Famous Quotes - Queen Elizabeth I and time management

Hi! When Queen Elizabeth the First was on her deathbed, ever so long ago, she made a statement that boiled down to a clear desire to trade material goods for more time on earth.

To check out her exact quote and my own (brief) thoughts on the subject, you're welcome to visit me here.

Warmest regards,


Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here, and, if you're interested, here are some quotations he reckons are accurate, bold or cool.

So you think inflation's bad today? Then look back, way back...

Hi! As a financial planner, I end up talking to clients about the impact of inflation several times a week.

While it is crucial that regular people like you and I learn to grow our money faster than inflation eats it up, I thought you'd enjoy this 'old' article I came across - I've been sitting on it for a fortnight now....


CNN.com - The big bang's 'smoking gun' - Mar 16, 2006: "The big bang's 'smoking gun'
Scientists say 'inflation' led to massive expansion
Friday, March 17, 2006; Posted: 10:44 a.m. EST (15:44 GMT)

(AP) -- By the faint cosmic glow of the oldest known light, physicists say they have found evidence that the universe grew to astounding proportions in less than the blink of an eye.
In that trillionth of a second after the big bang, the universe expanded from the size of a marble to a volume larger than all of observable space through a process known as inflation. At the same time, the seeds were planted for the formation of stars, galaxies, planets and every other object in the universe.
'It's giving us our first clues about how inflation took place,' said Michael Turner, assistant director for mathematics and physical sciences at the National Science Foundation. 'This is absolutely amazing.'"


I guess the next time my clients complain about how quickly things are ballooning (in price), I'll use this fun piece to help them gain some perspective. Ciao!


Warmest regards,


Rajen


Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here, and, if you're interested, here are some quotations he reckons are accurate, bold or cool.

Financial Planning - When Conservatism Makes Sense

Hi! I just read an interesting piece on CNN about the number of US millionaires being on the march.

You'll find the full story here:

Report: Number of U.S. millionaires reaches record - Mar. 28, 2006

The bit I found most interesting was this paragraph:

"Over 50 percent of the millionaires surveyed said they had become more conservative in their investment approach over the past year. Their wealth is the result of long-term wealth accumulation."

This finding supports a view I've found myself evolving toward, particularly over the last year or so. You see, any well-structured financial plan must address three main components:

1. Wealth Protection
2. Wealth Accumulation
3. Wealth Distribution

Like most people, I find point 2, wealth accumulation, the most exciting element of this mix.

Therefore, a large part of the education process I go through with my own financial planning and life planning clients involves teaching them the basics of the Risk-Reward Relationship. This essentially boils down to the reality that, in most cases, the more investment risk (meaning investment value volatility over time) you can stomach, the more investment reward you should (hopefully) be able to reap after a long period of patient watching and monitoring.

Based on temperament, I am inclined to prefer a long-term buy-and-hold strategy. Unfortunately, in my home market of Malaysia where the equity market experiences more rises and dips than a roller coaster, that strategy is often a recipe for disaster.

Frankly, the rising volatility of investment markets around the world means that a large chunk of wealth accumulation's benefits must be derived from intelligent asset allocation. So, when I sit down with my clients, I don't merely suggest they invest in equities. The roles of money market and bond funds must also be carefully explained to them.

As people grow richer - and this is borne out by that interesting CNN report - the more loath they are to lose what they have painstakingly accumulated over decades of sacrifice. This understandable - and justifiable - shift toward conservatism causes a reduction in the overall risk level of their portfolios.

Obviously, if everyone starts acting this way, it could spell disaster for equities in the long run.

With America's baby boomers now within striking distance of their retirement years, the world is bracing for precisely that sort of equities implosion to begin within the next half decade or so. Yet it is important to realise that not all investors are American. The rising wealth of China and India should release a fresh influx of eager, well-heeled players in global equities.

Bottomline: The other side of the capital market investing table is populated by the masses who still are willing to take equity risk in a bid to one day grow rich enough to justifiably switch their asset allocation to cash and fixed income instruments. The average person, among the elite minority who succeed financially, takes about 25 to 30 years to get to that point.

I have to get ready for a client meeting now, so I'd better go. If you have the time, do let me know what you think about this situation.

If you'd like to read more about financial planning, visit me here.

Take care.

Warmest regards,


Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here, and, if you're interested, here are some quotations he reckons are accurate, bold or cool.

Famous Quotes - accomplishment and financial planning

Hi! Many people equate financial success with accomplishment. But even though there is often a close relationship between the two, they are never one and the same thing.

In fact, there's an interesting, if somewhat terse, observation by Harry F. Banks concerning the states of getting rich and getting things done! You can check it out here.

Also, Thomas J. Watson correctly saw the link between accomplishing things of importance and the capacity to communicate both ideas and enthusiasm. His observation is also here.

What I love about this extremely democratic medium of blogging across cyberspace is that it allows each of us to vote with our mouse, either by clicking to something that is useful or away from something that is crass.

You know low value content when you see it, so I won't squander precious time focusing on things that are negative. Instead, let me point out a couple of very positive examples:

When it comes to communicating great ideas about cashflow and personal finance, a couple of bloggers who have plenty of enthusiasm are my friend Steve Mertz and a mysterious lady known only as Mapgirl. I suggest you check them both out.

