Here are Todd’s latest fun picks to take your financial skills to the next level...

I'm surprised at the range of emotions this lock-down brings.

One day I'm happily productive in my home office with no distractions, and the next day I'm filled with sadness.

Today, it's sadness, and this is what that thinking process looks like...

How did our country so completely lose its way that a two month break from maximum productivity is a national emergency requiring trillions of dollars in new debt and multiple bailout packages?

It's not right.

First off, it was all preventable. We had plenty of warning from the early news in China. Several Asian nations knew the playbook from their SARS experience. Their actions showed exactly how to handle this, and we foolishly didn't learn from their experience.

That was a $6-10 trillion dollar lapse in judgment.

But it gets worse because once the first line of defense was broken and the disease was firmly planted on our shores, then decades of business and financial mismanagement resulted in a stock market collapse and mass shortages of critical supplies.

Two months of not working does not have to equal a financial collapse. Instead, that results from all the financial leverage built into the economy from decades of artificially low interest rates.

And there is absolutely no reason for a shortage of masks and ventilators. China didn't face those shortages. Why? Because they make the darn things. We don't.

Outsourcing decisions can't be based solely on short-term profit, and you can't price money at zero percent interest rates because it messes up the pricing mechanism that allocates scarce resources.

It's maddening to see the negative impact resulting from decades of shortsighted decision making.

We're living at the end of an age driven by greed and financial gain where the primary goals are to maximize profits, stock market values, and GDP growth.  

Unfortunately, that's not how you create a satisfying life.

There's a smarter way to pursue wealth (see my Leverage Equation book and Expectancy Wealth Planning course).

This virus is making our past mistakes obvious. It can redirect us from the insane path of ever-growing debt, thoughtless outsourcing, and instability-by-design to something smarter.

I hope today's picks give you food for thought in these trying times...
 

What Happens When You Have Everything You Want?

I was only 35 years young when I first achieved F.I. You'd think I'd respond by chasing flashy cars, hot boats, hotter chicks, and lavish vacations. Isn't that what our consumer-driven society advocates for happiness and a growing GDP? Surprisingly, none of that is interesting when you can have everything you want. Much of the desire for material wealth is driven by our longing for what we can't have. But when you can have anything, you want nothing. Shocking, but true. At least, nothing that money can buy. This article brings a message of hope that you can pursue whatever work matters to you... now. For me, it's FinancialMentor. For you, it will be different. But no amount of national debt, viral infection, or record unemployment will change that truth. Fulfilling work and the freedom to pursue it is where you'll find meaning and fulfillment. External recognition, whether it's accolades, bank accounts, or conspicuous consumption, isn't the goal. Never has been, never will be.

 Economic Growth Is Our Biggest Problem, But Not For The Reasons You Think

The signs are all around us. We just need to open our eyes. The science of climate change (whether you agree with the policy conclusions or not) ultimately points to the need for a renewable economy to replace the existing extraction economy. The math of unlimited GDP growth denies the physical constraints of the planet. The slavish pursuit of perpetual growth, whether it's GDP or stock prices, is a relic from a bygone era of long-dead economists who would turn in their graves at our foolishness today. This TED talk makes the conclusion logically obvious on multiple levels, and with a minimum of political nonsense. 

Talk With Todd Live - And Grab The Recording

I tried something new last week. I opened the phone lines - normally reserved just for my Expectancy Wealth Planning course community -  to all my subscribers (including you!). I had no idea what to expect, and was pleasantly surprised at how well it went. Everybody was respectful, asked insightful questions, and was appreciative. I"m very fortunate to have such an amazing community. If you couldn't make it live then here's your access to the recording.  Best of all, we're going to do it again this Friday, April 10 at 11:15 am Pacific time on conference line 425-436-6200 access 205185# . Make sure to mark you calendar now. FYI, the conference lines are crazy-busy with everyone working from home so you may have to try a couple times to get through. But it's your only chance to access me without being in my course community. There's no charge, hook, or gimmick. I'm just trying to be helpful in these crazy times. The last call worked out great (listen here ),  but many wrote in  because they couldn't make it so now you get your second chance. Mark it on your calendar - this Friday at 11:15 am Pacific. Be there, or be square.

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