Monologues By Hasi

There is an infinite amount of negative events occurring in the world. Being a compassionate person does not mean you need to make yourself aware, read every news article on and be in a constant state of reaction to every piece of negativity out there. That's exhausting and unsustainable. If you deplete yourself you'll be useless to others, more likely to be bitter and a greater contributor to the very negativity you initially felt compelled to react to. It is natural that based on your own upbringing, stage in life, experiences and a bunch of other variables that you will care about some issues significantly more than others. Others will not resonate as well with issues you care about too! This is normal. Do good in your day to day, improve your capacity to help others through self improvement and then help them in a sustainable manner where you do not harm your ability to help others in the future.

Learning to say no doesn't come naturally to all and it certainly hasn't for me. I've witnessed the consequences of failing to draw a line in both myself and others. In this episode I reflect on a few stories and observations and why it is crucial to learn to say NO.

One of the biggest lessons that I've constantly had to remind myself of is that it is not my job to pre-emptively reject myself. The right to reject belongs to others not to me. So I should not take that power away from them. It is ok to face rejection. However to reject ourselves serves no purpose to not only us but also to those in the world who can benefit from what we have to offer.

When you go from holding a 20 kg sac to one that weighs just 2 kg - the lighter sac will feel remarkably effortless to hold. The caveat here is to experience this feeling you must go through the pain of holding the heavier sac. If you fail to do so you may go your entire life agonising over how heavy 2 kg feels. In this episode I discuss this concept outside the realm of physicality and make the argument for lighting a heavier load in the other domains of life provided it does not kill or maim you.

In todays episode I discuss the our status seeking and conserving characteristics as humans and reflect on how I've been letting something that is historically a valid response from holding me back in the modern world as I launch a meditation application called Illuminate Me and grapple with looking stupid or lesser than my previous position on the totem pole.

The realities of traveling fast, and perhaps more so when you travel slow, is coming to love a place and then having to go. This is what no one speaks about in the digital nomad or wanderlust communities. Today I thought I'd process my own feelings on this topic and build some gratitude for my time so far in Penang and all the amazing people who've made it so memorable.

In this episode I deliberate with myself regarding the shift that I'm encountering that no more inputs of hours, energy and health will make a tangible impact and that my golden goose is me. My physical, mental and spiritual health are the basis of everything that I want to achieve yet I can't solely indulge this (or can I?) without losing it in the future. So how do we not kill the golden goose? I'm not sure I have quite have the answers.

In the world of meme's one of that rings true in many cases (thought not all of course) is "It's a skill issue" which is a comment on a persons lack of skill to achieve a positive outcome or avoid a negative one. However the mindset that we, as individuals, need to acquire all the skills we have deficits for can be limiting and hold us back. In this episode I cover a recent attempt at outsourcing one of my skill deficits which didn't quite work out but was a good lesson none the less.

In this episode I go through why I chose to travel post leaving my corporate software engineering job, why I chose Penang in Malaysia to start work on digital products and what I love about it so far.

Once you deviate from a socially acceptable path those around you may often wonder 'was that a good decision?' - you may wonder yourself. In this episode I take you through the thought experiments I made when I decided to leave a very secure software engineering job to travel the world and bring a few ideas to life. Maybe it's a cope - but maybe it'll help you think out your way forward. Keep listening to find out more.

In the world of chemistry a limiting reagent is the reactant (in a chemical reaction) which limits the amount of product that can be made. In Santa's factory the limiting reagent determining the speed at which toys are made is the 'drunk elf on the production line'. This concept applies to many context in life but before we change the world we must identify these limiting reagents within ourselves and deal with them!

Ever felt stuck or faced a tough challenge? In this episode, I draw parallels to high school chemistry lab as we dive into why paying a bit more upfront – your 'activation energy' – is key for real success. Let's chat about breaking through, finding your commitment, and investing in yourself. It's all about overcoming today's hurdles for a brighter tomorrow.

