2024 Week 32 of 52 62% Sacrifice

'OUR' most successful Olympics in HISTORY!

“We are one, but we are many.

And from all the lands on earth we come.

We’ll share a dream and sing with one voice.

“I am, you are, we are Australian“

WE are f...ing AMAZING! Aussie, Aussie Aussie!

Australia sits in 3rd position on the?medal tally, with 18 GOLD and 45 medals. I loved the below video of Australian Olympic BMX Champ Saya Sakakibara winning GOLD.

“All I had to do was just f...ing go and I f...ing went for it”

The Olympics are so great, particularly when WE are winning.

A perfect day for a(nother) public holiday. WE deserve it.

Let's start thinking like an Olympian ...

“I just envisioned this moment. I just visualised being at the top of the start and on the podium, hearing the national anthem and having the gold medal around my neck." Saya Sakakibara

Then put in the work, and sacrifice. Keep a sharp vision for the future.

Setting a vision for the future starts today.

It will be interesting to observe the impact of Australia's BEST EVER Olympics on consumer and business confidence. Just like negative media and other coverage can create a level of despair / slowdown, positive sentiment can create optimism and confidence to grow.

Perhaps the Olympics success and sacrifice of 2020-2024 will germinate an optimistic narrative for Australia. Just like the post World War II Baby Boom 1945 to 1975 that created an economic boom from despair, and transformation of music, media and pop-culture.

In the face of the Olympics, it is interesting to benchmark ourselves against other countries. Australia wins?GOLD?for the largest average house size globally, compared with the US in Silver with? 201sqm. Australia wins?GOLD?for gambling losses per capita, followed by Singapore and Ireland. Australia gets silver for obesity, US Gold.

I heard a statistic this morning, that in the 1950s an estimated 50% of homes in Australia were built by the homeowners themselves. Today, the percentage of DIY-built homes in Australia has decreased drastically to less than 5%. In the 1950’s the average size home in Australia was around 100 square metres. Today it is around 230 square metres. Our expectations are ever evolving and recalibrating. Times were tough in the 1950's.

Now, in 2024, The household saving to income ratio decreased to a record 0.9% in the?March 2024 quarter. Household credit (i.e. loans to acquire, maintain renovate or improve a residential property) is also at record levels ($2,283 Billion June 2024).

The economy is tough in 2024.

In terms of business medals, Switzerland, Sweden and the USA get GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE for Innovation. Australia ranks 23rd. While 46% of businesses in Australia are innovation-active, barriers like funding and skill shortages exist (Australian Bureau of Statistics). The ABS highlights that market research is a crucial tool for businesses, aiding in overcoming barriers to innovation.

Japan, Switzerland and South Korea get GOLD, SILVER and BRONZE for Economic Complexity. Australia ranks lower (93rd) due to its reliance on natural resource exports rather than complex, and lower level of value added products.

Take some advice from Malcolm Gladwell on the value of practice, put in the hard work ...

To make progress. Olympics, personal or collective, avoid getting lost in the distraction and complexity of the moment. Busy doing nothing.

The sacrifice of challenging times, much like many are experiencing in 2024-2025, will be the worst of times for some, and best of times for others harassing the opportunities of a pessimistic market.

Robust research to identify growth and innovation priorities is more critical than ever to navigate the inevitable choppy ride ahead.

Read full article with more stats via squareholes.com >

Happy Friday, and enjoy your weekend.

Jason.

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