25 Quotes by Adam Smith that will make you think

09/25/2024 by

Today I thought exploring some quotes by Adam Smith would be interesting.

Adam Smith was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the thinking of political economy.

He wrote two classic works, The Theory of Moral Sentiments (1759) and An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776).

The latter, often abbreviated as The Wealth of Nations, is the first modern work that treats economics as a comprehensive system and as an academic discipline.

Adam Smith laid the foundations of classical free market economic theory, and he developed the concept of division of labour and expounded upon how rational self-interest and competition can lead to economic prosperity.

However, Adam Smith was a controversial figure in his day, and his general approach and writing style were often satirised by other writers such as Horace Walpole.

Nevertheless, he was an important figure, and his ideas are influential to this day. So, as always with successful people, it’s worth thinking about what he had to say.

So, here are 25 quotes by Adam Smith that will make you think.

I hope you’ll find them interesting and, please, do pass them on.

Quotes by Adam Smith (1-10):

  1. All money is a matter of belief.
  2. Every man lives by exchanging.
  3. There’s a lot of ruin in a nation.
  4. Happiness never lays its finger on its pulse.
  5. Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.
  6. Individual ambition serves the common good.
  7. The real tragedy of the poor is the poverty of their aspirations.
  8. No complaint is more common than that of a scarcity of money.
  9. This is one of those cases in which the imagination is baffled by the facts.
  10. Never complain of that of which it is, at all times, in your power to rid yourself.

Quotes by Adam Smith (11-20):

  1. With the greater part of rich people, the chief enjoyment of riches consists in the parade of riches.
  2. What can be added to the happiness of a man who is in health, out of debt, and has a clear conscience?
  3. Man is an animal that makes bargains. No other animal does this. No dog exchanges bones with another.
  4. Labour was the first price, the original purchase, money that was paid for all things. It was not by gold or by silver, but by labour, that all wealth of the world was originally purchased.
  5. The real and effectual discipline which is exercised over a workman is that of his customers. It is the fear of losing their employment which restrains his frauds and corrects his negligence.
  6. As soon as the land of any country has all become private property, the landlords, like all other men, love to reap where they never sowed and demand a rent even for its natural produce.
  7. I have never known much good done by those who affected to trade for the public good.
  8. All for ourselves, and nothing for other people, seems, in every age of the world, to have been the vile maxim of the masters of mankind.
  9. Consumption is the sole end and purpose of all production; and the interest of the producer ought to be attended to, only so far as it may be necessary for promoting that of the consumer.
  10. It is not by augmenting the capital of the country, but by rendering a greater part of that capital active and productive than would otherwise be so, that the most judicious operations of banking can increase the industry of the country.

Quotes by Adam Smith (21-25):

  1. Virtue is more to be feared than vice because its excesses are not subject to the regulation of conscience.
  2. No society can surely be flourishing and happy, of which the far greater part of the members is poor and miserable.
  3. The propensity to truck, barter and exchange one thing for another is common to all men, and to be found in no other race of animals.
  4. It is not from the benevolence of the butcher, the brewer, or the baker that we expect our dinner, but from their regard to their own interest.
  5. Great ambition, the desire of real superiority, of leading and directing, seems to be altogether peculiar to man, and speech is the great instrument of ambition.

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7 tips for becoming your best self

09/22/2024 by

Successful people are generally regarded as being the best at whatever they do.

However, to be the best at what you do, you must start by becoming the best person you can be. That is, you must be your best self.

In other words, you must find the hero that lies within you.

There’s infinite capacity within you to excel but to realize at least some of your potential you must work at becoming the exceptional person you really can be.

The obvious question is, where do you start?

Here are 7 tips to help you become your best self:-

Becoming your best self:

1. Have a sense of purpose:

If you’re going to be the best person you can be then you cannot just drift through life hoping that it will all just fall into place. It won’t. Nothing happens by accident.

You cannot drift through life with little direction or purpose, not if success is your aim.

Drifting may seem attractive to some but it’s not the way to discover contentment, health and wealth.

It never has been and it never will be.

You must determine your life’s purpose, or your mission if you like.

Having a sense of purpose is essential. With it, you’ll have your own compass that will guide you to your true north all the time.

2. Live by a moral code:

What matters to you, dear reader?

