income total that took 15 years to build. If you enjoy writing, connecting with people online, and enjoying more freedom, see how you can set up a WordPress blog in 15 minutes with Bluehost. It’s cheap and easy to start!

Keigu,

Sam @ Financial Samurai – “Slicing Through Money’s Mysteries”

Follow on Twitter @FinancialSamura and subscribe to our RSS or E-mail feed.

Nick Vujicic Shows Us How to Get Up And Never Quit

Updated: 04/02/2021 by Financial Samurai 16 Comments

Nick Vujicic was born with no arms and no legs. He admits to us there were plenty of times when all he wanted to do was give up. Nick didn’t understand the point to his life and therefore wanted to end it. Thank goodness he’s alive because he’s shared his story with millions of people around the world. Nick Vujicic inspires us to keep on going.

Just the other day, someone forwarded me an article about a young woman venting because everybody is a workaholic at her office. She tells us how incredibly amazing it is that she gets in at 8am and works until 6:30pm everyday. In other words, she’s asking for praise and sympathy for working normal hours. It shocks me how many people work just 40 hours or less a week and complain they can’t get ahead.

Nick Vujicic Is An Inspiration: Get Back Up, Never Quit!

Whenever I feel like complaining about how unfair life is, I stop and think about people like Nick who have it just a little bit harder. Is he complaining? No. He is trying harder, and so shall I. Perhaps so shall we all! 

Let’s eradicate the sense of entitlement that lingers among everyone of us; some more than others. We shall not whine about our jobs or complain why our love lives crumble. Let’s take ownership of our own actions. If you are a complainer, please go somewhere else!

I hope this video of Nick Vujicic will inspire you to try harder every day. You have more than you think. Carpe diem!

Get Inspired And Improve Your Future

I hope you enjoyed the video on Nick Vujicic. Here are some other articles that I hope will inspire you to improve your future.

  • My Fear And My Guilt Drives Me To Succeed
  • Pretend You Have Arrived So You Can Become
  • “The Happy Loser” Archetype By Clotaire Rapaille
  • Searching For Love And A Little More Money
  • The Worst Seat On An Airplane Is The Best Seat In The Office

Readers, who inspires you to keep on going?

Regards,

Sam @ Financial Samurai – “Slicing Through Money’s Mysteries”

Follow on Twitter @FinancialSamura and subscribe to our RSS or E-mail feed.

Searching For Love And A Little More Money

Updated: 04/02/2021 by Financial Samurai 57 Comments

Are you bored at work, searching for love and a little more money? Oh, the monotony of it all! Imagine clocking in, day in and day out with really no change to your job. You’ve got little risk of getting fired. And in 10 years you’ll retire with several million to last you a lifetime. But, in the back of your mind, you wish you didn’t have job security because you despise boredom. At the same time, you realize you’ve got it made and shouldn’t be so spoiled in your thinking.

One day a headhunter gives you a ring asking if you want an opportunity to make 50% more money a year, guaranteed for two years. The catch? You’ll be working for a startup with no such promises of job security after year two. You’ll also have to move to a different city where the cost of living is also 25% higher. The hours and stress will most certainly more as well. So forget about searching for love for a while. Welcome to Kathy’s world.

10 Years Down, 10 Years Left To Go

Kathy is a brilliant woman with an equally brilliant resume. She graduated #8 in her class of 6,000 from Berkeley and did a stint at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. What drove her during her twenties was her unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Everything she did was to answer a why or a how. How can we increase inventory turnover to improve revenue? Why are competitors expanding in the northern region while reducing capacity in the south?

A week before she turned 30, however, something happened. She stopped wishing to learn how to do things better. Instead, she began searching for love and thinking about starting a family. Despite all the progress women have made, she still feels that no matter how far she climbs, there’s a void without a man to share her life with. This was 3 years ago. She’s still searching for love.

Climbing The Ladder While Searching For Love

At 33, she’s sadly still alone. Her ex-boyfriend broke up with her largely because she spends too much time at work.  He would tell her that working more than 60 hours a week isn’t healthy. She realizes it’s unhealthy, but as a Senior Vice President, she has responsibilities that cannot be shirked. What really irks the ex-boyfriend is Kathy’s workplace seniority and far superior earnings.