Take care and please do try to pop back here when you can. Also, it would be great if you could later on take a couple minutes to leave a fun, brief comment about what you learnt from:

1. Harry F. Banks
2. Thomas J. Watson
3. Steve Mertz
4. Mapgirl

Ciao for now.

Warmest regards,


Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here, and, if you're interested, here are some quotations he reckons are accurate, bold or cool.

Great Books - Richest Man in Babylon

Hi! I just came across a book review I left on George S. Clason's masterpiece The Richest Man in Babylon. What astounds me is that my opinion of the book has not changed in the 8 years and 2 months that have passed since I wrote the review!

If you'd like to check out what I wrote about it back in January 1998, you're welcome to read it here:

http://snipurl.com/RajenOnBabylon

I urge you to buy your own copy of this fantastic book, read it and then commit to rereading it once every 6 or 12 months. The ideas there helped me think through and develop my own approach to financial planning and debt management.

If you'd like to know what I think about those two vital subjects, you're welcome to check out my quotations and those of people much smarter than I, here:

Financial planning
Debt management

Do let me know your own thoughts about the book or either of those important subjects. Bye for now.


Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Famous Quotes - ability and financial planning

Hi! One of the prerequisites of financial planning is actually having the finances to plan with... if you know what I mean.

As for how to go about bringing in the money that we need and want, in the first place, the answer isn't exactly earth-shattering. After all, the importance of constantly learning and improving ourselves, especially in our fast-evolving Knowledge Economy, is widely accepted. But what most people don't know is that a very long time ago, the wise Confucius shed light on a unique characteristic of what he describes as a superior man.

I suggest you check out for yourself what Confucius said and then ask yourself if you meet that particular criterion.

Also, even in our Knowledge Economy, it isn't pure theoretical knowledge that is rewarded economically but rather applied knowledge - in this instance, it was the American poet-philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson who put it perfectly. Click here to read what Emerson thought.

After you've read what both wise men had to say about the subject of ability, do leave a comment with your thoughts or even a question concerning the links between ability and personal financial success. Stay well and thanks so much for dropping by The Cool Time and Money Blog.

Bye for now!

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Famous Quotes Archive

Hi! I've learnt over the years that when it comes to trying to manage your finances well, it is a whole lot easier if you actually have some finances to manage! Do you know what I mean?

Numerous studies have shown a direct relationship between the size of a person's vocabulary and the exposure he or she has to many fields of study AND subsequent earning capacity.

So, in a bid to help visitors to this blog gain quick and easy access to great ideas and thoughts drawn from many people, countries and centuries, I've added a fresh section to my site.

For want of a better term, I've called it my Famous Quotes Archive.

Do check it out, especially if you would like to read some great quotes on subjects as diverse and different as:

• ability
• accomplishments
• adversity
• banking
• Bible
• budget
• capitalism
• character
• Christianity
• danger
• depression
• disease
• economics
• economy

And that's just to name 14 of the many subject categories I eventually hope to put up there. Happy visiting and reading and... most important of all, exploring!


Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Famous Quotations - Abraham Lincoln

Hi! If you'd like to explore the modern-day relevance of a famous quotation by Abraham Lincoln, do check out this great resource based on famous quotations.

In Day 8 of my free 10-Day eCourse entitled Life in Quotations, I spend a lot of time talking about Lincoln's tremendous influence, and then focus on the compassionate conclusion to his 2nd Presidential Inaugural Address.

Plus... there are exercises that tie in that core lesson with the importance of life insurance to your family's wellbeing.

I believe this eCourse, valued at US$49, will totally blow you away! Do note that it is currently being offered for free. You're welcome to begin your personal 10-Day journey of learning and internal discovery here: Famous Quotations.

Ciao.

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Famous Quotations - Albert Einstein

Hi! The reason so many of us are drawn to famous quotations is easy to understand: The people who originally said or wrote those clever, memorable things were (or are) pretty darn smart!

Take for instance, Albert Einstein, who is the person featured in Day 7 of my free 10-Day eCourse entitled Life in Quotations. Einstein's influence extended far beyond the realm of higher mathematics and theoretical science. Just a few others featured in the course are: Economist Milton Friedman, writer Rudyard Kipling and even the Big Man himself, Moses!

So, if you'd like to spend 10 days immersing yourself in powerful quotations and related lessons that have practical value in your daily life, you're welcome to begin your journey by clicking Famous Quotations.

Have fun!

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Famous Quotations - Milton Friedman

Hi! There is great wisdom contained within some famous quotations.

For instance, famed monetarist Milton Friedman has an interesting view on governments and inflation! I won't go into specifics here, but I do explore all those issues and a lot more in my free 10-Day eCourse entitled Life in Quotations.

As I mentioned previously in this blog, each day's lesson starts with an insightful quotation. It's followed by a brief commentary and then focused, yet simple, homework assignments that help students learn practical skills about financial planning and goal-setting.