Unions have served a valuable purpose throughout history we probably wouldn't have weekends without them however not all employees fall under them especially workers who bargain individually. In this episode I discuss how you can be your own union through personal finance - something we don't always factor in when we think about our leverage in the workplace.

Accountability groups are wonderful when we can't rely on ourselves to move forward. I've used them myself - sometimes very successfully! Then why is it that in 2024 I've left all my formal accountability groups? In this episode I go through some of the reasons as well delving into why accountability groups can work so well when done properly.

Those who have grown up around a language but don't speak it are often at a disadvantage when it comes to becoming conversationally proficient later in life. We are bound by the ideal of perfect speech and can often understand the language so well that it leads to self-sabotage in acquiring proficiency due to a need for perfectionism and the lack of confidence to look stupid. Embracing being a speaker of broken languages is a superpower worth acquiring in my opinion. Listen more to hear I'm butchering languages as I encounter them and still managing to coming out ahead.

This year I managed to obtain an airfare that takes me to 5 cities around the world for just $1150 US dollars or $1700 Australian dollars - likely the cheapest air travel I'll take in my entire life. Want to find out how? It involves a combination of credit cards, an airline rewards program, a airline alliance and some strategic planning to circumnavigate the globe. Keep listening to find out more! Disclaimer: The financial discussion in this podcast is general in nature and is not individualised to the listener. Nor is the intention to provide financial advice. If you are interested accessing any financial products please seek a qualified financial adviser for personalised guidance.

The cycle of self sabotage is the fluctuation between a state of despair and complacency. When in despair we take actions to improve our lives. When complacent we regress back to a state of despair and so the cycle repeats. In this episode I discuss I'm planning on breaking the cycle this year.

In the 4th Century B.C. Alexander the Great came across the Gordian knot in the Phrygian capital of Gordium (Gordian). The knot was so difficult to untie, and so many had attempted it only to fail, that it was prophesised that he who could untie the Gordian knot would become the ruler of all Asia. What would become of Alexander and what can we learn from him?

In this episode I review 2023 in line with the goals I set at the start of the year talking about what I excelled in and where I needed to improve. I then take these learnings and apply it to vision for 2024 and beyond. Hopefully I'll convince you to join me in reflecting and planning!

Business expenditure is split into two categories: CapEx (Capital Expenditure) which represents the purchase of assets which have long term benefits to a company as well as OpEx (Operating Expenditure) which is the day-to-day running expenses of a business such as rent, utilities and employees. In this episode I go through how we can reframe the way we as individuals on a growth journey can split out our expenditures of our capital (financial, mental, physical and all importantly TIME) into these categories to ensure our long term prosperity.

Many of the accomplished, such as Gandhi and Solzhenitsyn as well as I'm sure many more, in human history have held a core belief that "to change the world you must first change yourself". This changes the locus of control from the external, outside our actual control, to ourselves, an entity which we do in fact have control over. In this episode I discuss this concept, sharing some of my own personal experiences and leave you with a prompt to self reflect.

After doing my first 10 day silent vipassana course in 2021 I embarked on another almost 3 years later in 2023 just after quitting my job. I found this time to be significantly challenging compared to my first for very different reasons but again am grateful to have re-invigorated my mindfulness meditation practice.

"l'ennemi du bien est le bien (the enemy of good is perfect)" - Voltaire. When at look at the graveyard of my unfinished works what often killed them was the innate desire to perfect them before showing anyone. Over time this attitude has and is continuing to change. In this episode I reflect on why sometimes the most important thing we can do is ship our work (over and over again)!

Having made the decision to quit my 6 figure ($AUD) software engineering job and lock in 9 months where I won't be able to engage in traditional employment in this episode I go through some of the reasons behind this pivot. In doing so I envisage it will be perceived as sensible or sheer madness - either way here comes the breakdown!

