I am not prone to verbal violence.

Yet I started my day ranting on LinkedIn because I got a marketing email so inane I turned into a bad marketing vigilante.

Treat creative output like poop.

Remember how proud you were of your “creations” as a toddler? When you were potty trained, your parents applauded every “masterpiece” you produced. Being praised for something effortless to make that felt good to unload was heart-warming.

You no longer expect applause every time you go to the bathroom. 

I named my institutional money management after Daruma, the founder of Zen Buddhism. He’s my favorite Bodhisattva, mostly because he was a bad-ass.

A 6th-century Indian monk who introduced Buddhism to China, he became the stuff of legends:

He scolded the Shaolin monks for being book smart but real-world stupid and shooed them out from behind the monastery walls. But first, he taught them kung fu so they could defend themselves against bandits.

I was a professional stock picker for over 30 years.

I’ve poured through thousands of pages of financials, questioned hundreds of management, and stumbled upon every way an investment thesis can go south. Managing a couple of billion marked to market daily was stressful. New Year’s day was my only true break from the pressure of performance – the old year’s numbers were locked and the clock hadn’t yet started on the new one. 

What kept me going were the stories.

You think your accountant is satanic.

You suspect your financials are possessed. You need a shot of liquid courage before meeting with your bookkeeper. You’d rather poke your eye out than balance your checkbook.

All this drama – when all your business wants is to be loved!

I recently signed up for Ship 30 for 30 to help owners develop financial intimacy with their businesses by writing a daily Atomic Essay.

3 reasons to learn the love language of your biz:

If you were madly in love with an Italian, wouldn't you try to learn Italian? It's a way to show commitment, desire, and get more intimate.♥️