Kathy makes up her mind that she will be retired in 10 years at 43. She hopes that within a couple years she can find someone to start a family with. But, she’s not forcing the issue. She strongly believes in destiny. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be she often tells herself. Her insecure ex-boyfriend can go screw himself for all she cares because she won’t settle.

Related: Career Or Family? You Only Need To Sacrifice For 5 Years At Most

An Opportunity For Work & Love

The firm loves Kathy. She’s hard working, praises her employees openly, and generates a tremendous amount of revenue. Her revenue generation is so impressive that her competitors secretly call her “Killer Kathy.”

Killer Kathy’s phone rings one afternoon. A headhunter asks if she’s willing to move to New York City from San Francisco for a new start-up firm. Along with her transfer is a two-year guaranteed pay raise that’s 50% higher than what she’s currently making. We’re talking more than a couple hundred thousand a year more guaranteed.

If you include school, 14 years is a long time in the Bay Area. Perhaps it’s time for a change. Despite generating large amounts of revenue for the firm, she’s basically flat-lined over the past three years because she’s already at the top of her game. Instead of progress, she’s just maintaining, trying to keep her competitors at bay. It’s no fun being the senior player at an established firm. When she slips from #2 to #3, she feels the pressure.

Instead, the idea of starting over at a new shop where she can create a new business model and watch her company grow sounds intriguing. She longs to build something from nothing, and hear the praise of going from nowhere to Top 10! Kathy is given a rare opportunity to build something new, with the security of a guaranteed income.

Searching For Love

What’s equally interesting is the thrill of being in a bigger city with the opportunity of meeting that someone to share her life with. She’s been to New York City plenty of times before. And each time she’s impressed with the amount of available bachelors. Searching for love in Manhattan excites her. And, if finding someone is a numbers game, perhaps she should be there!

There’s something to be said about security and comfort. To know that you’ll likely never be unemployed must be a wonderful feeling. Furthermore, San Francisco is a beautiful place! And she can certainly continue searching for love in SF. It’s not like Kathy is just surviving either. As a department Vice President, she’s making a nice six-figure income money and will undoubtedly retire in 10 years if she stays with her firm.

Despite Kathy’s security, she can’t stop thinking about the opportunity in New York City. Even if things implode after two years, she’ll have a hefty savings cushion due to the increased compensation. Mathematically, working for 50% more for 2 years is like working for 3 years at her existing place. Deep inside though, Kathy knows that if she found someone here in San Francisco, she’d most certainly never leave.

Related: You’ll Always Regret Sacrificing Love For Money

Further Reading

  • How To Make More Money By Doing Nothing
  • Is Not Wanting To Be Rich Selfish? Ways To Help Others If You No Longer Seek Or Have Wealth
  • Personal Finance Advice For Couples: When One Partner Isn’t Interested In Finances At All
  • If You Were Broke Would You Settle For A Less Than Ideal Partner?
  • “I’m Rich, Bitch!” And Other Annoying Things Rich People Say And Do

Readers, if you were Kathy what would you do? Should Kathy leave her cushy job to find new adventure, or be satisfied with what she has?

Is it reasonable for her to feel that a life is not worth living if she doesn’t have a man to share it with?

As a woman, would you choose career or family if you had only one choice?

Keigu,

Sam @ Financial Samurai – “Slice Through Money’s Mysteries”

Follow on Twitter @FinancialSamura

Doing Anything You Can to Survive – Silence And Surprise In The Night

Updated: 04/01/2021 by Financial Samurai 39 Comments

Are you doing anything you can to survive? You are not alone. Grit, hustle, perseverance all come to mind when I think about survival. I want to share with you an experience that happened to me in 2010 that made me think about how far each of us will go to survive.

One night, I was playing poker into the wee hours of the morning with some buddies. The poker game ends and the team of entrepreneurs and new media types say their good-byes. I leave up $51 bucks, which is a nice return given my $100 buy-in. But, it’s a pittance against others leaving with wads of cash big enough to substitute for butt-cheek implants if so desired.