Having a set of values is important. Having a moral code is important too.

Civilization is underpinned by accepted values and a moral code.

Values are the benchmark against which we measure ourselves and any successes we may achieve.

For instance, achieving success by cheating will not make you feel good about yourself because you’ll know you didn’t play fair. If you were dishonest, you’ll know you were dishonest.

It can only feel like a real achievement if it is won in a fair fight. A bit of gamesmanship is one thing but cheating is quite another.

So what is it you value most dear reader?

Pause for a minute and give that question some thought.

Make a list of your top three values.

Then check your goals against those values. Are your goals congruent with your values? Certainly, they’ll need to be.

If a goal doesn’t align with any of your top three values then you must get rid of it.

Anything you achieve that is inconsistent with your values will not make you feel good about yourself.

You will only recognize yourself as your best self when you consider yourself against the values that matter most to you.

3. Know your needs:

Every human being has needs. Having needs is part of the human condition.

Abraham Maslow put it best when he described the hierarchy of needs.

Physiological needs, the need for safety and security, the need for love and belonging, the need for self-esteem, and the need for self-actualization.

We all need these things to some degree, at least.

We all need certainty. However certainty can be boring, so we also need a little uncertainty or change to make life more interesting. The problem is uncertainty can make us feel insecure which is why we tend to feel uncomfortable when we experience change.

You’ll have your own specific needs dear reader and it’s important to identify them.

If you’re to live authentically then the life you live should be consistent with your needs. You can only be you. Anything else would be a fake.

Perhaps attention and recognition are your greatest needs?

Then again, perhaps what truly matters most to you is family and friends.

Perhaps you need to become a mum or a dad?

Alternatively, perhaps you have a burning need to play a musical instrument or to write.

Whatever your needs, if they remain unmet it will stop you from living authentically.

So list your top five needs and make sure any goals you have are consistent with meeting them.

Know your needs and make sure you work towards meeting them before it is too late.

4. Know your passions:

It’s often said that the three things we need in life are passion, purpose and pastime.

Passion is important.

If you have a passion for what you do, you’ll be keen to do it well.

If it matters to you, of course, you’ll do it well. Why wouldn’t you? And if you do it well people will notice. And when people start to notice then demand for your services will increase. And once the demand for your services increases then your value will increase.

So it’s a virtuous circle.

Knowing what you truly like and enjoy doing is part of really knowing who you are as a person.

Knowing your passions allows you to express yourself and make your own unique contribution to life.

And by expressing yourself and leaving a legacy you’ll pay tribute to all those people who inspired you to become the very person you really could be. To become your best self.

5. Live from the inside out:

Your body is the temple in which you will live your entire life.

If that temple is in bad shape then that’s hardly a basis for you becoming your best self, is it?

So be in tune with your body and take care of it.

Eat sensibly and exercise regularly.

Put your physical and mental well-being at the heart of everything you do.

Appreciate the world around you. Stop to smell the roses occasionally. Allow yourself to be in spiritual contact with nature and the world around you.

When you feel stressed and pressured, take the time to breathe deeply. This will help you relax and quiet your distracted mind.

Above all, listen to what your heart is saying. Follow your heart but take your brain with you, of course.

6. Work to your strengths:

We all have our strengths. We all have a natural talent for something and there are things that others will recognize that we’re very good at.

You’re no different, dear reader. So what are your strengths?

At what do you excel in comparison to other people? For what are you recognised as the ‘go-to’ person by your colleagues?

Knowing your strengths and making sure you’re working to your strengths is essential if you’re to be your best self. Certainly, you won’t get very far if you’re working to your weaknesses.

So what positive traits do you possess?

What would other people say are your strengths? Ask your family and friends, if you’re unsure.

Your authentic self will be expressed best by working to your strengths, naturally.

If you’re good at what you do then, once again, you’ll do it well. And doing it well will increase your self-confidence.

And confidence is an essential ingredient to you being your best self.

7. Add value to others:

Human beings are social animals and we live naturally in groups and societies.

Being part of society means contributing to it.

We must all contribute particularly if we’re striving to be our best selves.

Living authentic lives means we must develop an interconnected sense of being.

If you’re true to who you are, living your life’s purpose and giving your talents to the world around you then you are providing a service to others.

