You need to know where you are and where you want to go
I’m sick at the moment. Either I have a bad cold, or hayfever season just started, and it is way worse than usual.
I’m not thrilled about either of those options, to be honest.
But it doesn’t seem to have really affected my productivity.
It has trashed my exercise routine. Haven’t managed to do any of my workouts this week.
But I’ve gotten quite a lot done. The Your First Ten Million Yen course is going well. YouTube is going well. I’ve managed to publish blog posts regularly. And our social media presence is pretty good considering that I’m the only person doing it.
And yet I’m wondering if this is the best way to run RetireJapan. I read articles like Cal Newport’s below (#14) and second-guess our current approach.
What do you think? Should I be doing much less, but taking more time with it? Or is this more like the parable of the pottery class, where we are going to get better and create more value by making more stuff?
Let me know in the comments if you have an opinion!
RetireJapan TV
We’ll be talking to the sauve Ziv Nakajima-Magen this week on RetireJapan TV, mainly about investing in real estate in Japan. Check out Ziv’s legendary seminar from 2021 if you’re interested in the topic, as we’ll be asking him what has changed since then!
The show will air Monday, February 19th from 20:00 as usual. Join us on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter 🙂
YouTube
Thank you for your support of the RetireJapan YouTube channel. We are growing quite strongly this year, and it is largely down to your help and support. We are currently at 4,068 subscribers, which is pretty incredible.
This week we published a video about why you shouldn’t pay your mortgage off early in Japan. Hope you find it useful! What’s your take on the mortgage issue?
US Citizens
We updated the US citizen page on the RetireJapan site. It’s basic, but I hope you find it useful. Please share with other US citizens and let us know if we should add anything else or if anything is incorrect.
Also, videos from this free conference that was held a couple of weeks ago are now online. May be of interest:
From February 6th-8th 2024, US expat financial experts from around the world came together for a free-to-attend online conference to share their expertise, perspectives and experience, specifically for Americans living abroad, worldwide.
The Forum
The Forum is doing well (33,122 posts so far). Excitingly, we now have over 2,000 registered members (2,067 currently). The forum rules are here. In essense, they are:
- Be nice
- Ask any question you like
- Only answer questions when you have relevant knowledge or experience
Here are the latest active threads:
This week’s links
- This has been a long time coming, but finally. Good riddance to the slave labour program: Japan to end technical intern program and allow transfers to new jobs
- Finally catching up: Shoes on or off indoors? Fear of germs settles the long-running debate
- I really enjoyed this video (YouTube). Given how hard it seems to be to find construction labour in Japan right now, I think this might be one of the best careers to go into for young people: Meet The Billionaire that Works a Normal Job
- Another example of how trying to nudge behaviour without solving underlying issues probably won’t work: Tokyo residents require more motivation to relocate
- Interesting story, but I think ‘the Warren Buffett of Japan’ is a bit of a stretch: The Octogenarian Who Turned Day Trading Into a 1.8 Billion Yen Fortune
- I am slightly sceptical about Tony Robbins, but he has some good stories: Tony Robbins Changes My Life (48 Minute Coaching Session)
- And yet in the end my suspicions are confirmed: The Holy Sale of Investing
- I hope this helps people secure homes but I’m not holding my breath: Certification system eyed for rental housing with elderly watch services
- I was unpleasantly surprised and disappointed by the government response: Japan’s Noto earthquake: thousands of survivors struggle as accusations of neglect grow
- News that will surprise no one: Japan slips to the world’s fourth-largest economy, behind the US, China and now Germany
- Some analysis here: Germany Surpasses Japan At #3 Nominal GDP Spot
- This makes more sense to me now: Death by Retirement
- Really interesting profile of a UK quasi retiree: FIRE-side chat: why escape from work you enjoy?
- I wonder if this is what I am doing wrong with RetireJapan? How the Acquired Podcast Became a Sensation
- I spend far too much time in the future: There is No Future, and That’s Good
- 20 degrees in Sendai last week: February on course to break unprecedented number of heat records
- Before hiring an advisor, how about some coaching? 😉 When Should You Hire a Financial Advisor?
What do you think? Anything interesting in there?
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No 3 was fantastic. Inspiring.
I’ve found a lot of joy in *not* trying to make ¥¥¥ off my hobbies.
I appeared at an arts event last weekend, invited by the city, or at least by the people in the city government in charge of delegating for events like this. It was based on other things I’ve done in the community over the years. It was delightful, and great experience meeting new people.
It’s taken me years to understand that success in a venture can’t be measured in profitability, unless profits are the initial goal. My goal is to make stuff that connects with people, and I’m improving there, so it was a success.
Yes! This is sooo right. It’s a hobby–there’s no need to turn it into work (and spoil things).
#4 – It’s stupid. Why give Tokyo people more to move? Maybe provide moving fees but thats all.
I live in Gifu. I earn a lower salary but cost of living is cheaper than Tokyo. Go figure.
If they want to throw out money, give us living here in the country 50,000 yen a month for our kids like suggested. We will be happy(er). Tokyo people can follow suit and move here if it pleases them.
I would be pissed off if a family from Tokyo came to live nearby and they received that money but we didn’t to be honest.
As for running retirejapan. You’re doing a great job. But you should do it just when you feel like it and not because you feel you need to.
Keep the weekly blog and your courses going as usual but things like Youtube/Podcasting you should just do when you have something to talk about or when requested.