Truly

Today, I spent time with a cup of coffee and read a shareholder letter from Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock. Given any day, some investors are worried about the high level of spending on artificial intelligence (AI). In the past, new technological changes sometimes caused market downturns. But we may not be at that point yet. One important thing is that the United States has the highest stock market participation in the world. About 60% of the population owns stocks, either directly or indirectly. This includes investments through mutual funds or retirement accounts like a 401(k) or IRA. Around the world, fewer people invest in stocks. They keep their money in bank accounts that earn little interest. They watch the economy grow but do not benefit from it as owners. In financial markets, short-term activity has a purpose. It helps markets process new information, understand risks, and decide where money should go. However, much of today’s economic anxiety comes from a deeper issue: capital...

A baby eagle lost his parents. He fell from his nest to the ground, but he could not fly yet. A man found the baby eagle and took him to a farmer. The man told the farmer, “This is a special chicken that will grow very big.” The farmer looked at it and said, “It does not look like a chicken.” The man said, “Yes, it is. You will be happy to have it.” So the farmer kept the baby eagle with his chickens. The baby eagle grew up with the chickens. He learned to act like them. He scratched the ground to find worms and ate like the chickens. One day, an eagle flew high in the sky above the farm. The young eagle looked up and thought, “What a beautiful and powerful bird! It is so free.” He asked a chicken, “What bird is that?” The chicken said, “That is an eagle. But do not worry about it. Eagles fly and hunt. We are chickens. We stay on the ground and eat worms.” The young eagle believed this. He went back to scratching the ground like the chickens. He lived his whole life thinking he was a c...

  Single people become single in different ways—some have never been married, some are divorced, and some became single after their spouse passed away. Some single people have children, while others do not. Because everyone’s situation is different, each person needs a personal plan that fits their life. Being single is completely fine, but having a plan is important. It ensures that your money and belongings go to the people or places you choose. Married couples often rely on each other financially and emotionally. They may also have children, so it is important for them to plan for what will happen to their family if something unexpected occurs. Single individuals usually do not have dependents, so their focus should be on protecting themselves. For example, they should make sure that someone they trust can manage their finances or make medical decisions for them if they are unable to do so. Keeping your plan updated helps ensure that your money, property, or other assets go to t...

While many people   are afraid of organizational politics because they think using power is corrupting or bad. They avoid it, thinking it’s wrong to play “political games.” But politics can actually be a   p ositive skill , because it helps people influence decisions and work with others in an organization. If someone thinks all politics is bad, it may mean they don’t fully understand how organizations and people actually work. Politics is part of human nature. People have different interests, ideas, and goals. Because of this, politics helps us see what actions are possible (what we can do) and also think about ethics or morality (what we should do). Organizations are naturally political because of three main sources: Diversity of perspectives   – People have different opinions and ideas. Interdependence   – People need to work together, which can create conflicts. Scarce resources   – Organizations have limited resources, so tough choices have to be made. The...