If you'd like to sign up for it while it is still offered for free (I've come to realise it is worth at least US$49 and may start charging a fair market value for it... but not yet), you may do so by clicking Famous Quotations.

Take care.

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Our Merged Knowledge and Idea Economy

Hi! Way back in 1959, the late, great Peter Drucker coined the term 'knowledge worker'.

Now, 47 years later, we're perhaps only ankle-deep in the shallows of the expansive ocean that is the Knowledge Economy. But even though we're just beginning to understand the awesome promise of this new age of mankind, some clear trends are emerging.

For instance, we can tell that true knowledge workers - those gold-collar professionals who are as far beyond white-collar workers as those are from their blue-collar cousins - will increasingly dominate the world of wealth.

It is not an accident that Bill Gates has been the richest man on the planet for about a dozen years now. He controls the company that allows most of us to operate within the Knowledge Economy.

Another trend I see is that there is actually an expression of the human mind that is even more potent than mere knowledge. I'm talking about the power of one idea - the right idea.

Yes, I know there are plenty of lame-brain ideas around, but we still live in a unique point of time that rewards high-octane ideas that are successfully meshed with knowledge. Let me tell you of one fabulous example:

A 21-year-old Brit named Alex Tew, just raised $1 million from selling ads on one, single, solitary, unitary page of his site!

His pricing model: $1 a pixel, with a minimum $100 buy in!

I urge you to read this excerpt:

BBC NEWS Magazine The million-dollar student: "The million-dollar student
By Tom Geoghegan
BBC News Magazine

It took a 21-year-old a few minutes to come up with an idea which has made him more than one million dollars in four months. So what's his secret?

It started with a blank notepad, an overdraft and a shortage of socks. Now it's a million-dollar business.

Last August, as a three-year degree loomed, Alex Tew lay on his bed in his family home in Cricklade, Wiltshire. It was time for his nightly brainstorming session. This time, the problem was his finances. He already had an overdraft, which was sure to multiply at university, and he felt his poverty was reflected by..."

If you want to know how his socks come into the picture, read the entire story and also check out Alex's blog.

The point of this posting is to illustrate that those motivational airheads who believe money is available in superabundance are sometimes right!

And as tough as it sometimes is for most of us to make ends meet, to raise capital, and to earn profits, it isn't usually impossible. We just need to have faith in the awesome stores of creativity God's given us. It's useful to never forget that according to the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards: "Financial planning as the process of meeting your life goals through the proper management of your finances."

Imagine the goals we should be daring to dream because we are fortunate enough to have been placed at this amazing point in history that rewards a unique combination of Knowledge and Ideas.

I don't know about you, but I'm going to grab a blank notepad and spend some serious time thinking on paper... Here's to an idea-filled day.

Warmest regards,


Rajen


Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Famous Quotations

Hi! Famous quotations, and even some not so famous ones, often have a potency that's lacking in normal language. Do you know what I mean?

Consider the four simple words uttered by Dr Martin Luther King: "I have a dream!"

Or this excerpt of Winston Churchill's June 4th 1940 speech to the British House of Commons: "We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender..." (I suggest you reread King's and Churchill's words again, but this time do so aloud!)

Because I believe in the amazing power of words, I've put together a 10-Day eCourse entitled Life in Quotations. Each day's lesson starts with an insightful quotation. It's followed by a brief commentary and then focused, yet simple, homework assignments that help students learn practical skills about financial planning and goal-setting that flow forth from the ideas expressed by that day's catalytic quotation.

I'm very proud of this eCourse, which is valued at US$49. However, for now I'm making it available for free. If you'd like to sign up for it, you're welcome to do so here - click to go to Famous Quotations.

Have fun!

Take care.

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Consider this insightful quotation by Blaise Pascal

Hi! Blaise Pascal is a name that's known to most people who care about the origins of science and higher mathematics. He was a child prodigy who continued to unearth the secrets of the universe well into adulthood. Tragically, this genius of the highest order died way too young.

He was 39.

If you'd like to know more about him, there's a great write-up on his life here. The reason I'm writing about him now is a cool quotation by him that I figured would be really useful for visitors to both this blog and my free articles site who are interested in how to go about setting goals that end up meaning something in the long run.

You're welcome to check out the quote here, but be warned it is rather cryptic. I suggest you read what Pascal had to say, consider my brief commentary, and then zero-in on goal-setting resources that will help you define a clear goal of lasting value.

I wish you well.

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Why's there an erupting volcano on my site?

Hi! There are times when the pressures of life build up so much that inside we feel like a Vesuvius about to blow!

Do you know what I mean?

This situation is so common that I figured the best way to illustrate it is to literally show a twin-peaked volcano erupting at my free article site. If you want to see it, then visit me there and look for the cool (perhaps that should be hot) animation on the left of the main page.

Clicking on the constantly erupting volcanoes will take you to an article that I've featured on this blog before: High Blood Pressure Reduction Through Personal Process Management.

If you're in a hurry and prefer to read that article without having to pass through the 'mountains blowing their top' page, just click here. In my latest ezine issue, I've suggested that those who have high blood pressure problems caused by external work and life stress, as opposed to internal physical ailments, take the time to read that article and mull over the possibility of harnessing the power of goal-setting as part of a personalised version of Business Process Management.

