The information revolution is transforming the world and creating unprecedented opportunities for individuals. •Physical capital is becoming less important, knowledge and human capital are ascendant. •Individuals are gaining more control and power through information technology.  •Action: Acquire skills and knowledge that will be valuable in the information age. Learn how to use information technology to your advantage.

Chapter 1 - The Information Revolution and The Individual

•Gordon Moore's observations about integrated circuits, known as Moore's law, is driving technological progress at an exponential pace.•The spread of information online exhibits strong network effects and increasing returns.•Action: Understand the power of compounding progress in technology and information. How can you leverage this for your benefit?

Chapter 2 - Compounding Information: Moore's Law and Increasing 

•Physical assets are becoming less important as wealth is "dematerialized" into virtual assets like intellectual property, brands, and knowledge. •Individuals are gaining direct access to global markets through the internet.•Action: Shift your thinking from physical to virtual assets. Focus on acquiring knowledge-based wealth.

Chapter 3 - The Virtualization of Wealth    

•Individuals have three options: exit (migrate), voice (influence decisions), or demand a dividend (share in profits). •The internet gives individuals more power for "exit" and "voice", while weakening the power of governments and corporations.•Action: Consider how you can exert more "exit", "voice", or "dividend" in your personal and professional life.

Chapter 4 - Exit, Voice, and Dividend 

•Governments and corporations will need to change and become more adaptive to survive.  •New forms of direct democracy may emerge online, enabled by information technology.•Action: Consider how you can engage in new forms of governance. Participate in online communities and movements.

Chapter 5 - New Forms of Governance

•Passports and citizenship will become less important as individuals gain more opportunities on a global scale.•Individuals will be able to choose between many jurisdictions with varying rules and tax policies.•Action: Explore second citizenship, residency, and tax optimization options that fit your needs and values.

Chapter 6 - The Universal Passport

•Social responsibilities and obligations will decline as individuals gain more autonomy.•Individuals will form more voluntary associations based on shared interests rather than geography. •Action: Consider which social obligations truly align with your values and priorities, and let go of the rest.

Chapter 7 - The Death of Social Obligations 

In summary, the key message of the book is that the information age is empowering individuals and giving them more freedom, choice, and control over their lives. Governments, corporations, and social structures will need to adapt to this new reality - though individuals still need to take action to fully realize these new opportunities.

Summary 

Two renowned investment advisors and authors of the bestseller The Great Reckoning bring to light both currents of disaster and the potential for prosperity and renewal in the face of radical changes in human history as we move into the next century. The Sovereign Individual details strategies necessary for adapting financially to the next phase of Western civilization. Few observers of the late twentieth century have their fingers so presciently on the pulse of the global political and economic realignment ushering in the new millennium as do James Dale Davidson and Lord William Rees-Mogg. Their bold prediction of disaster on Wall Street in Blood in the Streets was borne out by Black Tuesday. In their ensuing bestseller, The Great Reckoning, published just weeks before the coup attempt against Gorbachev, they analyzed the pending collapse of the Soviet Union and foretold the civil war in Yugoslavia and other events that have proved to be among the most searing developments of the past few years. In The Sovereign Individual, Davidson and Rees-Mogg explore the greatest economic and political transition in centuries—the shift from an industrial to an information-based society. This transition, which they have termed "the fourth stage of human society," will liberate individuals as never before, irrevocably altering the power of government. This outstanding book will replace false hopes and fictions with new understanding and clarified values.

philosophy

Philosophy

Discover the world of business and economics.

economics

Economics

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

technologyandthefuture

Technology & The Future

books

Books

James Dale Davidson

Lord William Rees-Mogg

The Sovereign Individual

Build your financial literacy by learning key terms and concepts. Mastering the income statement, balance sheet and cash flow statement will give you a full picture of the business performance and health.  Action: Ensure financial statements and key metrics are reviewed at least quarterly with your team. Identify gaps in your financial knowledge and develop a learning plan.