At every phase in life there will be people who have done it or done something similar. It's imperative that we learn the art of asking for help - whilst I haven't quite worked out that much - here's a reflection from my past on how NOT to go about networking with those a few levels above you.

One sentence a day can help you feel like a very luck person overtime. In this episode I extoll the humble gratitude journal and attempt to sell you on why this one habit might be the simplest way to elevate your being.

In James Clear's Atomic Habits there's a scary reality that I'm sure we've all faced "Mastery requires practice. But the more you practice the more boring and routine it becomes". Here's the crux of the problem - the dreaded dopamine dip, quit and flip we experience with shiny object syndrome - leaving our existing projects and skills unfinished and unmastered as we pick up the next new exciting thing - until it all repeats. Learning to live with the dopamine dip is an unfortunate reality. In this episode I talk through how I'm currently dealing with it and how you can too.

What is the value of something? Ask 10 people and you're likely to get 10 different answers. Why? Because valuations are subjective. Should everyone have the same valuation - that may seem egalitarian but may actually be dangerous. Here's why we should rejoice in the subjectivity of value and understand it's nature to improve our lives and those of whom we transact with financially or otherwise.

They say that if you're the smartest person in the room you should find a different room to be apart of but no-one really talks about what to do once you're in the right room i.e. when you're the dumbest person in the room (ideally by a longshot). I've been fortunate to have jumped into the career of software engineering and after over a year the people who've mentored me say that they're surprised that I've been doing it for such a short amount of time. In the name of reflection of this chapter and helping to do the same (regardless off profession or discipline) here's my guide on how to be the dumbest person in the room and come out ahead.

I'm almost certain that my prediction of a recession sometime in 2024-2025 will leave me with egg on my face - none the less here I am - making a prediction! There's 3 main areas I'm focusing my efforts to get recession ready. Keep listening to find out!

Work is noble and for many on our planet that means working for a corporation or company and that's perfectly fine. However even as an individual employee should pay heed to state of the economy and labour market and have appropriate strategies in place to mitigate the loss of your work. This episode was inspired by the comments made by Australian billionaire property developer Tim Gurner about his desire for a rise in unemployment and change the relationship between labour and companies at a property summit in September 2023. I thank Tim deeply for the comments and I hope you will too.

For much of human history we've likely evolved in small tribes and in more recent history small villages which the numbers of others we would have interacted with been in line with Dunbar's number of 150 meaningful relationships. As we now live in larger cities aside from forming relationships this creates matching problems in many markets such as labour markets and mating markets. In this episode I conduct a simple thought experiment to uncover the challenges posed by the 21st century in these realms.

I ended up running the 2023 Sydney Marathon (42 km / 26 mi)… by accident! How a stroke of luck which I converted from bad into good which led to me becoming the hero underdog of my own story as opposed to the victim oppressed by the incoherencies and injustices of others.

As a species we humans have evolved to overweight losses and underweight gains. If I were to take $5 from you the emotion reaction would be far greater in magnitude than if I gave you $5. We are loss averse which is problematic both from our negative reactions when we lose and their magnitudes. However if we reframe our losses are costs in the greater scheme of things its a rather powerful tool to go further and be happier.

In this episode I explore I question whether rapid technological change is eroding generational wisdom? Do our fore fathers/mothers have good intentions but bad data? Has it always been this way?

Imposter syndrome isn't limited to those working in tech but it sure is prevalent and for good reason. It doesn't matter whether you work in technology, have changed careers, taken a promotion or otherwise suffer from imposter syndrome you're going to want to recognise it and deal with it before it hurts you.

From 2010-2012 I was high school student who fell in love with chemistry and that passion dictated the next 9 years of my learning and where I thought my career would go. Come the end of 2019 I had graduated with a Bachelors in Engineering (Industrial Chemistry / Chemical Process Engineering) and Bachelors in Science (Chemistry & Pharmacology) and realised that I didn't want to go into what I had studied to become. So began my journey into the world of technology which has resulted in my current profession as a software engineer (SWE) or software developer. In a changing world where we are destined for many careers due to our own interests and a transitioning economy here's one story of a career change. If there's one thing I'm certain of its that it won't be my last...

