The Monday Read: Momentum

Even better than compound interest?

In personal finance, everyone is (understandably) obsessed with compound interest. Eighth wonder of the world, and all that.

But I find momentum might be even more important.

I’m just starting to get my life back in order after a slightly chaotic and unproductive July and August, and I’m rediscovering the important concept that motivation doesn’t usually lead to action. Action results in motivation.

Taking action and doing something positive makes it easier to do another positive thing. Momentum builds, habits are created, and you’re moving smoothly in the right direction.

This works with money, with health, with relationships.

And of course it goes the other way too: one mistake can lead to another, resulting in a negative spiral.

So if you are waiting for circumstances to improve so you can get started, maybe you just need to start anyway, and then circumstances will improve.

YouTube

Thank you for your support of the RetireJapan YouTube channel. Go and watch some old videos to tide you over until our next new one (have plans to get back on the wagon in September).

The Forum

The Forum is doing well (37,119 posts so far). The forum rules are here. In essense, they are:

1. Be nice
2. Ask any question you like
3. Only answer questions when you have relevant knowledge or experience

Here are the latest active threads:

This week’s books

Still reading the Locke Lamora trilogy by Scott Lynch. Slightly violent fantasy, similar to Joe Abercrombie’s stuff. On book three now.

This week’s links

1. This looks wild (fire+alcohol?): The Gōdo Sanno Matsuri
2. Tokyo English language guide to earthquakes (a quick review might save your life or those of your family): Disaster Prevention Information
3. Some people: Why People Don’t Save Enough For Retirement
4. Deliberate government policy, not foreign tourists then: Why has Japan been hit with rice shortages, soaring prices despite normal crops?
5. I think my wife got this from our grandkids: Cases of Walking Pneumonia Reach 8-Year High in Japan
6. Martin with a roundup of news: Semiconductors, online banks and Shimamura
7. This is interesting. I often find older people are more interesting and more open minded in Japan (the immediately post-war generation): Tracking Japan’s Shift to a Post-Demographic Society
8. Damn. Fines? Jail time? Imprisonment for years without trial? Over 2 million customer records leaked in breach of Japanese insurers
9. Pretty heated from Mr. Carlson: Financial Voices I Ignore
10. I decided not to watch this based on the trailer, but this write up has changed my mind! Tokyo Swindlers, Netflix’s New Miniseries, Becoming a Global Hit
11. Really enjoyed this (YouTube): Is Andrew Huberman Ruining Your Morning Coffee?
12. Damn. World stock markets: How historic returns have varied by country

What do you think? Anything interesting in there?

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