Chapter 1 - Build Financial Literacy 

Carefully monitor revenue, cost and margin trends in the income statement. Look for signs of inefficiencies in expense categories that indicate opportunities to cut costs and improve profits.  Action: Create expense reduction targets for your team and hold them accountable for achieving them. Set gross margin goals for your products and services.

Chapter 2 - Montior Revenue, Cost, & Margin Trends

Calculate asset-related, liquidity and leverage ratios to gauge the financial health of the business. Look for trends over time that indicate deterioration or improvement.   Action: Identify at least 3 ratios to track on a monthly or quarterly basis. Compare the ratios to industry benchmarks and set internal targets for improvement.

Chapter 3- Guage Business Financial Health

Analyze cash flows in detail to ensure the business generates sufficient cash, uses cash efficiently and identifies opportunities to boost cash. Shortening the cash conversion cycle can significantly improve cash position. Action: Create a cash flow projection for your area of responsibility. Revise processes and policies to improve collection cycles and reduce days in inventory.

Chapter 4- Analyze Cash Flows

Establish financial targets and benchmarks to provide goals for your team to aim for. Compare performance to industry peers to identify where your company has opportunities to improve.   Action: Create revenue, margin and efficiency targets for your team based on benchmarks. Revise targets annually based on new performance data.

Chapter 5- Establish Financial Targets & Benchmarks

Hold your team accountable for meeting budget goals. Thoroughly examine variances between actual performance, budgets and forecast to identify causes and actions.  Action: Build actionable budgets for your department that tie to organizational goals. Review budget versus actual variances with your team monthly.

Chapter 6- Maintain Accountav

Develop a checklist of key financial questions to ask regularly of your team. Look for explanations of variances, trends and anomalies that indicate potential issues or opportunities. Action: Create your list of diagnostic questions. Ask for evidence to back up explanations from your team. Stay skeptical but promote a learning culture.

Chapter 7- Ask Key Financial Questions 

Inc. magazine calls it one of “the best, clearest guides to the numbers” on the market. Readers agree, saying it’s exactly “what I need to know” and calling it a “must-read” for decision makers without expertise in finance. Since its release in 2006, Financial Intelligence has become a favorite among managers who need a guided tour through the numbers—helping them to understand not only what the numbers really mean, but also why they matter. This new, completely updated edition brings the numbers up to date and continues to teach the basics of finance to managers who need to use financial data to drive their business. It also addresses issues that have become even more important in recent years—including questions around the financial crisis and those around broader financial and accounting literacy. Accessible, jargon-free, and filled with entertaining stories of real companies, Financial Intelligence gives nonfinancial managers the confidence to understand the nuance beyond the numbers—to help bring everyday work to a new level.

moneyandinvestments

Money & Investments

entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship

business

Business

Karen Berman

Joe Knight

Financial Intelligence, Revised Edition

Apprenticeship is essential for laying the groundwork. Find a master who can observe and correct you. Practice the basics until they become second nature through repetition. Develop stamina by training for hours with single-minded focus.

Chapter 1 - Apprenticeship 

Cultivate emotional detachment to persevere through difficulties. Do not seek constant approval or validation that could undermine your drive. Foster a mindset of true apathy towards praise and criticism. Develop mindfulness to calm your emotional reactivity.

Chapter 2 - Creative Apathy

An all-encompassing obsession is required to sustain long-term mastery. Fixate on a higher purpose or mission that elevates the work beyond yourself. Make small choices that feed your obsession. Keep a journal to record inspirations and fuel your fire.

Chapter 3 - Obsession 

Push yourself during growth periods with intensity of effort. Block off large stretches of time for undistracted work. Develop a daily routine and strict discipline. Challenge and pressure yourself continuously.

Chapter 4 - Sprinting

Face difficulties that reveal and strengthen weaknesses. Overcome self-imposed restrictions and doubt through struggle. Build mental and emotional fortitude through confrontations and setbacks.