The contextual ads to the right of the article may contain additional information that you can then use to better understand BPM.

Alternatively, if you just have friends whom you believe need to read about the possible connection between a life that's lacking in goals and rising hypertension, you can suggest they check out: http://snipurl.com/RajenOnHighBP

That's it for today. Just one more thing before I go... the volcano will not be left erupting at my site for more than a few days, so do check it out now, if you want to see it.

Stay cool and remember to harness the power of goal-setting. For useful information on how you may do so and regain a sense of calming control over your personal destiny, check this out.

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Answering Jane's Mission Statement Question

Hi! I was delighted to read an intelligent question by Jane Wong on my last posting concerning the importance of writing a Mission Statement.

In response to my assertion that if a person wants to manage his or her money and time well, it is vital to have a sense of purpose and vision, Jane asked a very probing question.

Before I get to that, to help you make sense of the issue being discussed, here's what I wrote yesterday:

The best way to detect those very unique things is to take the time to construct a personal mission statement.

For those who already know this, but who haven't quite figured out how to go about putting together such a powerful, life-altering statement, I've written a Special Report entitled How to Craft Your Very Own Mission Statement.

Now comes the part Jane wrote: "I believe constructing a personal mission statement helps us not to get distracted. Therefore, we will be able to manage our money and time more effectively. However, don't you think to manage our money and our time well, we need more than a personal mission statement?"

Jane's absolutely right!

A great deal more than just a mission statement is required to manage those two very important dimensions of life.

But at the same time, I will also say that a good way to think about this situation is to imagine the not uncommon eventuality of having to drive from your home town to a specific building in an unfamiliar big city two hundred miles away.

In any such venture, obviously having a road map would be helpful in getting to your destination! Well, in our personal journeys through life, well-written personal mission statements can play the role of such vital road maps.

But even after you put together your mission statement, you're not going to magically materialise at your destination. Star Trek-type transporter technology simply isn't here yet!

So, you'll still need to do the hard work of driving several hours from your home to your destination. You don't need my help explaining the intricacies of driving, but just in case you want specific help in managing your money better, you're welcome to read these financial planning articles. And if you'd like some help in managing your time better, please read these time management ones.

Finally, for those who honestly reckon they could use clear, simple instructions on how to go about putting together an appropriate 'map', then you're welcome to check out the Special Report How to Craft Your Very Own Mission Statement.

Till next time... ciao!

Take care.

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Finally Write That Mission Statement!

Hi! If you want to manage your money and your time well, you need a sense of purpose and of vision. The best way to detect those very unique things is to take the time to construct a personal mission statement.

For those who already know this, but who haven't quite figured out how to go about putting together such a powerful, life-altering statement, I've written a Special Report entitled How to Craft Your Very Own Mission Statement. I hope you enjoy it.

Take care.

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Why Studying Time and Money Is Like Merging Star Trek and Star Wars!

Hi! It isn't common to get a resource blog like The Cool Time and Money Blog, which aims to be comprehensively cross-disciplinary by providing information on both financial planning and on time management, with a dab of goal-setting thrown in.

There are two reasons I've gone to the trouble to do this:

1. I'm equally interested in the roles of financial planning and time management in determining long-term human success; and
2. I believe hybrid vigour, which is the genetic term for the tendency (though by no means a certainty) for crossbreeds to be better and stronger than the original, can apply in the blending of two areas of study.

A fun way to illustrate the quirky results that can be derived from an imaginary exercise in literary crossbreeding can be seen here in this great picture of the most famous Federation starship captain of the 23rd century being carried away by muscle from a galaxy far, far away.

So, tell me, what two disparate interests of yours can be merged to create something refreshingly new?

Do let me know. Thanks.

Take care.


Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Free Poster With Awesome Resource Links

Hi! As a gift to all visitors and subscribers of The Cool Time and Money Blog, I've revamped a one-page life planning poster I've been giving away to visitors of my main site www.RajenDevadason.com

The new edition of my poster, which is in PDF format, contains an A-Z listing of useful tips for a better life.

Within many entries are live links to resources that will help you gain a much better handle on the core skills of financial planning, goal-setting and time management. So, if you'd like it, please help yourself to my free poster. (You have my permission to check it out for yourself and, if you reckon it has merit, to give it away to anyone who would find it helpful.)

Take care.


Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

High Blood Pressure Reduction Through Personal Process Management

Hi! If you've often felt stressed out of your mind because work and other life pressures are getting out of hand, you will understand the common feeling among many people of internal frustration rising out of control and then erupting as a whole host of ailments.

Why that happens is easy to understand - we're holistic beings. This means our worst mental frustrations often manifest themselves as physical ailments such as aggravated hypertension. This isn't empty psychobabble, but rather a finding that's been long substantiated by the medical fraternity. For instance, consider this interesting piece I came across today:

Stress Education Center - Article on stress related high blood pressure,panic,anxiety,stress,chronic pain,stress reduction: "High Blood Pressure - Hypertension
Article by L. John Mason, Ph.D.