To contribute to society you must serve others in some way. Add value to their lives. And giving your best in whatever you do is the way to add value. That is your spirit; your very essence. That is your raison d’etre.

Adding value and providing service to others provides its rewards.

Sharing your gifts with the world can be pleasing indeed. Knowing your contribution was a contribution only you can make can be truly satisfying.

Know you’ve made a real difference and then you’ll have achieved your best self.

Conclusion:

We can all aspire to be more than we are but nothing happens by accident.

If you want to be the best then know where you’re going; know why you’re going there; and know how it is congruent with your passions, your moral code, your own needs, your strengths and your desire to add value in the best way possible.

It can be done and people do. So can you! Good luck.

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15 Quotes by Bruce Lee that will still inspire you today

09/21/2024 by

Bruce Lee is best remembered for his roles in popular martial arts movies of the early 1970s, such as Enter the Dragon.

Born Lee Jun-fan in San Francisco in 1940, he was a Hong Kong-American actor, director, martial artist, martial arts instructor and philosopher brought up in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Bruce Lee is considered by commentators, critics, media and indeed other martial artists to be the most influential martial artist of all time.

He also remains a pop culture icon of the 20th century, who bridged the gap between East and West.

Sadly, Bruce Lee died of a cerebral oedema in Hong Kong in 1973 but subsequently, he was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. For a martial artist, that’s fairly impressive, don’t you think?

Despite his untimely death, he continues to influence people and there are several websites dedicated to Bruce Lee around the world.

In his relatively short life, he was credited with many inspirational quotes, so I thought today I’d share a few of these with you, dear reader.

So here are 15 quotes by Bruce Lee that will still inspire you today.

Quotes by Bruce Lee:

  1. As you think, so shall you become. ~Bruce Lee
  2. To hell with circumstances; I create opportunities. ~Bruce Lee
  3. Obey the principles without being bound by them. ~Bruce Lee
  4. Knowledge will give you power, but character respect. ~Bruce Lee
  5. Showing off is the fool’s idea of glory. ~Bruce Lee
  6. A quick temper will make a fool of you soon enough. ~Bruce Lee
  7. Mistakes are always forgivable if one has the courage to admit them. ~Bruce Lee
  8. A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer. ~Bruce Lee
  9. If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of. ~Bruce Lee
  10. I fear not the man who has practised 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practised one kick 10,000 times. ~Bruce Lee
  11. To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person. ~Bruce Lee
  12. The possession of anything begins in the mind. ~Bruce Lee
  13. I’m not in this world to live up to your expectations and you’re not in this world to live up to mine. ~Bruce Lee
  14. Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it. ~Bruce Lee
  15. Ever since I was a child I have had this instinctive urge for expansion and growth. To me, the function and duty of a quality human being is the sincere and honest development of one’s potential. ~Bruce Lee

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How to love the life you live and live the life you love

09/15/2024 by

How to love the life you liveDo you love the life you live? Do you enjoy your work? Life should never be just about work, but it’s a big part of our lives, so it affects how we feel about ourselves.

Do you get up each morning feeling inspired by what you’ll be doing during the day ahead?

A good question to ask yourself is the one Steve Jobs asks in the video below, “If you knew that today was the last day of your life would you still be happy doing what you have to do today?”

Knowing we will die one day reminds us that our time is precious and we should use it wisely.

Life is short and none of us knows when our final moment will arrive. So we must follow our heart and focus our energy on work that really matters to us.

If your work matters to you then you’ll do it well. And if you do it well you’ll make a difference. Make a difference and you’ll leave a legacy. Do this and you’ll love the life you live.

How to love the life you lifeAll of this is easier said than done, of course.

Many people experience life without any real sense of satisfaction. Far too many people experience a lifetime of disappointment and regret too. This all adds up to people living lives they don’t love.

However, it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to accept a less than satisfactory life.

If your life is unsatisfactory then you need to change. And change is possible.

A good place to start is by listening to the inspiring observations from the late Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, contained in the video ‘If today were the last day of my life’ included below. His words are thought-provoking and powerful. I found this video truly inspirational and I recommend it to you.

How to love the life you live:

Before you watch the video, ask yourself this question. Between now and dead would you be happy to continue with the life you have right now?

No?

Then you must change and keep changing until you love the life you live.

