In today’s episode, we answer three questions from a college senior named Rafael.
He asks about productivity tools and tactics, student debt, Robinhood and market investing, and how to establish yourself as an expert in a given domain.
We answer his questions by widening the lens.
People often ask about productivity tools. “Do you use Asana or Trello?” But nobody asked Michelangelo what paintbrush he used to paint the Sistine Chapel. The discussion around tools misses the point, which is to master the craft.
Sure, we answer his direct, overt questions. But we also dive deeper, refining these topics and exploring the questions *behind* his questions.
This is an episode in which we peel layers off the onion.
Here’s what Rafael asks [paraphrased]:
I’m 22 years old, I live in Washington state, and I’m set to graduate in spring 2022.
I have a trilogy of questions about journaling, buying my first rental property, and becoming an aspiring thought leader.
#1: I love journaling, planning, and organizing my ideas. What tips and tools would you suggest? (By the way, shoutout to Laura Vanderkam for daily time tracking.)
#2: I’ll graduate with a B.S. in Biochemistry in Spring 2022. I expect to earn between $50,000 — $70,000 per year.
While I’m fortunate to have zero student debt so far, my net worth keeps bouncing back to $0 as I pay for school.
Finding more scholarships is difficult with my status as a DACA student, and the circumstances surrounding Covid dampened my GPA.
I’d also like to buy my first rental property within the next three to five years. My current plan is to use my Robinhood account to invest in REITs and earmark that for my final lump sum tuition payment.
Once I graduate, I expect to save the down payment relatively quickly, using money from my full-time job.
Is this a good plan, or should I focus on staying debt free?
#3: Do you have any advice for aspiring thought leaders on how to break into a space and find your voice? I admire your contributions and critical analysis of personal finance, and I’d like to do similar work in the self-care space.
Former financial planner Joe Saul-Sehy and I answer these three questions on today’s episode.
Enjoy!
Resources Mentioned:
- Asana | Team-based Work Management App
- Notes | Notes App for Apple Devices
- Evernote | Note Taking app
- ToDoIst | To Do List app
- Toggl | Time Tracking App
- Flowstate | Productivity App
- Byword | Writing App
- The Loopholes that Destroy Our Ability to Form Habits | Podcast episode
- Flow | Book
- Originals | Book
- Steel Like an Artist | Book
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