This week’s highlights: Physical Identity, Rethinking Starbucks, and Steve Martin
Happy Friday everyone – hope you have had a nice week.
David
Food for Thought
- ArtofManliness – The Importance of Having a Physical Identity. Why are so many adults physically inactive? It likely goes back to their childhood, and the fact that they never developed a physical identity.
- NYT – The Sixth Love Language Does Not Exist. The author of the seminal book on love languages is surprised that the concept has become a cultural phenomenon. But he still wants couples to heed his advice.
- Freakonomics – Roland Fryer Refuses to Lie to Black America – This was thought provoking – The controversial Harvard economist, recently back from a suspension, “broke a lot of glass early in my career,” he says. His research on school incentives and police brutality won him acclaim — but also enemies. Now he’s taking a hard look at corporate diversity programs. The common thread in his work? “I refuse to not tell the truth.”
- NYP – Why UK tea drinkers might be healthier than us: US cancer docs
Business and Markets
- WSJ – Starbucks Is Rethinking Almost Everything, Including How to Make Frappuccinos. Changing tastes and frazzled workers prompt CEO Howard Schultz to press for a reset; ‘we will design new stores from scratch’
- RobbReport – How a Younger Generation Learned to Love Old-Money Aesthetics. Online and IRL, Millennials and Zoomers are giving the penny-loafered, chint
- WSJ – Retirement Planning Means More Than Saving in Your 401(k). Transitioning into this next stage of life takes introspection, not just financial planning, retirement coaches say
- NBER – The Effect of College and University Endowments on Financial Aid, Admissions, and Student Composition. Overall, colleges and universities appear to use greater endowment wealth to increase spending and to become more selective, resulting in higher institutional rankings, but do not increase the size or diversity of their student bodies. The results are important in light of the preferential tax treatment of endowments and interest in increasing access to elite postsecondary education for underserved populations.
Science, Technology, and Culture
- LTT – Why our Screwdriver took 3 YEARS. Fascinating deep dive on what it takes to launch a new physical product
- THR – Steve Martin on His Late Career Surge and Contemplating Retirement: “This Is, Weirdly, It”. After more than 60 years in the business, the comedy legend was ready to wind it down. Then came ‘Only Murders in the Building’ and his three Emmy nominations. And a new stage show. And a new book. And a new doc. But after that, it’s over. He’s pretty sure…
- NYT – You Want an Electric Car With a 300-Mile Range? When Was the Last Time You Drove 300 Miles? Any interesting take on range being the end all of electric cars
- Jalopnik – F1 Failed in America Before Because It Didn’t Understand its Audience. It Might Be Going Down the Same Path. The American audience remains an enigma for F1’s organizers, who have historically been confused about what viewers want.
My Book:
When Anything is Possible – Wealth and the Art of Strategic Living
- Does how you handle your wealth actually align with what you care most about in the world?
- Do you feel like you are pro-active and intentional with your financial affairs or entirely reactive to a busy world?
Growing financial wealth is a natural occurrence on the path to success. While this should make life easier, that is not always the case. With greater wealth, comes great opportunity and an overwhelming number of choices to make.
When Anything is Possible is the guidebook about how to engage strategically with wealth. It will help you change your wealth from something overwhelming and all-consuming towards a resource to be deployed to help you positively impact the things that you value most.
If you are interested in learning more, visit here and download a free chapter.