5 Things
Here are things I’ve been thinking about lately.
Destruction is swift.
Warren Buffett once said,
“It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it.”
That sums up a painful truth of life: growth is slow, destruction is fast.
It takes decades to build a portfolio that supports a comfortable retirement, yet one reckless move can erase your financial freedom. A sustainable company requires years of patient building, but it can crumble from a single catastrophic decision. Even our deepest relationships, built through years of trust and care, can shatter in a moment of betrayal. This imbalance also exists in nature. Consider the Wawona tree in Yosemite National Park. After standing for 2,100 years, one weekend storm in 1969 brought it down.
Creation demands dedication, destruction requires a single misstep.
Certainty is a disease. The cure is curiosity.
This isn’t a modern observation. Nearly a century ago, Bertrand Russell wrote,
“One of the painful things about our time is that those who feel certainty are stupid, and those with any imagination and understanding are filled with doubt and indecision.”
When we're certain, we stop asking questions, dismiss new evidence, and surround ourselves with echoing voices. But when we're curious, every conversation becomes a learning opportunity, every disagreement a chance to grow.
Nowadays, we have an oversupply of certainty and a shortage of humility. I hope that changes soon. Embracing doubt is a superpower. It keeps us humble enough to learn and flexible enough to adapt to a changing world.
I try to keep Walt Whitman’s words in mind,
“Be curious, not judgemental.”
Curiosity leads to understanding, while judgment reinforces what we think we already know.
Many people misunderstand generational wealth.
People often say passing wealth to their kids is a top priority because "they don't want them to struggle" like they did. But there is irony in that sentiment. Their wealth exists because of, not in spite of, the struggles they want their children to avoid. In trying to shield the next generation from hardship, we might be taking away the gift life gave us—the opportunity to grow through challenges.
The bigger issue is that true generational wealth includes so much more than money:
Values
Experiences
Memories
Skills
Attitude
Work ethic
Money belongs at the bottom of that list. These intangible inheritances shape character and have a lasting impact that extends beyond any financial legacy. Yet money dominates conversations about generational wealth, likely because it’s easier to count dollars than measure character.
Passive income is even more misunderstood.
The allure of passive income has become a dangerous distraction. "Gurus" across social media pitch the dream of making money while you sleep, as if there's a magical formula they've discovered.
The truth is simple. Income flows from three sources: capital, time, or effort. Usually, it takes all three.
Yes, investing can create income streams that don't require daily presence. Assets can work while you rest, whether through public markets, private equity, or real estate. But the path to meaningful passive income is neither quick nor completely passive, especially at the start.
The most dangerous myth isn't that passive income is impossible, but that it's easy to achieve. This misunderstanding leads people to chase shortcuts instead of building sustainable skills and systems. There's no quick fix for wealth creation. The sooner we embrace this reality, the sooner we can focus on what works: patient capital allocation, consistent effort, and time.
We don’t have a problem with information.
Derek Sivers wrote,
“If information was the answer, then we’d all be billionaires with perfect abs.”
That observation cuts through a common excuse. We often blame our money struggles on a "lack of information" or a "financial literacy problem." Yet we live in an era of unprecedented access to knowledge. Every answer, guide, and expert perspective is in our pockets, just a few taps away.
We don't have an information problem. We have an issue with taking action. We have an even bigger issue with sticking with things long enough to see results.
Consider the fundamental pillars of a good life: health, wealth, and relationships.
Most of us know what to do:
Move more, eat less processed food.
Spend less than we earn, invest the difference.
Be present for the people we love.
The knowledge isn’t complex. The execution is where we falter. We struggle with taking action, maintaining discipline, and holding ourselves accountable. It’s the boring work of turning knowledge into results.
It's time to stop hiding behind the excuse of "I need to learn more" and face the truth: we know enough. Now it's time to act.
That’s all for now. Have a great weekend!