Tag: think and grow rich

Cede Not the Power Within

submitted by jwithrow.
Click here to get the Journal of a Wayward Philosopher by Email

Journal of a Wayward Philosopher
Cede Not the Power Within

July 13, 2016
Hot Springs, VA

“Our integrity sells for so little, but it is all we really have. It is the very last inch of us, but within that inch, we are free…. An Inch, it is small and it is fragile, but it is the only thing in the world worth having. We must never lose it or give it away. We must never let them take it from us…” – Valerie, V for Vendetta

The S&P closed out Tuesday at $2,152. Gold closed at $1,335 per ounce. Crude Oil closed at $46.80 per barrel, and the 10-year Treasury rate closed at 1.51%. Bitcoin is trading around $660 per BTC today.

Dear Journal,

I’m not exactly sure where this entry is going to go. As regular readers know, I sit down weekly to write about whatever is on my mind.

No script. No filter. No agenda other than the spreading of ideas.

I do try to tie these entries in with one of my books or finance courses for commercial purposes so I can tell wife Rachel that I did some work today, but I am not always successful in that endeavor.

What’s on my mind this week is power – personal power. Continue reading “Cede Not the Power Within”

Blending Timeless Simplicity with Modern Technology

submitted by jwithrow.
Click here to get the Journal of a Wayward Philosopher by Email

Journal of a Wayward Philosopher
Blending Timeless Simplicity with Modern Technology

January 22, 2016
Hot Springs, VA

The S&P closed out Thursday at $1,869. Gold closed at $1,100 per ounce. Crude Oil closed at $29.75 per barrel, and the 10-year Treasury rate closed at 2.02%. Bitcoin is trading around $395 per BTC today.

Dear Journal,

Two inches of snow covers the ground here in the mountains of Virginia this morning, and the falling flakes show no sign of stopping. At the Withrow Estate we have a fire in the hearth, coffee in the pot, and pancakes on the griddle. I pause and smile as I hear the sounds of a laughing toddler, a lovely wife, and a loyal dog emanating from the Great Room.

The weather forecast suggests another twelve to twenty-four inches of snow are on the way this weekend. There will be no salt trucks or snow plows venturing out to the gravel road that connects our property with the rest of the world which means we will not be going anywhere for a few days. Wife Rachel, a wedding coordinator at the nearby mountain resort, has already rescheduled the various events and tastings she had booked this weekend in anticipation of our snow days. She is not terribly enthused about being snowed in for the weekend, but I can think of nothing more serene. In fact, a number of years ago I had a fleeting vision of this exact occurrence. Continue reading “Blending Timeless Simplicity with Modern Technology”

Fear is the Enemy of Mankind

submitted by jwithrow.fear

Napoleon Hill listed the effects of fear in his famed Think and Grow Rich. According to Hill, it:

– Paralyzes the faculty of reason
– Destroys the faculty of imagination
– Kills self-reliance
– Undermines enthusiasm
– Discourages initiative
– Leads to uncertainty of purpose
– Encourages procrastination
– Wipes out enthusiasm
– Renders self-control impossible
– Takes the charm from one’s personality
– Destroys accurate thinking
– Diverts concentration of effort
– Masters persistence
– Eradicates will-power
– Destroys ambition
– Beclouds the memory
– Invites failure in every conceivable form

Fear is even more dangerous than our dishonest money and the Federal Reserve System.

Politics, advertising, media, military/intel, and others all work to instill fear in us on a daily basis. It is important to discern whether or not our fear is justified and either dismiss it or act accordingly.