Chapter 5 - Rites Of Passage 

Retreat periodically for recharging. Spend time in nature to reflect, gain clarity and come up with new ideas. Silence technology for undistracted contemplation. Gain a renewed sense of purpose and direction.

Chapter 6 - Solitude

Learn from failures, which are an inevitable part of the path to mastery. Analyze mistakes dispassionately to understand what went wrong and what to fix. Rapidly adjust and resume work with even greater intensity. View failures as necessary steps in a long journey. The key is to find the right balance between these forces - apprenticeship, detachment, obsession, intensity, overcoming resistance, solitude and learning from mistakes - and persist for years with passion, focus and resilience.

Chapter 7 - Stumbling

From the bestselling author of The 48 Laws of Power and The Laws of Human Nature, a vital work revealing that the secret to mastery is already within you. Each one of us has within us the potential to be a Master. Learn the secrets of the field you have chosen, submit to a rigorous apprenticeship, absorb the hidden knowledge possessed by those with years of experience, surge past competitors to surpass them in brilliance, and explode established patterns from within. Study the behaviors of Albert Einstein, Charles Darwin, Leonardo da Vinci and the nine contemporary Masters interviewed for this book.  The bestseller author of The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, and The 33 Strategies of War, Robert Greene has spent a lifetime studying the laws of power. Now, he shares the secret path to greatness. With this seminal text as a guide, readers will learn how to unlock the passion within and become masters.

productivity

Productivity

Understand yourself and those around you.

psychology

Psychology

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

Robert Greene is an American author of books on strategy, power, and seduction. He has written six international bestsellers, including The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law, Mastery, and The Laws of Human Nature.

Robert Greene

Mastery

Early humans likely started with emotional vocalizations like crying, laughing and grunting to express needs and feelings. Over time, the ability to control vocalizations and associate sounds with meanings developed. This gradual transition from emotional vocalizing to structured language poses the fundamental question this book explores: How and why did human language originate? Language sets us apart in its complexity, conceptual requirements and social nature. The origins of this unique ability are shrouded in mystery.

Chapter 1 - The Problem

The roots of language lie in emotion and communication of needs. Proto-language likely began as involuntary emotional vocalizations like crying, laughing, grunting and growling. These helped strengthen social bonds and coordinate group activities. Over generations, some vocalizations became associated with specific emotions, objects or situations, laying the groundwork for referencing the world through sounds. However, early vocalizations were still largely constrained by emotion.

Chapter 2 - Laughing & Crying

While emotional vocalizations still predominated, the ability to point at and reference objects through gestures likely emerged first. Pointing allowed early humans to jointly attend to and communicate about objects in their environment. This led to the next breakthrough - making voluntary vocal sounds to label and name objects. Naming objects through learned vocal associations began the transition from emotion-driven to symbol-driven communication.

Chapter 3 - Pointing & Naming

Once individuals sounds became associated with specific meanings and functions as words, the ability to combine words into larger utterances emerged. Word combinations exponentially increased the expressive power of language by allowing the description of actions, qualities and relationships. However, early word combinations were likely holistic and lacked systematic syntactic rules.

Chapter 4 - Words & Combining Words

The crucial step - developing recursive syntactical rules that allow words to be combined in an open-ended number of ways - enabled the true generativity of human language. Recursive rules allow an infinite number of grammatical and meaningful sentences to be generated from a finite set of words. This property sets human language apart and likely emerged gradually through cultural and genetic evolution.

Chapter 5 - Generativity & Recursion 

Various theories attempt to explain how and why human language evolved. The social intelligence hypothesis posits that language co-evolved with our social cognitive abilities. The ecological dominance hypothesis argues that language helped humans adapt and spread across diverse environments. The genetic change hypothesis proposes that mutations affecting language areas of the brain occurred. Likely a combination of social, ecological and genetic factors drove language evolution.

Chapter 6 - Explaining Language Evolution 

The book concludes by considering the ongoing evolution of language. Languages are constantly changing and new dialects and languages emerge. Advances in artificial intelligence may one day allow machines to develop vocabulary and combine words in a rule-based way, but true generativity and conceptual understanding remain challenges. The outlook for radically different future languages, either biological or artificial, remains an open question.

