I like Vanguard as a company. I have been with them for a couple of years now. I like what they offer: both, in terms of fund selection, and in terms of the services they offer. Why would I want to invest in Vanguard funds? First, they give you a good selection. And second, you can put your investments on auto pilot: you can actually do dollar-cost averaging at no cost! So far, I have invested in 2 funds at Vanguard (NJ Tax-Free Fund; and S&P Index Fund). Every month, $50 gets automatically invested into each of them from my…
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Here are my current holdings in the beginning of 2007. My strategy now is still go with a defensive lineup and also diversify more internationally. I also decreased my position in energy. I’m going to stick to my strategy and even increase my exposure to ETFs and opt for less risk than investing in individual stocks. : $68: A giant that’s beaten up a bit. Should recover. Quality stock.. : $36: Quality company with good management. Diversified. Looks cheap. : My recent addition. Company makes good products, moves into more healthy oriented products. Good international player. : Panasonic makes the…
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My goal this year is to read/listen to 10-20 non technical books (and 10-15 technical books). Last year, I was able to listen to 13 books, My 2006 Book List. I don’t have too much time to actually read non-technical books so I use most of my commute time to listen to audio books. It’s a great use of down time. Use it as the learning time. 🙂 What do I want to read/listen this year? I love autobiographies, so I’ll probably listen to couple of those. I also like a motivation book from time to time. History books? Yes,…
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The 12 Questions That Matter Marcus Buckingham’s research revealed that a “vibrant workplace” requires that people within an organization or work unit can provide compelling answer to the following 12 questions. These 12 questions are important in determining whether people are engaged, not engaged, or actively disengaged at work.1. Do I know what is expected of me at work? 2. Do I have the materials and equipment that I need in order to do my work right? 3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day? 4. In the past seven days, have…
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Another great piece as part of the Leadership Wired newsletter. Qualities independent of talent which, when practiced, add value to others and ourselves: Teachability The desire to listen, learn, and apply is not innate, but when cultivated, it aids the growth and development of a leader. Successful people view learning differently than those who are less successful. For successful leaders, learning is as necessary as breathing. They crave knowledge and seek it out through books, conferences, conversations, and evaluated experiences. The unsuccessful person is burdened by learning, and prefers to walk down familiar paths. Their distaste for learning stunts their…
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I’m a goal oriented person, no question about it. I write and re-write my goals constantly. I think it’s a great way to develop your vision; a great way to see yourself into the future; and a great way to continuously improve. There are some additional things I started doing lately… First, I started writing a journal. A personal journal. No you cannot see it. 🙂 A lot of successful people keep journals. And they had kept journals long way back. It’s a great way to let out your feelings. It’s a great way to reflect on what you did.…
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Cheers to frugal living! Excellent set of tips on how to live within your means. We tend to forget that. 🙂 Reference102 Personal Finance Tips Your Professor Never Taught You, Your Credit Advisor blog
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Who does not want to lead an interesting life? The question is, not if, but how? Scott H. Young has a very good entry on the subject, Nine Steps Towards a More Interesting Life. So here’s how you can lead a more interesting life (explained in more detail in the article): Meet More People Take Up New Hobbies Be Spontaneous Tackle Fears Do Things You Won’t Like Add Some Spice Orient Purpose Outside Yourself Abandon Dead-End’s Never Settle In one of the comments, somebody else recommended “Travel,” which I also think is a great way to make your life more…
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Great leadership article. I’ve extracted some excerpts. By nature, leaders are decision-makers. The more influential the leader, the more consequential their decisions will be. Leaders are out in front because they have proven their ability to choose the appropriate course of action when faced with big decisions. However, when a leader begins to rely solely on personal observation and intuition, that leader is headed for trouble. Even the wisest among us has a limited perspective, and we will miss important decision-making clues if we become entirely self-reliant. In this edition of LW, I am indebted to the brilliant thought of…