Hypertension is not just a disease of aging. Young men and women can suffer from its damaging, sometimes killing, effects. Please do not take this condition lightly. Get it treated as soon as possible before it creates lasting damage and adversely effects your life as you do age.

High blood pressure can be a very dangerous, and often untreated, symptom of stress. In fact, perhaps 70% of all high blood pressure problems are related to emotional responses to difficult or dangerous situations. When this response becomes habituated by your body, the prolonged high blood pressure can lead to long term permanent physical damage such as hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), heart, strokes, liver, or kidney damage. These can be very serious and very scary, but many people do not know they have high blood pressure or do not treat this potential killer disease. "

You might want to read the entire article by Dr Mason.

What he describes is precisely what I've gone through myself. It's a classic case of 'been there, felt that'! Because I've been thinking about this sad phenomenon, I decided to put down my own thoughts on 'paper'. The result is a brief, exploratory article that examines the possibility of High Blood Pressure Reduction Through Personal Process Management. The approach I take is derived from my personal experiences and numerous client encounters that suggest the two keys to making things permanently better is accurately understanding and effectively applying core goal-setting skills.

If you read my article entitled High Blood Pressure Reduction Via Goal-Setting and Personal Process Management, please let me know what you think and what your own experiences have been in this area. I'm interested to find out and I'm sure you're own perspective is one that will benefit other readers of The Cool Time and Money Blog.

Thanks and take care.


Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

How Much Life Insurance Do You Really Need?

Hi! In yesterday's posting I pointed you to an article I wrote that aimed to help you Understand the Role of Life Insurance in your overall financial plan. If you haven't read that yet, you might want to, before focusing on the concrete steps that will finally allow you to answer this burning question:

How Much Life Insurance Do You Really Need?

I hope you find this article useful, too.

If you do, it might make sense for you to point out this message or that article to any of your friends who are currently under intense scrutiny by life insurance agents eager to make a sale!

That way, your buddies will at least have the basic information needed to make a sensible decision as to whether or not they truly need any more life insurance. Some will; some won't.

For those who do, at least after carrying out the simple calculations I outline in the article, they'll finally have a decent idea of how much more is necessary. It is silly to go overboard and buy too much life insurance because doing so channels funds away from the wealth accumulation part of the entire financial planning equation - which comprises three major components: wealth protection, wealth accumulation and wealth distribution.

When I spend time with my own consulting clients, I try and inspire them to look beyond their current financial challenges out toward a future when they are successful enough to be fully self-insured. It's amazing to watch a glint of hope surface in eyes that have long been clouded over by persistent financial burdens and fears.

I then often have to gently bring some of my re-inspired clients back down to earth by reminding them of the question that still needs to be answered. Happy reading.

Warmest regards,


Rajen


Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Understand the Role of Life Insurance

Hi! It always astounds me that even though the two words 'life insurance' are bandied about a lot, relatively few people truly understand the key reasons why most people should own some!

If you're the same or are just curious about this important financial instrument, you'll want to read this article I wrote to help you Understand the Role of Life Insurance.

Warmest regards,


Rajen


Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

How To Stay Focused on Goal-Setting

Hi! If you've read much of my writing on goals, you'll know that I fully concur with Brian Tracy who has described goal-setting as 'the master skill of success'.

One thing I've learnt over many years of focusing on the method and power of goal-setting is that it is relatively easy to start but harder to continue. If you face the same challenges most people do in simply beginning to implement this awesome life skill, you might like to read a few of my articles on the subject of setting and achieving goals.

I'm constantly on the look out for great lessons on the subject because of the direct link between long-term success and the ability to set goals. If you'd like to learn the very best of what I've learnt, implemented and taught so far on this awesome subject, you're welcome to read my book on goal-setting, which was designed to act as the first book on the subject a person would want to pick up.

But after the basics have been digested, there is still more to learn. And that's why even though I've written my primer on the subject, there is so very much more for me to absorb. The key to excellence here is a commitment to lifelong learning.

So, as part of my own research on the subject, I was delighted to find, only yesterday, the site GoalsSuccess.com, which houses the blog Goal Setting Tips and Advice. The blogger is Josh Hinds, and the material in his blog is awesome.

I don't mind telling you that even though I earn a sizable chunk of my income teaching people about goal-setting through one-on-one consulting and one-to-many speaking engagements, there is a great deal I can learn from Josh's blog. You should check it out too! You'll enjoy it.

If you're feeling particularly generous, please come back here soon to The Cool Time and Money Blog and tell us what you've learnt about goal-setting from Josh's site, my free articles or my book.

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Financial Planning Testimonial for the GET BETTER ezine

Hi! I recently had the most pleasant surprise. A long-time subscriber of my weekly GET BETTER ezine, which focuses on helping readers from around the world improve their skills in financial planning, goal-setting and time management, wrote this delightful message to me. I checked with her, and she said I could share it with you. Happy reading:

Dear Rajen,

I have enjoyed reading your free articles and 'Get Better' e-zine since April 2005, I am putting that advice into practice and there has been a noticeable difference in my financial situation and attitude towards money and wealth in general.