Never accept second best because life’s far too short.

Remember: Whilst you have to make a living, you also have to make a life as well. So, have no regrets. Start making the life you want to live as quickly as possible. It’s later than you think.

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How to spot a liar and be your own lie detector

09/03/2024 by

Introduction:

“Liar, Liar pants on fire” as the old saying goes but how to spot a liar in any situation? If only it were so easy to spot a liar, simply by looking at whether his or her pants were on fire.

Unfortunately, that’s not the way life works.

And handy as it might be to carry around a lie detector at all times, that wouldn’t be very practical either, would it? Well, not a lie detector of the physical variety anyway.

So what’s the next best thing?

The next best thing would be if we could become our own lie detector, surely?

However, would that be possible?

The answer is yes. With a little effort, it’s possible to develop the skills to spot a liar. You just need to think about the signs.

Become a lie detector:

Now, this is important because we live in a world where we’re constantly bombarded with fake news, weasel words, half-truths, untruths and outright lies.

Politicians are the worst culprits but just about everyone in life tells the occasional lie when they feel it’s necessary.

That’s human nature, of course. This means we must learn the skills that will allow us to judge whether what we are being told is the truth or a lie at any given time.

How to spot a liar:

So how do you spot a liar?

Essentially it’s all about looking for clues.

Those little signs will reveal whether what we’re being told is likely to be true or not. A lie detector looks for clues and we can too.

In the TED Talk video embedded here, Pamela Meyer offers her observations on the signs or clues to watch out for to see if someone is lying to you.

I must say that I found this video both useful and interesting and it’s worth a few moments of your time.

The ability to spot lies is a powerful skill which everyone can develop.

You can become your own lie detector and it’s worth the effort.

If you can only work on developing one skill then lie spotting would be a good one I think.

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21 thought-provoking quotes about inspiration

08/23/2024 by

Do you need a little inspiration occasionally, dear reader? I know I do, frequently.

From the feedback I regularly receive from readers, it seems that most people find quotes an excellent source of inspiration.

And not just quotes from the great thinkers of course. Rather it’s those observations from ordinary people about life and the human condition that can be truly inspiring.

So today I offer you 21 thought-provoking quotes about inspiration.

And let me say, they’re not so much about inspiration, they’re intended to be a source of inspiration for you.

Most of all, each and every one of these quotes offers something different by way of inspiration I think.

These quotes will make you think too, which is important.

If you’re trying to develop your own personal philosophy for dealing with life and the people around you then these quotes should help you.

So read them all, reflect on them and see how many of them you can work into your day. And please, pass them on.

Quotes About Inspiration (1-10):

  1. Everyone is good at something and once you find it, what you can achieve is limitless. ~Andrew Flintoff
  2. The deepest craving of human nature is to be appreciated. ~William James
  3. Every man has three characters: that which he shows; that which he has; and that which he thinks he has. ~Alphonse Karr
  4. The man who does not work for the love of work but only for money is neither likely to make money nor find much fun in life. ~Charles M. Schwab
  5. Never mind what others do; do better than yourself, beat your own record from day to day and you are a success. ~William J.H. Boetcker
  6. Don’t be afraid of failure. If something doesn’t work, use what you’ve learned to try and try again. ~Sir James Dyson
  7. Even if your vision is flawed, if you have the passion and the implementation skills, you’ll get there [in the end]. ~Jim McCarthy
  8. The drops of rain make a hole in the stone not by violence but by oft falling. ~Lucretius
  9. Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression. ~Haim Ginott
  10. A truly loving parent won’t be looking for payback from a child. The child’s happiness, self-confidence and independence are the only rewards for good parenting. ~Roy Sutton

Quotes About Inspiration (11-15):

  1. Being considerate of others will take your children further in life than any college degree. ~Marian Wright Edelman
  2. If you look around at successful people, the movers and shakers are those who are positive, who won’t take no for an answer, and who make things happen – either for themselves or for others. ~Carole Spiers
  3. I think one of the most pervasive evils in the world is greed and acquiring money for money’s sake. Once you have six houses and a plane it is just about a number. It’s never been anything I understood. ~Kevin Bacon
  4. Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity. ~ Clement Stone
  5. There’s one sad truth in life I’ve found while journeying east and west. The only folks we really wound are those we love the best. We flatter those we scarcely know. We please the fleeting guest. And deal full many a thoughtless blow to those who love us best. ~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Quotes About Inspiration (16-21):

