Categories
Money Writing

I’ll Never Make a Living from My Writing

“The writer and his destiny” by Kiril Katsarov

This month will mark the seventh anniversary of the release of my first — and still highest-selling — book.

It was a niche book and it made some minor waves in that space, to the point where it even climbed all the way to #2 in that category on Amazon. It didn’t stay there long, however, and my name never cracked the “Wealthiest Writers” listicles.

It never will.

Categories
Life Money

Is Enough Ever Enough?

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Let’s talk about money.

Most of us have some sort of financial concern. Some estimates show that nearly 80% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck and 61% can’t cover a $1,000 emergency. Wages have stagnated, but the cost of everything else has continued to rise meaning that purchasing power hasn’t really moved in four decades.

It takes an annual income of one-third of a million dollars to buy a home in San Francisco, which is fascinating considering the median household income there is about $83,000. It’s not just the coasts, either. Real median household income in New York City is just under $51,000 but in the entire country it’s $59,000. Considering how expensive everything — housing, food, transportation — is, that’s not very much.

Have you ever felt like if you had just a little bit more money it would make an enormous difference? The problem with that thought — one that I’ve had many times — is that the goalposts continue to move.

Categories
Life Money Work

Time vs. Money

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Virtually everyone has heard the old adage that “time is money,” but how many really analyze what it means?

The truth is that time and money are inversely proportional — the more you have of one, the less you have of the other.

Categories
Writing

My Very Best Writing from 2016

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2016 was my first full year with my own site.

Not coincidentally it is also the first year since 2012 in which I did not publish a book.

Categories
Lessons Life

My Turn to (Almost) Get Screwed by the System

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Has a huge corporation ever tried to screw you over?

Odds are, the answer to that question is yes.

I recently had it happen to me. Here’s my story.

Categories
Life Money

If I Had Been a Millionaire at 18, I’d Be Broke or Dead (or Both) By Now

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In his new book, Ego is the Enemy, Ryan Holiday recounts the story of Howard Hughes, Jr. inheriting his father’s company at the age of 18.

Categories
Opinion

What is Success?

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“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
– Albert Schweitzer

 

I’ve been thinking about success a lot recently.

Categories
Week in Review

Week in Review (March 18, 2016)

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My birthday is Monday.

Categories
Life

I Still Don’t Feel Like an Adult

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I am about to turn 36 years old.

I have been married for over five years.

I have a daughter that will be turning four this summer.

Categories
Money

The Unrealistic Myopia of Personal Finance Experts

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I read a lot and I think about money a lot. So, naturally, I read a lot about money.

I’ve read all the experts. I’m well-versed in the Debt Snowball and the Latte Factor and the 50/20/30 rule.

And I think many of them are unrealistic.