I really appreciate you making this advice available for free, as I am not currently in a position to be able to pay for such help. I am also trying to 'teach' your advice to my 2 sons, age 21 and 18.

My suggestion for future free articles is this:- financial planning and goal-setting for teenagers.

With kind regards from,

Marina Rische (UK)

Needless to say, that message pretty much made my day! If you'd like to read some of the financial planning related posts I've made here, please use the menu I've put together for you that categorises my messages. Do write a comment or ask a question, if you like, and I'll certainly try to get back to you. Bye for now.

Warmest regards,


Rajen


Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

How To Use My Menu

It doesn't matter how great the information here may be, if you can't find it easily.

That's why I've spent quite a bit of time today categorising my posts here in The Cool Time and Money Blog.

If you're dropping by for the first time, please consider this a BIG, warm welcome! My name's Rajen Devadason, and I'm a licensed financial planner currently living in sunny, equatorial Malaysia. I also own the life planning resource site, www.FreeCoolArticles.com, which contains free articles on three main subjects:

1. Financial planning
2. Goal-setting and
3. Time Management

The information you'll find here is categorised into those same categories... plus a GENERAL tab for messages or posts that don't quite fit into any one category or that involve more than one of them.

All you need do is check out the sidebar on the right and look for the section clearly marked EASY REFERENCE - RAJEN'S POSTS BY CATEGORY - you might need to scroll down a little.

Have fun exploring, and happy reading!

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Free Tips for Time Management

Hi! I thought you might be interested in learning about some Free Tips for Time Management.

The ability to manage our time well is tantamount to managing our entire lives well. Think about it:

Would you consider yourself super-rich if you had $40,000? Probably not. That's simply because 40,000 isn't really that big a number.

What if I gave you a day to complete a major project? You'd probably complain, saying a day isn't very long. And you'd be right.

Do you realise that your entire life on Earth is likely to be shorter than 40,000 days? Because only 'grown ups' are likely to be reading The Cool Time and Money Blog, that means we have a lot less than those 40,000 days left - perhaps only 25,000 or 10,000 or just 5,000. God alone knows, but we do have the ability to take proactive steps to learn how to manage whatever time we have left on Earth well... hopefully very well.

All the best.

Warmest regards,


Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Free Courses

Hi!

Welcome to The Cool Time and Money Blog.

If you're dropping by for the first time, it's great to have you here! My name's Rajen Devadason, and I'm a licensed financial planner currently living in sunny, equatorial Malaysia. I also own the life planning resource site, www.FreeCoolArticles.com, which contains free articles on three main subjects:

1. Financial planning
2. Goal-setting and
3. Time Management

In case you're interested, I've also written or co-written nine books so far, with a couple more in the pipeline.

The purpose of this particular message is to touch base with you and to ask what kind of educational material you might like me to develop for you in the core areas of financial planning, goal-setting and time management.

I have already written a 5-day time management eCourse that you're welcome to help yourself to. In the midst of my busy-ness, I'm now unsure whether I should next develop a free financial planning or a free goal-setting eCourse for my readers. If you have a preference and would actually like to receive one or both such courses from me, I'd like you to perhaps do 4 things:

1. Leave a comment here letting me know what your preference is - a free financial planning or a free goal-setting eCourse. The format will follow that of my time management eCourse entitled How to Manage Your Time & Regain Your Life.
2. Let me know why you want such help. For instance, are you facing major challenges in figuring out the steps needed to start a savings programme, or figuring out what a net worth statement is, or focusing on what you want to do in life, or deciding on the type of legacy you want to leave behind?
3. Check back here at The Cool Time and Money Blog regularly - perhaps a couple of times a week or even more frequently - to read my answers to any questions you may pose in those 3 core areas, as well as to receive information on when my next free eCourse is developed and launched, and how to receive it.
4. While waiting for me to collate the results of my readers' feedback, you are welcome to take my time management eCourse.

The best way to do number 3 and check back here quickly and easily would be to either bookmark this URL, or to subscribe to my site feed by pressing one of the subscribe to site feed buttons on the right.

This blog is here to serve you, so if you do want its help I look forward to hearing from you.

Bye for now.

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

A Secret of Time Management

Hi!

Why do you think the best time managers agree that goals play a pivotal role in the process of managing our time?

I'd like to hear your personal ideas on the subject, so please continue reading for a suggestion on how you can formulate and crystalise them logically before sharing those you want to tell all readers of The Cool Time and Money Blog.

My own belief is that it doesn't matter how efficient we become in our day-to-day management of activity. We'll still never get 'it all done'. Why?

Because our lives are simply too complex and too busy to allow for full completion of everything that ever lands onto our IN tray or for that matter even into our IN box!

This tells us that the path of wisdom toward true time management enlightenment leads us away from searching for some arbitrary key to maximise personal efficiency. Instead, it leads us in search of tools that will help us live truly effective lives.

As you might know, efficiency is doing things right, while effectiveness is doing the right thing. Both are needed, but certainly being effective is of greater importance than merely being efficient.

How do we become effective,then?

Well, figuring out what we want out of life is a great start. And that is the very heart of personal and corporate goal-setting. If we take any such exercise - whether through formal journaling or simply scribbling our dreams on the nearest scrap of paper - to its logical conclusion, the result is a set of goals that we deem important.

