Essays

I Didn’t Know What It Would Be Worth.

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Some things have to be protected before their value becomes clear. Read time: 5 minutes Over Labor Day weekend, my family took a short trip to Kansas City. My wife wanted to visit the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and see its Chinese art collection, and that was probably the biggest reason I wanted us to … Read more

I Knew the Math. I Didn’t Feel It.

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The early years of compounding were working. They just weren’t impressive. Read time: 4 minutes When I first started investing seriously, I understood how compounding worked. I worked in finance, so I knew what the numbers could eventually become if I gave them enough time. But understanding the math and experiencing it were two different … Read more

What If Your Default Response Is Wrong?

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On asking before you know the answer, looking where others don’t, and knowing when enough is enough. Read time: 5 minutes Most weeks, I write about one idea that’s been on my mind. This week, three unrelated ideas kept coming back to me. One was about asking for what you want, another about finding information … Read more

The Goal Isn’t to Avoid Risk

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Some risks can change your life. Others can take away your ability to try again. Read time: 4 minutes Early in my investing career, I had a small personal retirement account where a series of aggressive options trades produced unusually large gains. I always bought options rather than sold them, so the maximum loss on … Read more

The Moment I Became Hard to Break

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The first sign of wealth wasn’t having more. It was needing less to go right. Read time: 3 minutes For years, I assumed financial security would arrive with the next milestone. A higher salary. A bigger investment account. Enough money that I would finally stop worrying about money. But each milestone came and went, and … Read more

I Forgot to Unplug

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Recovery isn’t the opposite of productivity. It’s what makes it sustainable. Read time: 3 minutes Last week, I wrote that “pay yourself first” isn’t just about money. We also invest our future through our time, attention, and energy. A few days later, I realized something: it’s difficult to invest your energy well if you never … Read more

I Thought I Understood “Pay Yourself First”

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The best financial advice I ever received wasn’t just about money. Read time: 3 minutes When I received my first full-time paycheck, one of the first things I did wasn’t buy something I’d always wanted. Instead, I set up an automatic transfer so part of every paycheck disappeared into savings before I ever saw it. … Read more

The Biggest Changes Happen Quietly

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Some of life’s most important changes are almost invisible while they’re happening. Read time: 3 minutes Last Sunday, another dad and I took our daughters to an indoor adventure park. The moment my daughter saw her classmate, she ran over and gave her a hug before either of us said a word. A few minutes … Read more

I’ve Started Looking for Better Curators

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Why I’ve become more intentional about who I learn from. Read time: 4 minutes Before my workday begins, I usually carve out a little time to write. Most mornings, I’ll read a newsletter, listen to part of a podcast during my morning walk, or catch up on an article I saved the day before. I … Read more

I Realized I Was Solving the Wrong Problem

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One conversation with my wife changed how I think about planning. Read time: 4 minutes A few days ago, my wife pointed out something that caught me off guard. It wasn’t about our itinerary or how much time I spent with our family. It was about how I think. “You think much more deeply about … Read more