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FI Weekly – November 24, 2020

Choose FI has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Choose FI and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. American Express is a ChooseFI advertiser. Disclosures.

The Subtle Art of Saying No

A friend introduced me to the Harvard Business Review’s IdeaCast podcast this week and said their episode entitled, “The Fundamental Human Relationship with Work” was the anthropological case for Financial Independence, which was fascinating. 

This quote from “The Subtle Art of Saying No” episode really impacted me: 

“Every bad ‘Yes’ crowds out a much better ‘Yes,’ just as every well-reasoned, well-timed ‘No’ makes room for a better ‘Yes.’ 

You say yes because in the moment you want to please…that’s a bad yes.” 

It’s so easy to say “Yes” or even “Maybe” when you know the answer should be “No.” 

I challenge each of you to look for ways to simplify your life by cutting out the reflexive “Yes” responses to meetings, events, calls, etc. that you know in your heart you need to cut entirely. 

FI Weekly Benefit: 15% off at the ChooseFI Store

I always want the ‘FI Weekly’ newsletter to add value to your life, and this week it is more tangible than most: We just launched the ChooseFI Store on our new website featuring incredible prices on eBook bundles plus some cool ChooseFI apparel and collectibles. 

If you use the coupon code “FIweekly” you’ll get 15% off anything at the store! 

Shop the ChooseFI Store

Year End Wins: Live Event

My favorite ChooseFI podcast episode each year is our “Year End Wins” episode where we play voicemails and read emails from the community celebrating your biggest wins of the past 12 months. 

This year we’ve decided to step it up and make this a live event where we get to hear you – in real-time – talk about your wins and how FI has changed your life. 

If you want to share your wins and chat with me and Jonathan live at this event, hit reply to this email and include a quick synopsis of your FI year in review! 

Please RSVP to attend this event on December 8th at 7:30pm EST: 

RSVP for the live event!

ChooseFI Community Taking Action this Week

  • Gavin said, “My 1% better improvement this week has been to respond to text messages/emails on my phone three times daily. This allows me not to get overwhelmed with responding to all of the external requests and lets me handle them on my own time. It’s something I hope to continue for a long time because I feel like I have more time AND feel more relaxed by not even bringing my phone to work!” 
  • Megan said, “I’m excited to report with the help of your podcast, my husband and I started a new business and made an extra $400 so far this month. To make that number even better, we had minimal startup costs because we already owned nearly all of the supplies and equipment. We’re so excited how this will help us reduce our debt and can’t wait to see how much our lives are improved as we do more!” 
  • Connie said, “My win for the week was opening Vanguard Roth IRAs for my two youngest children (ages 16 and almost 15). They both regularly earn income by doing chores for farmers (we are blessed to live in a rural area). Both kids are now investing earned income-all while learning about FI!!” 
  • Curtis said, “This week, our net worth crossed the million-dollar mark and we are closing in on our FI number!! My wife and I are now putting plans in place to sprint towards the finish and leave the W2 world. Already this year, we’ve maxed out my 401(k) and both our IRAs and transfer additional money into VTSAX automatically with each paycheck. We increased that amount starting this week! Being this close is energizing and pushing us to keep moving!” 
  • Eli said, “Because of ChooseFI, and getting our finances in order, my wife and I were confident enough to talk with our boss about my wife going to part time next year to dedicate more time to raising our son. We got the okay. My wife seems so much happier about work!” 
Choose FI has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Choose FI and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. American Express is a ChooseFI advertiser. Disclosures.
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