The last time I was out until 3:30am was when George W. proclaimed we won the war. There are so few cars on the road, when I do see one, I wonder what trickery lies ahead. There’s a certain tranquility one feels when others are sleeping. Dim yellow lights glow in San Francisco’s misty haze. Nobody bothers you because nobody is conscious enough to care.

Almost home, I decide to instead drive towards the Bay and take in the silence of black murky waters and a revolving spotlight that perpetually emits from Alcatraz. I wondered if this calm is how Frank Lee Morris felt before he tried escaping The Rock some 48 years ago.

TAP, TAP, KNOCK



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The Elegance Of Failure: Appreciate Success

Updated: 02/04/2021 by Financial Samurai 26 Comments

The Elegance of Failure is a guest post from Neal Frankle at Wealth Pilgrim. Neal is a dedicated father, insightful financial adviser, and honorable Yakezie Challenger who always writes with a breath of fresh air  You can join his 2,500+ followers on Twitter @NealFrankle.  Enjoy!

Failure is not only a necessary part of life, it can be a beautiful part of life.

This may sound like crazy talk.

After all, if you are a hardworking person, you work hard because you want to succeed, not fail.

And failure stings.

It hurts.

Man….it hurts.

That pain is real….but despite that temporary pain, those set backs are likely key ingredients to your future success. And the success I’m talking about dwarfs financial or career gains.

Let me explain by telling you about an experience I had several years ago.

BACK IN THE MOTHERLAND

When I was in my 20’s, I started a Masters program at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. My goal was to study in Hebrew with the local students and complete the degree.

This isn’t such a lofty goal in and of itself, but when you consider that I didn’t speak a word of Hebrew 9 months prior to my enrollment, I think you’ll agree that it was quite a challenge – if not insane.

I studied as hard as I could.  I worked night and day using every opportunity I could to improve my language skills.

Sure enough my hard work paid off – sort of.

Within 9 months I passed the entrance exam and was admitted to the Hebrew University’s Masters Program for Political Science. My language level tested out as fluent.

And that’s when my problems started.

While my conversational ability was pretty good, I couldn’t understand a word my professors were saying from day 1.  I mean not one meshugunah word.

I doubled my studying and put everything I had into it… but it was no use. I didn’t have the skill or ability to learn as quickly as I was required to.

Within 3 weeks, I dropped out and returned to America.

I felt like a complete failure.

It took me years to let go of that experience.

IN AMERICA WHERE MY BUSINESS GROWS

When I came back, I focused all my energy on starting a business and this time, the universe said “YES”. I was fortunate enough to build a very successful business from ground up.

You could say that the door had to close on my Hebrew Political Science dreams in order for the door to open for my business aspirations.

That’s true of course. But had I just stopped there I would have missed a gift far more valuable.

You see, I felt like a loser when I didn’t make it in Israel because I confused having limited skills (in this case, language skills) with being defective myself. Then I felt like a winner as my business grew.

My emotional peace of mind was completely tied and dependent upon my success or failure.

For me, that’ s no way to live.

The elegance is seeing that your success or failure in an endeavor, doesn’t say anything about you as a person. I have limited skills – we all do. So what?

It doesn’t mean you are flawed as a person.

You can apply this lesson if you have financial stress, problems in your career or trouble at home.

If something doesn’t work out, it’s just the universe’s way of telling you to try something different. It’s not a statement about my value as a human being.

There’s a lot of freedom in that. At least I believe there is.

Understanding this makes it easier for me to be objective about how I spend my time. I have less invested in the outcome. All I have to do is my best and let the result go. And if I do my best, what more can I do? In fact, if I have done my best, what right do I have the right to beat myself up?

Please don’t get me wrong. I still believe it’s important to do the best I can. Put everything I have into it. But when things don’t work out, I don’t want to repeat the mistake I made all those years ago. I hope you feel the same way.

CONCLUSION

Don’t let your outcomes define you. It’s unhelpful and it’s untrue. Failure is elegant because it provides a lesson in self that no other classroom or experience provides. It allows us to value ourselves separate and apart from what we can and can’t do.

Related:

Perpetual Failure Is The Reason Why I Save So Much

The Secret To Your Success: 10 Years Of Unwavering Commitment

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Keiju,

Sam @ Financial Samurai – “Slicing Through Money’s Mysteries”

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