For goal that I haven't reached there has been one missing piece - the continual application of force to accelerate the outcome of that goal into existence - Newton's 2nd Law applied to self development. Recently I've seen the results of consistency in two very different goals in my life - this podcast and running - and I reflect on what I've learnt.

Ever sat in course you've paid $2,500 to attend and had someone take up the instructors valuable time to unionize over what time we get served coffee? I have and its a symptom of learning for "free". Whilst its a great privilege if you can spend $0 to upskill thanks to a grant, gift or company learning and development budget one should do their best to avoid that traps of no cost learning.

Starting something new and not finishing what's already on our plates is a form of shiny object syndrome and in a world when we are bombarded with stimuli its easy to go with the flow and let things go without completion. However in the realm of pursuit its what we finish that brings us value much in the same was that only a house completed can provide us with shelter.

"Pareto efficiency or Pareto optimality is a situation where no action or allocation is available that makes one individual better off without making another worse off". The beauty of economics is its attempt, no matter how imperfect, to understand the choices and trade offs that we need to make as decision makers for entire economies or even just ourselves. When we're firing on all cylinders and what to make a change to our lives - this often means sacrifice - this is what pareto efficiency is all about. Keep listening to find out how it's impacting you in your life and what you can do about it.

"The underdog makes a demand of themselves; the victim makes a demand of those around them." is a quote which resonated deeply me with. Join me as I deconstruct the similarities between and where victims and underdogs deviate leaving you with a important choice - which will you choose?

Software Engineers and UX / UI designers have surpassed phycologists in their ability to understand and manipulate human motivation. That's why you find yourself being sucked into the latest TikTok or YouTube Short. The fight for your attention begins with Gamification but what if you used it for your own goals rather than that of a mega corp?

We use the powerful concept of abstractions in every day life to hide away the details that are irrelevant to being able to benefit from what has been provided to us. However in a world where we all depend on and are thus interdependent on each other looking beyond the abstraction allows us to cultivate something incredible within one's self.

As human's we are inherently myopic or short-sighted and looking far into the future is what sets us apart in our modern world where we can store value - that is what underpins the phrase 'Penny Wise, Pound Foolish' when it comes to the financials decisions we make in the short term. In this episode I take this phrase and apply to examples covering individuals, families, company, governments and humanity as a whole.

On June 1st 2023 student loans in Australia (HECS/HELP/VET) we're indexed (increased) at the consumer price index which was 7.1% (versus 3.9% in June 2022 and 0.6% in June 2021) leading to a barrage of social and news media post regarding the implications for current and past students with student loans. In this episode I discuss why I'm not paying off my student loans (currently at $47,191.24 as at 18th June 2023) despite having the means to do so. Disclaimer: It's important to note that the information and opinions provided in this podcast episode are based on personal experiences and perspectives. Listeners should consult with financial professionals or relevant experts to make informed decisions

Too often in life, especially when going through periods of depression or ruts, we look to others to save us. These could be in the form of relationships (romantic or non-romantic) and entities such as companies. We look towards these externals as solutions to all our problems but are they really? In this episode I talk about why being a 'damsel in distress' and 'waiting for our saviour' isn't useful regardless of whether we are chosen to be saved or not.

Often (but not always) those who take risks HAVE the capacity to do so. This makes complete sense - knowing that you can fail multiple times without jeopardising your ability to live or that of your families allows one to reach levels of success that those without the means may not be able to do so easily. However that doesn't mean that you can't take actionable steps to increase your ability to take the types of risks that bring great return. In this episode I discuss how you can increase the size of your parachute to ensure that you have a safe landing when you want to take some healthy risks.