Chapter 7 - The Future Of Language 

Origins of Language: A Slim Guide offers a concise and accessible overview of what is known about the evolution of the human capacity for language. Non-human animals communicate in simple ways: they may be able to form simple concepts, to feel some limited empathy for others, to cooperate to some extent, and to engage in mind-reading. Human language, however, is characterized by its ability to efficiently express a wide range of subtle and complex meanings. After the first simple beginnings, human language underwent an explosion of complexity, leading to the very complicated systems of grammar and pronunciation found in modern languages. Jim Hurford looks at the very varied aspects of this evolution, covering human prehistory; the relation between instinct and learning; biology and culture; trust, altruism, and cooperation; animal thought; human and non-human vocal anatomy; the meanings and forms of the first words; and the growth of complex systems of grammar and pronunciation. Written by an internationally recognized expert in the field, it draws on a number of disciplines besides linguistics, including philosophy, neuroscience, genetics, and animal behaviour, and will appeal to a wide range of readers interested in language origins and evolution.

history

History

mindfulness

Mindfulness

humanresources

Human Resources

artsandculture

Society, Arts & Culture

James R. Hurford

Origins of Language

•Finite games have winners and losers, predefined space and time. They seek mastery and completion. •Infinite games have no predetermined end, they continue as long as players keep playing. They seek continued re-engagement and participation. Action: Consider which "games" you play in life - are they more finite or infinite in nature? Focus on playing more infinite games that allow for growth and learning.

The Finite & The Infinite Game

•Finite games have fixed sets of rules that determine outcome. Players try to master the rules and procedures to win. •Rules limit creativity and power in finite games, whereas in infinite games rules are invitations not limitations. Action: Examine the "rules" in your life and work - are any stifling creativity and growth? Consider loosening fixed rules to allow more flexibility.

The Rules Of Finite Games

•Infinite games have loose, changeable rules made by players during play to sustain the game. •Rules in infinite games serve to deepen involvement, not predetermine outcomes. They allow for continuous learning. Action: Implement "rules" in your own life and work that serve to keep you engaged and learning vs. limit you. Loosen rules when needed.

The Rules Of Infinite Games

•Power in finite games seeks domination and control over others. The powerful few control the many. •In infinite games power seeks circulation amongst many players, empowering others to keep the game in play. Action: Consider how you wield power and influence - do you seek to dominate or empower others? Focus on circulating power to enable growth for all.

Power In Finite & Infinite Games

Learning what games to play in life is key. 

“There are at least two kinds of games,” states James P. Carse as he begins this extraordinary book. “One could be called finite; the other infinite. A finite game is played for the purpose of winning, an infinite game for the purpose of continuing the play.” Finite games are the familiar contests of everyday life; they are played in order to be won, which is when they end. But infinite games are more mysterious. Their object is not winning, but ensuring the continuation of play. The rules may change, the boundaries may change, even the participants may change—as long as the game is never allowed to come to an end. What are infinite games? How do they affect the ways we play our finite games? What are we doing when we play—finitely or infinitely? And how can infinite games affect the ways in which we live our lives? Carse explores these questions with stunning elegance, teasing out of his distinctions a universe of observation and insight, noting where and why and how we play, finitely and infinitely. He surveys our world—from the finite games of the playing field and playing board to the infinite games found in culture and religion—leaving all we think we know illuminated and transformed. Along the way, Carse finds new ways of understanding everything, from how an actress portrays a role to how we engage in sex, from the nature of evil to the nature of science. Finite games, he shows, may offer wealth and status, power and glory, but infinite games offer something far more subtle and far grander. Carse has written a book rich in insight and aphorism. Already an international literary event, Finite and Infinite Games is certain to be argued about and celebrated for years to come. Reading it is the first step in learning to play the infinite game.

education

Learning & Education

James Carse

Finite and Infinite Games

Write down your financial goals and vision. Make it specific and inspirational. • Create a budget and spending plan that aligns with your goals. Track where your money goes.• Pay yourself first. Make saving a priority before expenses. Start with 10% of your income.

