Resolutions: The Oracle Says it Better

 It's a new year, and I'm sure, like you, you're thinking of resolutions, ways to improve, vision boards, new jobs, relationships, homes, exercise routines, diets, and all the rest.

But most of the resolutions I'll sustain are the same as they always are:

- 100 books a year (I read 7 over break - see below for reviews)
- Publish my book! (Hoping to get this off my list this year!)
- Drink more water.
- Continue to study Buddhism and Stoicism.
- And, finally, when I feel overwhelmed, I'll look around, look around at how lucky we are to be alive right now. In practice, I will come up with five specific things I am grateful for if my mind wanders towards the negative, which it's been doing more and more as I get older. (Last year's anthem.)

My resolutions never seem to change and I like it that way.

Similarly, my wealth-building suggested resolutions are still the age-old ones, so I borrowed some from an article I read about Buffett over break.

1. Pay Yourself First - "Don't save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving."
2. Reduce Unnecessary Expenses - big, little, whichever works best for you. I focus on little, but I can certainly see the argument for big.
3. Invest in the S&P 500 - "humble, cheap, with a remarkable record of putting professional investors to shame."
4. Avoid Consumer Debt - high-interest rate debt is one of the greatest impediments to wealth building.
5. Invest in Yourself - "The best thing you can do is to exceptionally good at something. Whatever abilities you have can't be taken away from you. So, the best investment by far is anything that develops yourself, and it's not taxed at all." I will continue to work on my teaching, my writing, and of course, parenting, daughtering, sistering, and wifing.

This is so un-bold but, I resist the urge to reinvent my entire life every January and instead I focus on the quiet, unglamorous, repeatable habits that actually work.

- Reading every day beats a dramatic vision board.
- Saving consistently beats chasing the next hot investment.
- Drinking more water beats any 30-day cleanse.

We won't build wealth with fireworks. For me, bold means steady.

What are your resolutions? I'd love to hear!

A random assortment!

The Art of Spending Money - TERRIFIC and short. Main message is to spend intentionally. I loved it. This is the author of The Psychology of Money which was even better.

Future Boy - Mainly about his time on Family Ties and Back to the Future. It was a throwback for me, but probably not for everyone.

Flesh - Beautifully written, but so sad. A novel about intimacy, modern masculinity, and power.

Mona's Eyes - How art helps us see, feel, and understand the world. It's on all the best books lists, but I'd give it a 3 out of 5.

Read Your Mind - A behind-the-scenes look at mentalism and how much it is based on studying influence, focus, and human behavior than actual 'mind-reading'. Really interesting.

The Haves and the Have Yachts - Short essays on wealth, power, and inequality in modern America. He demonstrates how money shapes politics, culture, and our sense of what's 'normal'. We listened to this as a family on a drive up to Canada.

1929 - A narrative of the months leading up to the Great Depression. He shows how confidence, leverage, debt, and speculation can lead to systemic disaster. I love Andrew Ross Sorkin's work, particularly Too Big to Fail, about the credit crisis.

I'd love to hear what you're reading! Hit reply and let me know.

Next up on my list is Notes on Being a Man, Heart the Lover, Theo of Golden and Stoner.