For Father's Day, my youngest son took me to see Top Gun 2 in DFX. It's been a while since I've been in a movie theatre, and this was a movie worth doing the right way. It lived up to the hype.
He also took me to brunch and invited his girlfriend - a rare occasion that I hope becomes more common.
It's been ten years since he started working with me at Capitalogix. Here's his first professional pic and his most recent. Time flies while you are getting older!

As a father, having great kids is a double blessing. On one hand, it's nice to be proud of who your kids are and the things they do. On the other hand, it's also nice to feel proud of the small part you played in helping them become who they are. It's also my first Father's Day as a grandfather. After decades of messing with my kids, now I get to mess with a new generation!
Of course, I also look back ... and spent some time thinking about my father and his terrific influence on so many lives.

My Dad was incredibly loving. Yet, he was also incredibly demanding.
For example, after winning the State Championship in the shot put, I watched him run down from the stands. I figured he was coming down to celebrate. Instead, he looked deeply into my eyes and asked whether I was disappointed that I did not throw a personal best that day? I replied: "But Dad, I won." He smiled and recognized that winning was important too ... then he reminded me that the other throwers were not the real competition. In life, to be and do your best, the competition is really with yourself; and we both knew I could do better.
My Dad believed in setting high standards. He explained that most people's lives are defined by their minimum standards. Why? Because once those standards get met, it is easy to get distracted by other things and meeting the minimum standards for them as well.
Here is something else worth sharing; it was one of his favorite sayings. "The difference between good and great is infinitesimal." This applies to many things. For example, people who are good take advantage of opportunities; people who are great create them. The point is to set a higher standard and to have a better life.
Well, that should explain a little of the dysfunction ... but, if you can't mess up your own kids, whose kids can you mess up?
Hopefully, you had a happy Father's Day weekend.
Americans' Top Financial Concern
It's no secret that the economy is slowing - with high inflation rates and rising interest rates.
According to Mohamed El-Erian, from Queens College at Cambridge University, we're experiencing stagflation - which is when inflation is high but growth is slowing significantly. Theoretically, that leads to recession.
The Consumer Price Index has also grown by over 8% in the past year, so the American household is facing financial threats from many angles.
Many feel that the Fed has responded disappointingly recently, and their response (or lack thereof) will be a major dictator of whether we enter a recession.
I believe that emotions play a role too. When people are afraid, they spend less and hoard what they can to save themselves from an unknown future. They feel anticipatory grief. And their fear, uncertainty, and doubt ripple through society and our lives.
Personally, I've weathered my heaviest storms by sailing toward the future regardless of the threats. An abundance mindset is a powerful tool, and as more people feel confident it becomes a macroeconomic trend with real influence.
I'd encourage you to think about what opportunities there are and will be. There are always seasons of change … Winter eventually comes – and goes. Nevertheless, winter can be a great opportunity to plan your next moves and build the infrastructure to sow more seeds in the coming spring.
As well, unlike nature, you can personally have springtime while the majority are in winter. We're currently in an A.I. springtime - and I believe that will continue regardless of economic trends.
Happy to talk about this … Let me know what you are thinking and feeling!
Posted at 03:53 PM in Business, Current Affairs, Healthy Lifestyle, Ideas, Market Commentary, Personal Development, Science, Trading, Trading Tools, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0)
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