Take Control Of Your Finances 

Identify spending habits that don't serve you and take steps to break them • Avoid emotional spending and impulse purchases • Practice saying "no" more often to reduce unnecessary expenses

Break Your Money Habits

Invest in your skills, knowledge and health to increase your income over time     • Take courses, learn new skills, and improve yourself constantly         • Practice gratitude daily for what you already have

Invest In Yourself First

Make a list of all debts, amounts owed and interest rates              • Pay off high interest debts first using a "debt snowball" or "avalanche" method• Avoid taking on new debt as you pay off existing debt

Pay Off Your Debts

Start investing in assets that generate income like mutual funds, real estate and businesses• Diversify your investments across different asset classes              • Reinvest all returns to compound your wealth over time

Invest In Assets That Make You Money

• Build a portfolio of low-fee index funds to keep costs low and gains high over time                        • Automate your investments through dollar cost averaging                  • Ignore short-term market fluctuations and focus on the long term

Invest In Stocks The Smart Way 

Find low risk properties that have stable cash flow                       • Use other people's money (OPM) through loans and partners to amplify your gains                • Maintain and improve properties to increase their value

Invest In Real Estate 

• Start a part-time or online business to generate passive income                         • Leverage systems, technology and outsourcing to scale your business efficiently                     • Reinvest profits back into the business for exponential growth

Create Income Through Business 

• Develop a wealth mindset of abundance, activity and generosity                    • Make money part of your daily focus and conversations                 • Surround yourself with other successful people for support and inspiration

Mastering Money Is A Mindset

• Write a detailed plan with specific financial goals                    • Break large goals into smaller, achievable steps                    • Hold yourself accountable and regularly revisit your plan to make adjustments

Create Your Financial Freedom Plan

• Take action! Even small steps forward are progress                   • Seek wisdom from mentors to stay motivated and on track                   • Celebrate victories large and small along the way                   • Stay persistent through inevitable setbacks

Make It Happen, Start Today!

Tony Robbins turns to the topic that vexes us all: How to secure financial freedom for ourselves and for our families. “If there were a Pulitzer Prize for investment books, this one would win, hands down” (Forbes). Tony Robbins is one of the most revered writers and thinkers of our time. People from all over the world—from the disadvantaged to the well-heeled, from twenty-somethings to retirees—credit him for giving them the inspiration and the tools for transforming their lives. From diet and fitness, to business and leadership, to relationships and self-respect, Tony Robbins’s books have changed people in profound and lasting ways. Now, for the first time, he has assembled an invaluable “distillation of just about every good personal finance idea of the last forty years” (The New York Times). Based on extensive research and interviews with some of the most legendary investors at work today (John Bogle, Warren Buffett, Paul Tudor Jones, Ray Dalio, Carl Icahn, and many others), Tony Robbins has created a 7-step blueprint for securing financial freedom. With advice about taking control of your financial decisions, to setting up a savings and investing plan, to destroying myths about what it takes to save and invest, to setting up a “lifetime income plan,” the book brims with advice and practices for making the financial game not only winnable—but providing financial freedom for the rest of your life. “Put MONEY on your short list of new books to read…It’s that good” (Marketwatch.com).

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

strategy

Strategy

Anthony Jay Robbins is an American author, coach, speaker, and philanthropist. He is known for his infomercials, seminars, and self-help books including the books Unlimited Power and Awaken the Giant Within.

Tony Robbins

Anthony Robbins

MONEY Master the Game

It is better to be first than it is to be better. Being first puts you at the forefront of the mind of potential consumers, your brand becomes asynchronous with being before others

Law Of Leadership

If you can't be first in a category, set up a new category you can be first in. This ties back in to law #1, become first in your prospect's mind

The Law Of Category

Its better to be first in the mind than to be first in the marketplace. Be thought of before competitors & you be thought of first in the marketplace

The Law Of Mind

Marketing is not a battle of products, its a battle of perceptions. Its about how your product is perceived in the eyes of your prospective consumer.