If you'd like specific guidance in this area, you're welcome to begin your journey by reading free goal-setting articles I've written over the years.

From a time management perspective, having a well-formulated list of goals acts as the best form of activity filter cum decision maker. Since we can never get everything done, anyway, it makes sense to focus our limited time on the activities that help us move toward our key goals. It will profit you greatly to memorise this entire paragraph in a bid to internalise it.

What I've shared here is a simple idea, which I learnt from the legendary Brian Tracy. But please note it is simple to understand once it has been taught, yet it is by no means simplistic!

So, tell me honestly is that how you schedule your activities for any particular day? Probably not.

If you'd like to adopt this strategy, please try this simple trick:

Write down a list of your 5 most important short-term goals, 5 most crucial mid-term goals and 5 most desired long-term goals. Put that list of 15 goals inside your diary or paper organiser or slide it into the carrying case of your electronic organiser.

Each evening before you leave work, take a few minutes to think through everything that is calling out for your attention the following day. Cross-check them against your goals list. Then be hard-nosed enough to ONLY schedule those 'projects' that will move you closer to you goals.

That then begs the question, what about the rest of that long, long list of daily to-do items? Ignore or delegate them!

Try this time management tip for a week.

Then write to me here (in a comment) on how things have worked out for you during this important personal experiment.

I look forward to learning from you!

Warmest regards,


Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Goal-Setting Unleashed

Hi! Most of us know a little about goal-setting; some of us even know a lot about this crucial life skill.

Sadly, mere head knowledge isn't enough. If we want to make certain we move beyond simply knowing about goals or only setting lots of them, we'll need to figure out how to go about achieving our most important, heartfelt goals.

To do so, a very specific set of skills must be learnt and applied daily.

You're welcome to ask questions on the subject right here, using the Comment facility. Alternatively, if you're at that crossroads in your life where your craving for success is greater than your fear of it, please take note that Goal-Setting Unleashed is the central theme behind a book I've written on this amazing subject.

I believe you'll enjoy it.

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

A Tool To Increase Your Economic Value In Our Knowledge Economy

Hi!

I'm making a guess here, but I'll bet that since you've taken the trouble to stop by The Cool Time and Money Blog, you're a knowledge worker of some sort whose long-term economic health (translation: lifetime wealth) is closely tied to your ability to acquire, digest and internalise new information, and to then use that new knowledge in a productive fashion.

If my stab in the dark is correct, then I think you'll find this excerpt from an old USA Today (August 1st 2005) article interesting:

USATODAY.com - RSS feeds college students' diet for research:
"RSS feeds college students' diet for research

By Anh Ly, Gannett News Service

Lilangi Ediriwickrema, 21, peruses summaries of the latest articles about stem cell research. She quickly dismisses the first three articles but pauses on the fourth before clicking to read the entire story.







Pluck can notify you when a Web page includes an RSS feed, making it easy to subscribe to the feed and track its contents.
Pluck.com

A time stamp on the corner reveals the article was posted just two minutes earlier.

'It saves me a lot of time and energy,' says Ediriwickrema, an undergraduate at the University of Pennsylvania. 'I can quickly find what I'm looking for without having to go from Web site to Web site, and I get the most up-to-date information.'

Ediriwickrema is part of the growing number of on-the-go, sleep-deprived students who recognize the value of an Internet technology called RSS and are milking its benefits for use in the classroom. "

It may take a little while before the usage of what's referred to in that excerpt as RSS becomes as widespread as email, but some Internet pundits believe that day will come. Scott Paton of the Internet Marketing Center, for instance, reckons the chief catalyst of this will be the world's richest man. Apparently, Bill Gates is planning to make bookmarking RSS feeds as easy as bookmarking web pages is today via some variant of a Favorites tab in the next iteration of Internet Explorer, which will be IE 7.

Let's see what happens in the coming months. Anyway, it might interest you to know that my personal understanding of RSS was that it stood for Really Simple Syndication. That's certainly what most people assume it officially stands for. But I've also come across one reference which said it can alternatively stand for Rich Site Summary and something else even more opaque.

Most of us truly couldn't care less, either way! Most days, I don't either!

The reason I bring this up today is simple:

The intentionally tight focus of The Cool Time and Money Blog on:

• Financial planning;
• Goal-setting; and
• Time Management

means that it appeals to certain site visitors who look upon this blog, its associated site www.FreeCoolArticles.com, which provides the online reading populace with free articles on financial planning, goal-setting and time management, and my weekly GET BETTER ezine as a growing, hopefully increasingly rich, store of content.

The flip side is that my blog, my site and my ezine will not appeal to those who aren't interested in those three key life planning disciplines, which is perfectly OK - this is a (more or less) free planet!

If you're unsure if my material is worth returning for, you're welcome to dig a little deeper to figure out who I am.

And, if you like, at my main business site www.RajenDevadason.com you'll also be able to read what others think about my material. I'll leave it to you to decide what to do then.