  1. If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep even as Michelangelo painted or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well. ~Martin Luther King
  2. Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven’t half the strength you think they have. ~Dr Norman Vincent Peale
  3. Other people may not like what you choose to do but as long as you’re not hurting anyone else then it is your business and yours alone. You weren’t put on this earth just to please other people. ~Roy Sutton
  4. The best years of your life are the ones in which you decide your problems are your own. You do not blame them on your mother, the ecology or the president. You realise that you control your own destiny. ~Albert Ellis
  5. My mother drew a distinction between achievement and success. She said that achievement is the knowledge that you have studied and worked hard and done the best that is in you. Success is being praised by others, and that’s nice too, but not as important or satisfying. Always aim for achievement and forget about success. ~ Helen Hayes Brown
  6. The person who tries to live alone will not succeed as a human being. His heart withers if it does not answer another heart. His mind shrinks away if he hears only the echoes of his own thoughts and finds no other inspiration. ~Pearl S. Buck

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Were any of them particularly relevant to you and your life right now?

Please comment and share your thoughts. And please share these quotes with your friends on social media. When people share, everyone wins.

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How is success achieved? Could this be the secret?

08/08/2024 by

How is success achieved? Certainly many desire it but few achieve it. Why is that do you think dear reader?

Could it be all about your mindset? Can your thinking have an impact on whether you succeed or not?

In the embedded video, Carrie Green suggests that your mindset matters.

Programming your mind for success:

This is an inspirational talk on success by Ms Carrie Green, who gave it at TEDxManchester.

Her underlying message is that success is never achieved by accident.

Success is achieved by knowing what you want, knowing why you want it and then programming your mind to drive you towards your goal.

I’d not heard Carrie Green speak before I stumbled on this video but I must say I’m very impressed.

If you can spare a few minutes then this video is well worth a little piece of your time. I’m confident that you won’t be disappointed. Recommended.

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Why you should put something away for a rainy day

08/04/2024 by

Dear Reader, have you ever considered why you should put something away for a rainy day?

When you’re doing well and have a good income, it’s easy to imagine that the good times will go on forever and you can enjoy it all with the expectation that money will continue to flow in your direction without interruption.

But life’s not like that. Into every life, some rain will fall, as the saying goes.

Good times don’t last forever. Life tends to be cyclical, like the changing of the seasons.

The time to repair your roof is when the sun is shining, for winter will have its day and we must be prepared for inclement weather.

Savings matter:

When you get paid each month you must set some money aside, separated into three accounts, as follows:

You must be prepared to pay those bills that come in regularly; you must be ready for an emergency. Equally, you must start creating wealth, so that one day you’ll be able to retire.

Bill Payment:

You cannot live in the modern age without incurring bills.

Whether it’s utility bills, phone bills, TV subscriptions, mortgage payments or rent, credit card payments, food bills, repayments on a car loan, et cetera. You must set money aside to pay all those bills when they fall due.

Emergency Account:

As the saying goes, stuff happens.

And when stuff happens you must be prepared to deal with it. You must have an emergency fund you can tap into to deal with emergency repairs or even an unexpected interruption to your income. These things do happen.

Financial Freedom:

When you’re young, it’s easy to think that you’ll keep on working, if you must, to earn an income.

However, trust me, one day you will want to retire from work, or at least from the daily grind.

If you are to retire you will need some wealth.

The best time to start building wealth is when you’re young.

Start a 401K or pension whilst you’re young, pay into it regularly and with some luck and good financial management, you can enjoy a comfortable old age.

By starting young you will benefit from the magic of compounding. The impact of compound interest should not be underestimated.

Remember; it will rain:

Think of life in terms of the seasons and prepare accordingly.

Most people experience hard times at some point in their lives, particularly when they’re young.

You can be sure it will rain; the only question is when.

You will be able to weather the storm a lot better if you have a financial cushion in the form of some savings.

If you are lucky enough to have an income now, you’d do well to remember to put some of your income away for a rainy day.

It’s easy to squander your money thinking the good times will never end.

However, nothing lasts forever. So, my advice is, to be prepared.