Rocket boosters fall off for a reason... once the fuel has been utilised to generate thrust it doesn't make sense to hold onto dead weight. In this episode I draw parallels with a rocket launch and reaching the next level on your growth journey.

Sometimes we can limit our teachers and mentors to those who look like us or share the same race / ethnicity / religion / sexuality / etc. i.e. a multitude of demographic identifiers and subdivisions. However this can prevent us from gaining valuable insights from others and actually achieving the goals we want not only for ourselves but our groups or tribes. In this episode I visit how our demographic identifiers can be a huge limiting belief when it comes to the acquisition of knowledge.

My relationship with alcohol started over 10 years ago at age 18 and at its peak involved what is known down under as binge drinking. For the past 3.5 years I've abstained from intentionally consuming alcohol and the change in my life has been profound (alongside other positive actions). In this episode I discuss the pros / cons of becoming a teetotaller and answer a few questions about the my version of the lifestyle.

One of the perils of how our lives start off industrial scale schooling systems is we begin to couple effort to outcomes through a process of 12 years of standardised assessments. Unfortunately this mindset doesn't scale well to life outside formal education which is why in this episode I remind myself and those listening why we shouldn't couple our efforts to a desired outcome and rather should fall in love with the process.

In this episode, I discuss the power of delayed gratification and its importance in today's world of instant gratification. I'll explore the famous Stanford marshmallow experiment and its implications on self-control and willpower. Given the blue pill (easy path) or the red pill (hard path) which one will you choose today?

In this episode, I dive into the concept of skill stacking, where the combination of multiple skills can create a unique advantage in personal growth and development. I discuss how to identify your strengths and how to develop additional skills that can complement and enhance those strengths. By adopting a growth mindset and continuously learning and improving, you can create a personal and professional path that is greater than the sum of its parts (each skill or talent).

In this episode I discuss the 4 types/levels of luck: blind, hustle/persistence luck, wisdom based luck and personal brand luck (where luck comes to you); as well as the concept of increasing your luck surface area. Keep listening to learn how to manufacture your own luck!

In this episode, I explore the concept of mastery as a step function in self-development and growth. Join me as us dive deep into the topic of mastery and motivation and learn how to take your self-development journey to the next level.

Inspired by the 2023 New South Wales state elections I discuss 4 core issues I see with modern democracies around the world. These are pandering of two party candidates to the median voter, unwillingness to build upon the successes of political predecessors, short term limits / short term thinking / career politicians and the loss of the art of political discourse and debate.

When you, the individual, negotiates a bargain with our economic system regarding your decision to exchange your time for money is dictated by the standard BATNA (Best Alternative To Negotiated (Or No) Agreement) which is "if you don't work - you will starve and be homeless". In this episode I talk about how I use passive investments into broad market passive ETFs (exchange traded funds) to improve my BATNA and create options in the future with how I approach society with the bargain around how I use my time. Disclaimer: Please note this podcast does not constitute financial advice - it is provided for educational purposes only. Investing and personal finance decisions should be made based on your individual financial situation, goals, and risk tolerance. Always consult a licensed financial advisor or professional before making any investment decisions.

Coming face to face with the fragility of human health this week has me reflecting about Emergency Funds - which I size according to my needs - for the short term and insurance products for the medium to long term. It's all about financial risk management in this episode. Disclaimer: The financial discussion in this podcast is general in nature and is not individualised to the listener. Nor is the intention to provide financial advice. If you are interested accessing any financial products please seek a qualified financial adviser for personalised guidance.

The societal script for most of us is to exchange at least 40 hours of labour per week from early adulthood to an ever-increasing retirement age. In return we're supposed to get slightly better conditions than those before us. This is starting to look broken though (for many years now) but it may come to a head in 2023. In this episode I dive into what financial independence means to me and why it's important in our current times.

