Monday, October 11, 2010

jim rogers: a gift to my children

A Gift to My Children: A Father's Lessons for Life and Investing

i like jim and his ideas a lot, u know that already, dont u? i like also his style of writing, so i plan 2 read all his books as time goes on. well, this small booklet is already my 4th jim rogers book, so i knew the most of his advice already from the other books, from his visit + presentation in munich or from the sooo numerous youtube videos ...

anyway, i liked this thiny 80 pages book ... and it is prolly a great 'starter' for folks who never read jim rogers ....

what could i remember till now? well, jim encourages his daughters to think independently, travel a lot, learn history, work hard, do what they love to ('people who follow their passion never 'go' to work), always follow good manners + laws + ethical practices, never follow the crowd, never blindly believe what theyve read/heard), 2 continue in their efforts but 2 know when not 2 do anything, to live away from wars, 2 keep their eye on the future + 2 deal with change, 2 pass that message 2 their children aaaand to beware of boys! .... btw, im sure they will ... if they only really got "the best of both worlds, their mothers looks + their mothers brains" ... lol ... isnt he funny?

any additional comments or insights? well, there is a crazy epilogue ... i will try 2 motivate my youngest daughter 2 typewrite it 2morrow ... so lets hope the epilogue will follow soon :-)

"Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it." ~ Dwight Eisenhower

yes, i can! ‎here's part of my youngest daughters recording (not 100% cos i dont wanna interfere with any copyright issues ... and as a bonus u have the chance 2 enjoy my daughters typos as well, of course they are not that numerous as my own mistakes :-)

IMHO there is all over the book obvious how much jim loves his daughters (+ his wife) ... if u dont mind im going 2 highlight few of the most funny/valuable tips, ok?

The devil of life is always in the details, so i thought i'd close by giving you a series of little rules that have guided me well

Always buy quality products. They last longer and retain more value. (TOP TIP!)

Always eat before you go grocery shopping! If you're hungry when you go you'll end up buying more food than you need!

Anything that is a „must see,“ „must try,“ „must read,“ should almost certainly be avoided, especially if it is popular.

Use good manners no matter where you are or whom you meet. They are an eternal verity that will always distinguish you. Be sensitive to the more of each society because „good manners“ are often different in various cultures.

Beware of all politicans everywhere. They exelled at recess when they were in school but have excelled at little since.

Never ask someone how much money he or she makes, or how much something costs. Never discuss how much money you make or have. My parents and grandparents ingrained this in me because it is ostentatious and poor manners, at least for us. Prove yourself by your actions rather than by talking about money. There are many folks these days who love discussing their money and flashing it about, but it is not the way i hope you will live.

If and when you borrow money, pay it back on time, if not in advance. Good credits is vital. A bad credit record will haunt you for years.

As you get older, you will have to deal with boys. I expect always to be giving you advice and warning you about boys. The basic principle to remember is this: they need you more than you need them. They will make you million of promises in their frantic pursuit of you. Take it from someone who knows; i can tell stories better than they can. Just ignore them and stay true to yourself. Use your common sense when you start hearing absurd promises, compliments, and flattery. Do not follow a boy to a different school, city, or job. Make the boys follow you.

When you get older, remember that you will gain little from single bars-the bartenders will learn and earn more from the experience than you will.

Be wary: learn that many men who looked old enough to be your father or grandfather do not think you as their daughter or granddaughter.

Do not get married until you are at least twenty-eigtht and know a bit more about yourself and the world.

It is vitally important to maintain boundaries between work and life. Skip going out for drinks with the gang after work every night. You will notice that the boss does not do it, witch is one reason that he is the boss. And while we are discussing the boss: there is rarelty, if ever, any sound reason for you to have a drink with him or her alone, much less diner. And while we are discussing drinking, never drink at a business lunch. Finally, and importantly, avoid in-office romances. They usually end in personal and professional disaster for one or both parties.

Always use the toilet before you set out on a long drive or make an appearance in public. (TOP TIP!)

Learn to type and to sew. I never did, and I regret it in often, on both counts.

Learn to do as much arithmetic and figures as possible in your head. This may sound strange, considering that calculators are everywhere, but you will have a leg up by understanding numbers better than others, while also noticing anomalies other miss...

Finally, take care of yourself! It's difficult to be successful if you aren't healthy and rested. You know how your mother is always putting sunscreen on you? She is exactly right. (TOP TIP!)

Learn to stay calm-especially in times of pressure or turmoil. You will make much better decision plus everyone will soon notice you are calm under pressure when others are not. I have gotten better, but still am a hothead too often-and always regret it later.

Always be early for appointments. You will be much more efficient with your time and will make a very good impression since many arrive later-some repeatedly late.

Once you do get to know and understand yourself, remember who you are and stay with it. I still get carried away at times and act emotionally or do things at which I am not good. I always look back and try to kick myself into remembering I need to be ttrue to myself. For example, I sometimes jump into an investment when it is moving up only to remember later it was emotion overcoming my own self awareness...

I have learned in life that being greedy nearly always causes problems...



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