Why you should put something away for a rainy day

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How to find the right job for you: Simply Explained

07/14/2024 by

Do you enjoy your work, dear reader? Do you have a job you love? Do you wake up each morning filled with enthusiasm for the day ahead?

Alternatively, maybe you just feel your job allows you to earn an income, but beyond that, you can’t wait until 5 pm when the working day is over. Perhaps you’re constantly asking the question, “How to find the right job for you?”

If that’s you then you’re not alone.

The Lottery Question:

The acid test when you’re not sure is to ask yourself what I call the lottery question.

What does that mean? If means you ask yourself this, “If I won millions on the lottery and money ceased to be an issue; would I continue to do the work I’m doing now or would I try something else?”

Yes of course if you won the lottery you’d have a little fun with the money first, but eventually, your life would need a sense of purpose and routine again.

So how would you fill your time then?

Never work a day in your life:

If you enjoy what you do, and you’re recognized as being very good at it, then you’ll do your job well and you’ll be successful at what you do. And if you enjoy what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life. Now, how good would that be?

So if you’re not happy with your job right now, the next question to ask yourself is, “What do I really want to be?”

To answer that question, you need to consider two things:-

These are quite different things but if you can find the sweet spot between them then you have the basis for finding a job you’ll love.

So the steps to job heaven are as follows:-

STEP 1: What are you good at?

Not merely competent but really good at?

Think about that question carefully and be honest with yourself.

What activities are intuitive to you? Things you can do easily and readily without having to give them too much thought?

Ask friends and colleagues for their views, and ask them to be really honest with you. Ask people you work with about the tasks for which they consider you to be the absolutely, first choice ‘go-to’ person.

Gather together this information and make a list.

STEP 2: What do you enjoy doing?

Then make a list of all the things you really enjoy doing.

Which activities really give you a buzz?

What activities get you so absorbed that you really lose track of time?

What activities would you do for free or as a hobby, if you couldn’t make a living at them?

Paul McCartney once said that if he couldn’t have made a living out of writing songs and playing music, he’d have done it as a hobby, simply because he loved it so much. In fact, it was his hobby before it was the way he earned a living.

What activities make you feel the same way? Make that list and don’t be reasonable.

All this requires time for reflection and careful thought, as well as feedback from other people. So do give it the time it deserves.

Don’t jump to conclusions. You do want to ensure you get it right, don’t you?

STEP 3: Which items are common to both lists?

When you have your two lists ready, the final step is to identify the common ground between them, the point at which the two lists intersect.

If you find an item that is contained on both lists then you have found the Holy Grail.

Finding something you’re genuinely good at and have a real talent for, and which is also something you really enjoy, will give you the greatest chance of success in life.

It is essential you find the common ground between your lists because:-

And if you get it right, sometimes people will sprinkle fairy dust on you too. And then a magical career beckons.

Finding your perfect job is never about luck.

Find the right work for you:

If you’re doing something you enjoy doing and you’re doing it well, you’ll stick with it long enough to get someone’s attention. And when you get their attention, you’ll dazzle them because you’re doing it well.

That’s not luck; it’s hard work, perseverance and timing.

Once you’ve identified what you want, the next question is, “How do you get it?” That’s another challenge, entirely.

Have you managed to find the perfect job for you?

If so, you’re lucky indeed. Enjoy every moment. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking;

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The importance of teaching children about money

06/09/2024 by

Teaching Children About MoneyThe importance of teaching children about money is not something that’s taken as seriously as it should be, in my opinion.

Certainly not in the education system. As far as I can see, financial education for children and young adults is rarely covered within the education system at all. It wasn’t when I was young and it isn’t now.

Some might say that money’s not the most important thing in life and philosophically that may be true.

However, money’s up there with oxygen and water when it comes to sustaining human life. In the modern age, life revolves around money, whether we like it or not.

Money’s a measure of the value we add to the lives of others and it’s also the oil that lubricates human existence.

Without money, living would be virtually impossible for almost everyone today.

1. The point of teaching children:

The point of teaching children is to prepare them for adult life, surely?

Our aim should be to equip them with everything they need to know, so they can function effectively as adults once they leave the education system.

Now reading, writing and arithmetic are all essential subjects, of course, because you can’t get too far in the world of work without these basic skills. And it’s through work that we really add value and maximise our income.