In this episode I challenge the limiting beliefs I had around making headway towards the things I want to do this year that will take me away from my day to day time and the dreaded sense of doom that I may not be able to get them all done. My calendar was looking far too jam packed until I realised... micro-dosing was the solution! Listen to find out how you too can micro-dose the good stuff!

In 1969 Lawrence J. Peter And Raymond Hull released a book title "The Peter Principle" where "the Peter Principle is an observation that the tendency in most organizational hierarchies, such as that of a corporation, is for every employee to rise in the hierarchy through promotion until they reach a level of respective incompetence.". In this episode I dive into this organisation observation and cover strategy to make sure you don't fall trap to the Peter Principle!

What does the area under the curve (or the result of integration for you mathematicians out there) have to with being inefficient and still achieving your goals. In this episode I attempt to explain the area under the curve concept for achieving your goals without having a god tier level of efficiency (which will come in time).

Imagine you run a company where you sell a product which alleviates your customers problem by not just providing them NOTHING for their hard earned money but also TAKES SOMETHING AWAY from their lives and lifestyles. Whilst there are a niche businesses which do just that (and rightfully so) overall it can be tough business model outside of essentials such as garbage collection, removalists, surgeons etc. As a result it is far easier to generate profit by selling a product or service which is additive to your customers lives. Whilst this can be a perfectly reasonable way to solve a problem in your life in this episode I'll be exploring why maybe the solution is to subtract or take away instead!

A great transformation has occurred in the home economy in the past 50-60 years in America (as well as the west and major metropolises across the world) in that families have transitioned from a single breadwinner and a stay at home parent to families where both parents are engaged in the workforce. Surely a dual income family will have more money and a better standard of living? They do... until something goes wrong - then they find themselves in the two income trap! In this episode I discuss the controversial book by Senator Elizabeth Warren (Democrat) and her daughter Amelia Warren Tyagi.

In this episode I explore my learning after 7 years of making plans and setting goals. G2MG2G or Goals-to-Meaning and Goals-to-Goals is a framework where a goal is make powerful by not only mapping it to meaning but another goal. In doing so your goals support each other and will help you reach them faster in a synergistic way. To establish the ground work let me take you through what I've got planned for 2023...

"All returns in life, whether in wealth, relationships, or knowledge, come from compound interest" - Naval Ravikant. In this episode I dissect the application of compound interest to non-financial domains and start thinking about a debit/investment/positive account that I want to grow and a credit/debt/negative account that I want to shrink. Hopefully you'll start analysing your own decisions and think about which account you're feeding.

I was very fortunate to spend some time in the beautiful pacific country of Vanuatu at the end of 2022. Transitioning from the hustle and bustle of my (intentional but exhausting) lifestyle to a place where the people are visibly content and live on 'island time' it was a shock to my system. This got me thinking about the Mexican Fisherman's Parable and thinking about if we in the west, the developing world, the booming (or shrinking) middle classes and mega cities of earth are doing it right? Are we just hustling to end up in the same place as those who live far simpler lives than us?

In this episode I review my year with 2 simple questions. 1) What did I do this year that I'm proud of? 2) What did I do this year that I'm NOT proud of? Without reviewing our wins and losses setting new goals/resolutions in new year can potentially take us in the wrong direction. Let me try and convince you to review your 2022 too...

Do you give so much of yourself to others that the it prevents you from reaching your goals? I had to learn the hard way that I needed to 'put my own oxygen mask on first' before attending to needs/wants/whims of others. This ruthless prioritisation was hard to do at first but was essential for me to advance myself and ultimately make a more meaningful impact to those who truly need it.

"Those who do not understand contracts will be leveraged by those who do". Contracts are such an important part of our lives whether we are aware of it or not. From marriage, to employment, business deals, partnerships, real-estate and in many other domains we will encounter contracts and thus contract law. In this episode I explain why I spent $1276 dollars and 1 day of my precious annual leave to attend a contracts law for non-lawyers course at Clayton Utz here in Sydney.