The Law Of Perception

The most powerful concept in marketing is owning a word in the prospect's mind. Own the word & your product or service becomes asynchronous to it.

The Law Of Focus

Two companies cannot own the same word in the prospect's mind. You will always think of one before the other.

The Law Of Exclusivity

The strategy to use depends on which rung you occupy on the ladder. Being on the bottom of the ladder means you can't use the strategy of those at the top of the ladder.

The Law Of The Ladder 

In the long run, every market becomes a two-horse race. Competition may start off hot, but as time progress, only two will stand.

The Law Of Duality

If you're shooting for second place, your strategy is determined by the leader. Those leading the market, determine the market.

The Law Of The Opposite 

Over time, a category will divide & become two or more categories. Sub categories develop to appeal to diversity.

The Law Of Division 

Marketing effects take place over an extended period of time.A shift will happen gradually, you must alter the perspective of prospects.

The Law Of Pers

There is an irresistible pressure to extend the equity of the brand. The urge to extend the brand into more than it is always lurks below the surface. There is a time & place.

The Law Of Line Exsten

You have to give up something in order to get something. Sacrifice is required to gain what you desire next. This is a general rule of thumb.

The Law Of Sacrifice 

For every attribute, there is an opposite effective attribute. There lives duality in every step of the way.

The Law Of Attributes

When you admit a negative, the prospect will give you a positive. These are expected, overturn these with more conclusions highlighting your statement with a sense of finality with a conclusion as a means.

The Law Of Candor

In each situation, only one move will produce substantial results. One strategy, one move, one attempt could change everything.

The Law Of Singularity

Unless you write your competitor's plans, you can't predict the future. Prepare for it, so you don't have to get prepared for it.

The Law Of Predictability 

Success often leads to arrogance, & arrogance to failure. Keep a level head & conquer your will to overlook the steps required to remain successful once you've become successful.

The Law Of Success

Failure is to be expected & accepted.Fail faster, learn, & keep growing.

The Law Of Failure 

A situation is often the opposite of the way it appears in the press. The news paints narratives for whatever agenda it has, use discernment.

The Law Of Hype 

Successful programs are not built on fads, they're built on trends. Trends are like waves, catch them at the right time & you can catapult yourself to success.

The Law Of Acceleration

Without adequate funding, an idea won't get off the ground.

The Law Of Resources

These laws are necessary in order to develop & grow your brand or company 

Flora MacDonald never sought the fame that her contemporaries and history bestowed on her. She seldom spoke of the journey over the sea to Skye with Bonnie Prince Charlie and rarely used her popularity to benefit herself during her hard life. Because of this reticence and the fact that she and her husband lost everything in North Carolina during the American War of Independence, it is difficult to write a conventional biography of her. Little was recorded of the appalling suffering of women and children during this bitter war and its aftermath, despite their hardships being much worse than that of the men who were directly involved in it. Flora endured as much as anyone, but she suffered it in silence. As a result her biographers have either ignored this period or glossed over it, but Hugh Douglas has carried out research in Scotland, North Carolina and Nova Scotia to build up a picture of these lost years. Consequently, this book is at once a biography, a social history and a detective story which is a tribute to a clan and a remarkable family within that clan.

corporateculture

Corporate Culture

marketingandsales

Marketing & Sales

Al Ries is an accomplished writer whose work has resonated with readers around the world. Al Ries has published several books that explore a range of topics, from fiction to nonfiction, and has received critical acclaim for the ability to weave compelling narratives. Al Ries's writing style is known for its depth and authenticity, and has earned quite a loyal following of readers.

The Sovereign Individual

Financial Intelligence, Revised Edition

Mastery

Origins of Language

Finite and Infinite Games

Vontarius Falls