It's Time to Stop Managing My Life Like a Scared Investor
As I type these words, NVIDIA stock (which I do not own) is down 16.2%. In a single day, investors have decided that one of their favorite companies is actually worth 1/6th of what they thought it was worth way back on Friday.
Don't worry... this newsletter isn't about stocks. It's about my realization this morning that I've been managing my life like a scared investor.
The wildfire in LA freaked me out. My brother's house burned down; I felt horrible for him, and then I realized the wildfire risk of my house in Oregon is roughly what his was.
Danger, danger, danger!
That led me down a rabbit hole of wondering how to stay safe in these times. I started to think and act like millions of investors who today are (temporarily) abandoning top AI stocks because one Chinese company claims it wasn't that hard or expensive for them to develop a world class Large Language Model.
The key word there is: claims.
How much do you want to bet that within a week or less, there will be reports that the Chinese company actually spent more time and money than was previously claimed?
How much do you want to bet that I am overreacting in my personal life?
Take that last bet, but please don't rely on anything I say about the stock market.
This is a pretty good depiction of what a very good life looks like. It's not a straight line, with every day perfect. It's a lot of ups and downs:
(And, yes, I just showed you a year's worth of NVIDIA's stock price movements.)
BTW, my brother is fine, his house was a rental and he still loves LA.
Today's column is as much for me as it is for you. But I am pretty sure that 90% of the people I know are also buying into the media—and social media—narrative that we need to be scared or worried or both.
That's no way to live, I realize this morning... watching investors run for the doors.
There's so much to love in this universe. I'm going to focus on that.
In other news, I launched a new web site, Flash Fiction by Bruce Kasanoff. It features very short stories I've written that describe the type of world in which I want to live. My intention is to uplift you and spark your imagination. Please stop by, and drop me a note telling which is your favorite.
Inc 5000 CEOs Leading the Future with Executive Abundance | Exec Coach: Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches | Top 16 Leadership Voice | 2x TEDx Speaker | Intl Bestseller 65 Books | x-Public Board Member
3 周Bruce, I resonate deeply with your realization. Too often, we find ourselves managing life with a scarcity mindset, reacting to fear rather than focusing on clarity and what truly matters. In my work with clarity and credibility, I've seen how embracing purpose and staying grounded in our values can counteract the noise of fear. The ups and downs are inevitable, but how we respond and what we focus on makes all the difference. Your shift towards love and possibility is a powerful reminder to do the same in our personal lives. Thank you for sharing!
Manager, Sales Solution Architects for CounselLink ELM and CounselLink CLM at LexisNexis North America
1 个月ne more wonderful article from you, Bruce, thank you. Here is a link from Cleo Abram, interviewing NVidia's Jensen Huang about the past, present, and future of computing/AI, and the spirit of the interview reminded me of your article - forward-thinking, hopeful, and based on good principles. It also reminded me that NVidia is on sale right now. It's worth the watch if you and your audience are interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ARBJQn6QkM
Chief Copywriting Officer & CEO of CaringMessenger Copywriting/Christ-Centered/Upside-Down Eternal Lens Leadership
1 个月I understand Bruce Kasanoff. So much fear, pain, and disaster. I’m glad your brother is okay. We can can get caught up in the chaos and lose sight of hope. But God. He reminds me to NOT be afraid. Like you, I choose to focus on the good. I choose to be part of the change that I would like to see in the world, this side of heaven. 1 Timothy 6:12 reminds me to keep fighting the good fight ?????? Best wishes on your new project.
MA TESOL Cultural enrichment through English conversation. Stanford University, Fostering Communication
1 个月Refreshed by the good you share with us. ??
Founder of Gr8terthings and Cloud Chadder; Head of Disaster Recovery at SecureX
1 个月Love this Bruce! Great reflections and love the vulnerability!