I started out adult life setting big goals and then... (crickets)... nothing. In the last 3 years I've accelerated my growth in personal and professional development and this has stemmed from setting better goals. Goals which are too easy will cause you to get bored. Goals which are too hard will cause you too give up. The ideal goal should be just outside your reach where you can get a dopamine hit with a reasonable amount of effort applied. "But how do I set a goal appropriately when I'm just new to something?" you ask. Listen to find out more...

In the eyes of the law we (ideally) should be held to same bar or set of standards but socially we find that this is clearly not the case. I got thinking about about how the standards our actions our judged by are actually malleable and based on many factors such as the perceived difficulty of those actions and the probability of that outcome... calibrated to us! Listen on to find out more...

I've been podcasting for 8 months and reflecting on that journey has had an impact on more than just these monologues. In this episode I'll take you through my big three takeaway's which you can takeaway to help you thrive on your journey.

Government employees are typically branded with the following stereotype that they produce mediocre work, work 9-5 and not a second more, they do their job and not an iota outside their job description, and they are content to collect their pay check until they die. In this episode I ramble about my own experiences as a government employee straight of university and address two questions: why I joined and why I quit. Listen on to find out more.

This episode begins with the tale of two line managers at a manufacturing plant. One produced 20% more than the other but takes no planned maintenance breaks whilst the other shuts his line down for 4 hours. In a moment of short-sightedness the plant management promotes this line manager only for his line to shut down due to equipment failure and as a result loses 100% of the productivity of this line. Are we taking this same approach to our lives when hustling to reach greater and greater goals? Listen to find out why I'm forcing myself to go on holiday.

In this episode I do a dive into vipassana, the mindfulness mediation technique, and more specifically the 10-day silent meditation course where most people first discover its benefits. Listen on to hear me answer some commonly asked questions about the course and decide if you'd like to head down the path of enlightenment.

In light of mental health awareness month I’ve devoted this episode to talking about my own challenges and yes… how I got kicked out my therapists office. Mental health issues can (if not will) effect anyone from any walk of life which is why its so important to be aware that help is out there. In Australia, 8.6 Australians die every day by suicide and 75% of those who take their own life are male. If you are struggling there are links to global mental health and suicide prevention resources in the episode notes - no matter where you are there is help!

In this episode I recount advice to a young man who encountered a negative situation in their day to day lives which resulted in them being kicked out of venue. Its a story of a person who over- and mis- reacted (I know that last one isn't officially a word but you get the point) and a moment for us to evaluate if we are doing the same in our lives. Whilst this episode is directed at young men I believe the principles apply to all demographics (age, gender, ethnicity) and can hopefully solicit a moment of contemplation.

This week I came to a realisation that there were only about 80 days left in the year. Time flew by and I still have a laundry list of things I want to do. So I picked my most important goals and made a bet with my accountability partners - if I hit my targets I get to donate $1000 to a charity of my choice. They countered and said if I don't I'm not allowed to donate even 1c to charity - something they know I would HATE. Here's how we plan to use carrots, sticks and accountability to make the most of 2022 and make life easier in 2023... If you'd like to see my plan check out the show notes.

In March 2021 I invested $4000. 18 Months later I had recouped my original investment and made $36,000. The stats were 364% annualised return on investment (ROI) and a 900% ROI. If I had invested that same $4,000 in the S&P 500 in 2012 I'd have recouped my original investment and made $7,000 in 10 years, an annualised ROI of approximately 10% and a 175% ROI. In short I made 5 times more money, 15 times faster than the S&P 500 index which tracks the 500 large companies listed on stock exchanges in the United States. Listen on to find out how...

Have you been complaining about something for a very long time? That's probably not doing you any good. Listen on to complain better and either make the decision to stop or make progress. At the root of a complaint is the potential to make your life, relationships, work and society better.