Should you opt to make The Cool Time and Money Blog a part of your regular journey through cyberspace for education, edification and entertainment, it might make it a little easier for you if you take note of three ways to gain access to my information:

• You can always just visit the main URL, which is
  http://the-cool-time-and-money-blog.blogspot.com/ and bookmark it; or
• You can make a note of this slightly longer piece of code,
  http://the-cool-time-and-money-blog.blogspot.com/atom.xml, which is what RSS readers need to be able to pick The Cool Time and Money Blog out of the billions of web pages that now exist in cyberspace.
• Or most painless of all, you can simply click on one of the little buttons on the right sidebar of this page under the words 'Your Warmly Invited to Subscribe...' or even on those words themselves. But for those to work, you'll need to have some place to send the information to such as a My Yahoo or My MSN account, so that would need to be opened first. Doing so is relatively painless and you can get a feel for it simply by visiting Yahoo or MSN.

Sigh, I apologise for making this the most technical post I've written so far, but I thought it made sense to address the issue today. If all this has done is given you a headache, please forgive me. If you're still up to reading free articles, please do drop by here.

Take care and have a great day info-trawling!

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Take A Time Management Quiz

Hi! It's great to have you drop by The Cool Time and Money Blog.

The ability to manage time is a skill that can make our lives so much better. And the inability to do so will doom us to economic mediocrity!

You're probably already familiar with the 80-20 Rule, which is also called the Pareto Principle.

If you aren't, in essence it states that 80% of the benefits you will ever derive from anything will stem from just 20% of the activities related to that 'thing'. The mirror situation is also true. For instance, in manufacturing concerns, 80% of rejects arise from just 20% of the entire process.

This principle was first formulated by the fiercely bearded Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, who lived from 1848-1923. Even though his area of study was income distribution within society, clearly over the ensuing decades many more applications of his principle have been discovered.

Not surprisingly then, the Pareto Principle has also been found to apply to the field of time management. The problem most of us have, however, is correctly identifying which 20% of our normal habits or tendencies cause 80% of our time management woes. Well, I did some research and found this great FREE time management quiz by a highly qualified coach and organisational problem solver named Dr Barbara Reinhold, which does just that! Take it!

I think you'll find the quiz's results eye-opening. If, however, you also find the results disturbing, you'll find help for your time management woes in my ebook UNSHACKLED. Check it out, but only invest in it if you find the benefits of time management compelling to you.

All the best in becoming a better time manager. I wish you well.

Warmest regards,


Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.

Setting Big Goals

Hi!

Because I'm a financial planner, many people get a little confused when they learn that I started a site that contains free articles on not only financial planning but also goal-setting and time management.

What confuses them, I think, is that this trek beyond the admittedly deep waters of financial planning seems unrelated. But I don't see it that way.

As I explain in an article entitled Set Those BIG Goals Today, the best definition I know of financial planning comes from the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards. It goes:

"Financial planning is the process of meeting your life goals through the proper management of your finances."

All it takes is for someone to think about that simple yet vitally important definition and couple it with Benjamin Franklin's observation that, "Time is Money," to realise the tight interconnections between the three disciplines of financial planning, goal-setting and time management.

The CFP definition makes it clear that financial planning must centre on the realisation of important goals - LIFE goals, no less! Therefore, my inclusion of goal-setting articles at www.FreeCoolArticles.com makes sense... to me, at least. Please let me know what you think!

I've spent a lot of time and money learning as much as I can about the nature and power of goals. Beyond a doubt, the single best resource I've ever come across in this endeavour has to be Brian Tracy's book GOALS! As Brian puts it, "Success is goals, and all else is commentary."

(I think his teaching material is awesome; I'm sure many of you reading this will have already found this out for yourself. For those who haven't, don't take my word for it - do yourself a favour and check out his books and programmes for yourself.)

Within the context of my consulting practice, I have learnt that there needs to be a very careful methodology adhered to when setting major life goals.

The best way I know to illustrate this is to ask:

Have you ever striven hard to achieve something awesome, finally succeeded against overwhelming odds, and then found that the sweet taste of victory turned to chalk in your mouth?

I have! So have many of my clients.

This is what I've since learnt - If you want to avoid that sorry state, remember to add one more step to all your goal-setting activities - always have goals beyond your goals. (And, yes, I learnt that from Brian, too!) For instance, a major goal within the larger sphere of financial planning is retirement planning. But I'm sure you know of people who have worked hard for decades, retired to a life of financial ease, and then faced a shocking, debilitating loss of direction and significance. Many who don't figure out a way to overcome this immense problem die relatively early.

We all need to keep striving... it is the way I believe God chose to hardwire us.

Finally, the way I see it, all this intelligent financial management, goal-setting and significance-targeting takes place within the vista of time. So, please let me know how you've approached your personal time management challenges.

Bye for now!

Warmest regards,

Rajen

Rajen Devadason is CEO of RD Book Projects and its sister company RD WealthCreation Sdn Bhd. He lives in sunny, peaceful Malaysia with his gorgeous wife Rachel. He's a Malaysian Securities Commission-licensed financial planner, a life planning consultant, a professional speaker and a serial author... which probably explains why he's so exhausted! Some of his books are available here.