Nevertheless, where I believe the education system generally fails children and young people is the omission of the teaching of essential life skills, like earning an income and managing money. Important subjects like money and personal finance are never covered at all, certainly not in any significant way.

2. Money and personal finance:

To me, it’s surprising that we don’t teach our children about money or personal finance in their formative years.

Surely whilst at school, children should learn about:-

          • The way money is earned;
          • The way to manage money;
          • How to budget, so they can pay their bills; and
          • How to spend their money wisely.

Children should also learn about how they should prioritize expenditure to avoid getting themselves into a financial mess, in my opinion.

3. The pros and cons of debt:

Personally, I think that children and young adults should learn about the pros and cons of debt.

They should learn about the difference between secured and unsecured debt, given the impact these factors will have on the interest rates that will be applied to such debt.

Young people should learn about the power of compound interest too. Not so much as a mathematical exercise but in terms of how it can quickly turn a relatively small debt into a very large debt if we’re not careful.

And they should also learn to appreciate that credit cards are not just a convenient means for cashless payment.

Used thoughtlessly, credit cards can result in personal wealth destruction and excessive levels of expensive debt.

Children and young people should know that credit cards are a form of unsecured debt, which means they come with very high rates of interest, which accelerate a personal debt mountain rapidly, if not paid off immediately once the bill arrives at the month-end.

4. Interest rates matter:

Everyone should know that interest rates really do matter. They’re very significant and shouldn’t be treated lightly.

Children and young adults should learn that they should never go into debt for the purchase of discretionary items. It’s always better that they save up for that discretionary purchase before they buy, of course.

5. The nature of work:

Every young person should learn about how work is just doing stuff for other people in exchange for money and that the more value they can add through their skills and know-how, the more they’ll earn throughout their life. So skills matter too.

Everyone should be taught about the economics of supply and demand and their impact on pricing.

Kids should understand the difference between trading their time with one employer for a wage and the opportunity to serve multiple customers through their own business and their own creativity.

If they have the ability to create products which solve problems for customers, then they have the potential to make a lot of money.

Essentially kids should learn to appreciate the difference between employment and self-employment.

6. The road to financial freedom:

Young people should learn about wealth, pensions and how to achieve financial freedom through putting money aside on a regular basis and investing it wisely.

They should be positively encouraged to work towards achieving financial freedom.

Once they’re financially free they can focus on doing things they enjoy doing rather than things they have to do, because they’ve no other choice.

If nothing else, this makes the goal of achieving financial freedom a worthy aim, in my opinion.

7. The impact 0f inflation, taxation and government borrowing:

Kids should learn about the impact that inflation will have on the value of their money and how this can affect their savings, particularly in old age. They should also be taught about risk and its relationship with reward.

They should learn about taxes and how the money they pay in taxes will be spent, and frequently squandered by the government.

Everyone should know that there’s no such thing as government money, only taxpayer’s money. Our money!

Children and young people should know that it’ll be their hard-earned money that’s being spent by the government.

They should also know that when governments borrow money this is simply a means for spending today and then passing the bill on to future generations. In other words, our children and grandchildren, and indeed their children, will pay the bill for today’s government borrowing. Potentially, future generations could be impoverished by excessive government borrowing today.

Government borrowing is not a free lunch. Someone eventually must bear the interest payments in future years, as well as the repayment of the original capital sum that was borrowed. And don’t forget, governments are borrowing money continually.

8. Holding government to account:

Children should be taught to question how their money is being spent by the government and how to register their disapproval if they’re not happy with what’s being done with that money, in their name.

9. Money matters:

teach children about moneySadly most people have little real understanding of money, which means that they’re easily conned by sharp business practices, particularly in Financial Services, and by politicians driven only by their own self-interest.

Perhaps that’s why schools are not encouraged to teach personal finance as a subject.

Parents should demand that their children are taught about money, in my opinion.

If the education system fails children by not teaching them important life skills then, as parents, we must shoulder at least some of the blame, surely?

And as always, we’ll get what we tolerate.

For me, teaching children and young people about money is an issue for the education system, as much as it is for parents themselves.

Money really does matter and, in my opinion, we fail children and young people if we don’t provide them with the know-how and skills to make the most of it throughout their lives.

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