"Your time is valuable when you are younger" is a dangerous belief to take too literally as the young will waste their time away and the old begrudge their younger selves. When I look at the people around me I admire and the shift I've had myself its a clear vision and path for the future which, like magic, increases the value of your time. Listen closely to find out more.

As humans we are averse to losing what we have and taxes feel like a loss. Its very common for people from all walks of life to begrudge the taxes we pay and focus our mental energy into finding ways to pay less tax. Could this be holding us back? In this episode I talk about the real reason I want to pay more taxes.

In this episode I reflect on rejection - specifically the type of rejection that you actively seek i.e. explicit rejection - after a rejection in my personal/professional life and night out on the town observing the human mating game.

I'm just getting out of a rut which started 3-4 months ago. It was so easy to slip into yet much harder to get out of. In this episode I talk about how I'm getting out and cover the stove top theory of performance and prioritisation.

Here's part 2 to my episode on housing affordability. I propose tying residential credit growth to wage growth and limiting the number of mortgages an individual can have on residential property as possible policy solutions to improve housing affordability and limit housing speculation.

In the midst of its worst economic crisis Sri Lanka has faced since independence its people have taken to the streets to protest a fuel shortage, high inflation and government corruption. Here's my follow up to the July 9 2022 protests which lead to the resignation of the President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

In the midst of its worst economic crisis Sri Lanka has faced since independence its people have taken to the streets to protest a fuel shortage, high inflation and government corruption. Listen to find out what's happening on the ground as I record this episode based in Sri Lanka.

In 2019 a NSW Labor Leader made racist remarks about Asian migrants linking them back to housing affordability in Sydney. Since 2019 to present (2022) migration has been lower than ever but Sydney's median house price has risen from approximately AU$1 million to AU$1.6 million - what gives? In this episode I read through a block post I wrote back in 2019 explaining the crux of the issue.

Suffering is inevitable. On every path we as living creatures take we will encounter suffering. Thus we should suffer consciously and not let the inevitability of suffering prevent us from walking down a more meaningful path in life.

When something goes wrong in your life such as a failed relationship, an exam or a toxic work situation who do you first go to blame? If its someone or something other than you - you’re probably doing yourself a great disservice. In this episode I talk about taking control (within reason) of your life by focusing on your circle of control and productively appropriating blame to the only person who can take action on your behalf - you! Bonus content: I teach you how to avoid a common tourist money changing scam in Bali!

In this episode I'll take you through my most recent experience of finding a property I wanted to live in, placing an offer on it, having that offer accepted, telling my friends and family and then... pulling out. I learnt about strata (home owners associations), building defects, conducting due diligence and much more. If you’re currently on the hunt for a property (especially apartments) you might want to stay tuned!

We live in a hyper competitive society where you may have multiple careers over the course of your life and the impacts of technology will require you to learn more than ever. Its never made more sense to supercharge the way you learn. In this episode I talk about how you can apply the Swiss Cheese Model of Knowledge Acquisition and the L.I.O.R (Learn, Implement, Optimise, Repeat) Framework to drastically increase the rate at which you learn as well as some of the pitfalls in more traditional ways of gaining knowledge.

In this episode I'll take you on a thought experiment of a snapshot in the lives of two brothers, Joe and Paul, who are both millionaires on paper but have very different asset allocations. How important is cashflow and liquidity into the freedom these two millionaire brothers are afforded? I'll make the case that not keeping all your wealth in the house your live in (your principal place of residence) is going to give your lifestyle more flexibility - which goes contrary to what society might want from you. Here's some food for thought.

Ever wondered why mortgages keep getting larger? I’m of the opinion that it’s to encourage us to be chained to the system. By taking on a significant debt for your principal place of residence (which typically doesn’t produce an income) you reduce your risk tolerance and set a floor on the income you need to produce. This is what society wants for you. To commit 20-30 of your most productive years chained to our economic machine exchanging 40-50 hours per week. Here's my 2c.