Fans of Compound Maven are well aware personal accountability and responsibility are two values we take seriously when mapping out growth plans for business owners and professionals alike.
Speaking in US terms, in a world where we’re sorting through the consequences and decision-making frameworks of a participation trophy generation, coupled with social media’s amplifying capabilities, it can be difficult to identify content that doesn’t shift blame to external forces. Inflation, the government (either party), universities, the news media, systemic _________, the one percent, tax policy, corporations – you name it, there’s a target out there.
While these certainly can be valid factors from time to time, and can impact people unequally, folks from older generations will oftentimes share if you wait for the “perfect” moment, many great opportunities in life will pass you by. Recency bias, where greater weight is given to a significant event that just occurred, can also kick in, compounding the number of reasons to hold off on taking action until similar or even identical macro elements are in place.
These personal behavior patterns can lead to one feeling stuck – unmotivated and, if sustained over a long period of time, helpless. Unfortunately, just as positive, daily action can compound over time, this can also work on the other side of the spectrum (see The Power Of Tiny Gains Or Losses To Make 2022 Amazing).
Given our reader base, let’s consider an example of how this happens from the world of personal finance. Here’s Credit Suisse’s roller coaster of investor emotions chart:
This unfortunately still happens today. CNBC reported on a survey from Magnify Money in 2019 that shows “More than half (52%) of Americans have tapped into their retirement savings early”.
This rate drastically increased since COVID-19 hit American shores. Fast forward to October 2020, according to data analyzed by Edelman Financial Engines as reported in Business Insider, “55% of people who have borrowed from their accounts regret doing it”. Given we’re not through the pandemic at the time this post was published, I would anticipate both this rate and early retirement withdrawals to increase in 2021.
These are just a few of the reasons I like to surround myself with real-world examples of success and stories of how people overcame obstacles. If you’re not careful, in my experience it’s easier to get inundated with fear mongering, click bait-y content than authentic, motivating and uplifting perspective on a daily basis.
Thus, I wanted to repost a list of 27 things you can control in 2021 – something that rarely never will get reported by a major news outlet, no matter your party alliance, today.
Shout out to Mikiash on Instagram for sharing:
Things You Can Control
Your Being
Your Beliefs
Your Attitude
Your Thoughts
Your Perspective
Your Being Choice
How Honest You Are
What Books You Read
How Often You Exercise
How You Treat Yourself
How Many Risks You Take
The Type Of Food You Eat
How Kind You Are To Others
How You Interpret Situations
How You Express Your Thoughts
Whether Or Not You Ask For Help
How Many Times You Smile Today
Who You Associate Yourself With
What You Do With Your Spare Time
How You Spend/Invest Your Money
How Often You Say I Love You
How Much Time You Waste Worrying
The Amount Of Effort You Put Forth
How Often You Think About Your Past
Whether Or Not You Judge Other People
How Often You Give Time To Appreciate Life
Whether Or Not You Try Again After A Setback
Source: mikiash IG
