Don’t go on strike... Inflate your value!

With London’s trains on strike again this week, and the irritation of multiple actions over the past 6 months, it got me cursing the inconvenience caused. No benefit is created by researching the matter, but the complaint is: "How can it be the best course of action to hold the country to ransom with continuous strike action - and when did that strategy ever work?". I then thought: "There are ways around it - so why is this pissing-me-off so much? Why do I care? and most importantly, what is the learning I keep ignoring?". Then it hit me. A better-quality question spurred the idea behind this first post.

So, here it is, turning frustration to opportunity: "How do I add more value?". Answering that question is what separates the success stories when facing obstacles like increasing pay, getting promotions, better jobs, growing their businesses and personal lives. They face obstacles by working harder, smarter, or taking more effective action considering current market conditions. Variants of striking, "quiet quitting", and ultimately destroying value (or inconveniencing my commute!) are surrendered voices of disgruntled employees, fears, or disempowering complaints. The acts in themselves are cursed with a philosophy that will destroy your own personal value, even if you do magically get an immediate pay rise. What’s more, if you carry that philosophy to any other area of life, you lose. We all have the same 24hrs a day to maximise results. There is opportunity everywhere. So how are we spending our time? And if the results aren't what we want, then that’s the beauty. The world is telling us to shift focus to growth and personal development in that area - take the hint and take action!

The learnings are clear, and topical to the current environment - a leader takes responsibility for their own future. If time is the most valuable resource, then imagine spending it complaining, downing tools, and giving a third party the ownership of your own precious problems and goals. Precious problems, because solving them will allow you to grow and become more. I've known very few wealthy people that achieved great things by destroying value, and the ones that did, I'm sure sacrificed either their health, their values, or their fulfilment along that journey. Success without fulfilment is the ultimate failure.

"Don't wish for less problems, acquire more skills"

"For things to change, you must change"

"For things to get better, you must become better"

Connecting the dots and looking at today’s inflationary environment. I've heard daily complaints over the last year mirroring news headlines of "food costs too much", "turn the lights off", "Turn the heating off", and yet I've heard few voices of what investments were actioned to take advantage of this wonderful opportunity. A good trader makes money in any market, and that philosophy should apply to everyone since we're all traders at some level whether we know it or not (Most of us are trading our time to the highest bidder).

Inflation simply means rising prices, so how do I add value to myself and others in that context? The simplest answer is by taking responsibility to notice, learn, and understand what prices are rising and/or likely to rise - then act on it. If you're worried your energy bill is going up, then would it not have made sense to be invested in the companies that are producing and selling it to you at higher prices? This week Shell PLC announced 2022 profits doubled with the largest gains in its 115-year history - they now have a "use-of-cash flow crisis" - I wish I did! Commodities and producers are among the top beneficiaries of inflation, you can read that in any online financial article, and you can get exposure to them at the click of a button.

So, what now? When is the best time to plant a tree? What opportunities are out there as we speak - I’m genuinely interested to hear ideas? That’s what I want from this community. For me, I've built a series of portfolios (by continuous dollar cost averaging) comprised of globally diversified single name stocks, bonds, indexes, crypto, and real estate. Why? The goal is to have a blend of income producing, highly liquid, diversified assets that can manage and limit downside risk in rough times (Winter), and manoeuvre quickly to maximise opportunity in good times (Summer). I run separate spread-betting accounts for tax free leveraged trading which are excellent for short term opportunities and portfolio hedging. I allocated to commodity producers and budget supermarkets last year which made a significant impact to bottom line, and I can't ignore how great volatility has been for picking up quality assets at bargain basement prices during the recent sell-off. So, with US stocks up +8% and bitcoin +40% in the month of January already, let's upgrade our philosophy and get to work on creating fortune!

“A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful,” "Profits are better than wages. Wages will make you a living, and profits can make you a fortune."