'A freelancer's dilemma'. Marketing as a service. (Seth Godin)
ALSO NOTE / read Howard Marks LATEST memo, 'The Winds of Change'
Change is hard but necessary for growth. Thanks for joining ME here on my journey as I transition from one who was entire career on Wall Street was governed by NEEDING to transact to live. That has changed now into something different.
While I can say this change — hard, to be sure — is for the better personally as well as professionally, I’ll let you be the ultimate judge if this change is for the better.
I will use this format and forum to relay some things which have have helped me along the way and which peak MY (global macro, US rates) interest. I hope you’ll find some funTERtainment.
Some times — like here/now as the tryptophan is still working its way through the system — there will be a post with general (ie NOT market/macro/econ) material. Some things on my mind (general views, thoughts — mine & others) and this is one of those occasions.
Here are a couple posts from Seth Godin and they are followed by the latest from Howard Marks.
First, Seth's Blog: A freelancer's dilemma is short and to the point asking some very good questions which I can readily admit I’ll be thinking about over the coming few days.
What do you own?
What are you really good at?
What do you enjoy?
He continues
…If you are really good at something, having amassed skills and a reputation, it’s more likely that you will earn the benefit of the doubt and more easily create value.
And if you focus on being on the hook for work you actually enjoy, your days are better and it’s easier to do great work…
…It begins by being clear about what you own, what you’re good at it and what gives you satisfaction.
I THINK I know what I’m good at and which gives me satisfaction … They say that if you like what you do, you’ll never WORK a day in your life, right?
Now in as far as being part of global Wall Street’s dreaded sell side for so long where everyone is armed and dangerous with a Bloomberg terminal and an inventory which they feel compelled to send out every day. Often several times PER day.
Seth's Blog: Marketing as a service which ALSO spoke to me and was a cause for pause BEFORE simply hitting DELETE.
Some folks think of marketing as something that is done to people. A hustle, a hype, a stealing of attention…
…Human beings aren’t information processing machines. We’re not hyper-rational or predictable. Instead, we find joy and possibility in stories, in connection and yes, in tension and status roles as well…
…We need to not only have the ability to imagine what others see, we have to have the guts to go where they are and talk with them on their terms.
Seth talks a bit about NOT making something I would buy but rather, making something THEY would buy and that, to me, makes some amount of sense. This may be why oodles of Bloomberg RUNZ messages filled with product which fit TINA and FOMO investment themes (memes) are keeping much of global Wall Street alive and thriving.
Change. It is here for me and with change will come some personal and professional growth. In as far as PROFESSIONAL growth, I’m grateful to have read / shares some of the best in the business over the years and Howard Marks latest memo — perhaps not directly related — clearly one of the BEST in BIZ and ALWAYS a good read, especially the section on p4 (of 16) where HE fleshes out the inflation / deflation debate and does so leaning on Cathie Wood interview
Nov 23, 2021, 1:40 PM
The last 20 months have taught us to question everything. What is the future of work? Can American democracy survive? Will Baby Boomers keep consuming more than their fair share? And what comes after “trillion”? Howard Marks’s latest memo examines paradigm shifts that could reshape the economy, markets and the world for many years to come.
From p5, Marks summarizes:
… We don’t hear much these days about the possibility of deflation, and it certainly seems unlikely to arise. We also don’t hear much about the deflationary impact of technology, but we shouldn’t dismiss the idea …
Emphasis MINE. The memo
… in its entirety HERE and again it’s full CONTEXT is worth a point / click.
Thanks for stopping by. Happy Thanksgiving and holiday season to you and yours. Don’t forget to turn your scales BACK 10lbs this morning!