specific book in mind to borrow. While browsing through the shelves, I was
captivated by a pink colored book titled “Live
it, Love it, Earn it!” by a female author.
The thought about understanding Personal Finance from a woman’s
point of view struck me. Anyway, I am always reading books written by male
authors and its time for a change. Being a father with daughters, raise my
interest further.
point of view struck me. Anyway, I am always reading books written by male
authors and its time for a change. Being a father with daughters, raise my
interest further.
About The Author – Marianna Olszewsk
Marianna Olszewski is the founder of Madison Financial
Management, which helps raise money for hedge funds. She grew up in a cash
strapped family before climbing her way to the upper echelons of Wall Street
and exceeded all her goals at the age of 30.
Management, which helps raise money for hedge funds. She grew up in a cash
strapped family before climbing her way to the upper echelons of Wall Street
and exceeded all her goals at the age of 30.
Marianna Says..
Excerpts from www.rolemommy.com ;
“I wanted to share everything I’ve learned about managing
money and following your dreams. I wanted to empower women to focus on what
they really want, how to get out of their comfort zones and act.”
money and following your dreams. I wanted to empower women to focus on what
they really want, how to get out of their comfort zones and act.”
“Women just think differently about money than men. They
make it more emotional than men….”
make it more emotional than men….”
“The book includes insights from successful and fulfilled
women like designer Diane von Furstenberg, Jimmy Choo shoe mogul
Tamara Mellon, Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn and more. All these stories are
to help empower women.”
women like designer Diane von Furstenberg, Jimmy Choo shoe mogul
Tamara Mellon, Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn and more. All these stories are
to help empower women.”
“Live in the moment! Enjoy every minute with your kids and
your family but also enjoy the time you spend working on your business or
pursuing your dream career.”
your family but also enjoy the time you spend working on your business or
pursuing your dream career.”
The Usual Advices
In this book, you will find no difference from many other
personal developments / financial books reiterating the usual advices as
follow.
personal developments / financial books reiterating the usual advices as
follow.
For examples, the importance of good health, good education,
family wellbeing, work life spiritual balance, follow your passion and dreams,
self beliefs, be the person you want to be, pursue thing you are really good
at, focus on your goals, prioritize, be positive, ignore narrow thinkers etc.
family wellbeing, work life spiritual balance, follow your passion and dreams,
self beliefs, be the person you want to be, pursue thing you are really good
at, focus on your goals, prioritize, be positive, ignore narrow thinkers etc.
In terms of managing finance, you will frequent calls on; the
need to be frugal, save, invest, less debts, keep track of expenses, plan
for retirement, emergency funds, insurance, trusts, wills etc.
need to be frugal, save, invest, less debts, keep track of expenses, plan
for retirement, emergency funds, insurance, trusts, wills etc.
Finally you will also read; the need to plan, take action, fail,
learn from failures, finding role model, mentor, continuous improvement and
educating oneself
learn from failures, finding role model, mentor, continuous improvement and
educating oneself
Yes most of us already know!
Those advices I felt more noteworthy to highlight or maybe also
more “feminine”, is as follows.
more “feminine”, is as follows.
Know to Say “No”
Marianna felt that we are responsible for what we say. Most of
the time, we have the choice to say no to request we are not obligated to
fulfill. And when we say yes to something that we do not have to do, then we
have to complete it without complains.
the time, we have the choice to say no to request we are not obligated to
fulfill. And when we say yes to something that we do not have to do, then we
have to complete it without complains.
“Say “no” to invitations or activities you don’t
necessarily enjoy or want to do so you have the time to say “yes” to
yourself and your dreams!”
necessarily enjoy or want to do so you have the time to say “yes” to
yourself and your dreams!”
Yes to Instincts
It is important to be attentive to our intuition and instincts. They
can often help us steer clear danger, without us knowing in the beginning.
Hence sometimes, it is important to trust your instinct and do not even start
or try.
can often help us steer clear danger, without us knowing in the beginning.
Hence sometimes, it is important to trust your instinct and do not even start
or try.
“Our instinct
tells us this is not really a true sincere friend, yet how many times we must
talked to ourselves into believing they are our friends even when they
backstabbed us with evidence.
tells us this is not really a true sincere friend, yet how many times we must
talked to ourselves into believing they are our friends even when they
backstabbed us with evidence.
How many times your
instinct tells you this is not really the job for you, yet, you go against your
instinct and jump into the job due to the pay rise or because you really want
to leave, and then later regret your action.”
instinct tells you this is not really the job for you, yet, you go against your
instinct and jump into the job due to the pay rise or because you really want
to leave, and then later regret your action.”
Have Self Respect
Do not ever disclose too many of our own personal info online or
have posts showing revealing pictures of yourself.
have posts showing revealing pictures of yourself.
Have Fun and Practice Enthusiasm in Things You Dread
“E.g you are in sales,
and you dread cold call. Instead tell yourself I will complete 10 calls in
20mins. Tell yourself the each person you calling is an old friend and they
will be surprise to hear from you.”
and you dread cold call. Instead tell yourself I will complete 10 calls in
20mins. Tell yourself the each person you calling is an old friend and they
will be surprise to hear from you.”
Stop Procrastinating
People who keep procrastinating will
eventually find that what they desire for are sometimes only a temporary state
of fun, that does not last or not important at all. Very often it will then go
back to our not-so-fun daily life again, and then you will seek for the next
object.
eventually find that what they desire for are sometimes only a temporary state
of fun, that does not last or not important at all. Very often it will then go
back to our not-so-fun daily life again, and then you will seek for the next
object.
“If only I have a
million…If only I am pretty….once I get promoted…..”
million…If only I am pretty….once I get promoted…..”
The journey can be more important than the destination!
Enjoy Activities That Do Not Need to Depend On Others
For E.g. Reading, swimming, jogging, blogging, go to gym etc.
These are activities that you can do anytime as and when you like. Liaising
with friends for badminton, tennis, soccer etc is a harder task.
These are activities that you can do anytime as and when you like. Liaising
with friends for badminton, tennis, soccer etc is a harder task.
Be Organized and Make Room For Joy
Being organized, neat and tidy is important. Not only be
organized in your work, be organized in your room also. Pack your own room and
get rid of anything that you do not wear or use anymore, or that is broken,
outdated, ugly and has outlived its usefulness. Stop accumulating things
that we do not need!
organized in your work, be organized in your room also. Pack your own room and
get rid of anything that you do not wear or use anymore, or that is broken,
outdated, ugly and has outlived its usefulness. Stop accumulating things
that we do not need!
“Being very organized is the secret. Each night before I go
to bed I list all of the things I need to do the next day. My days are very
full but very balanced! It all works!”
to bed I list all of the things I need to do the next day. My days are very
full but very balanced! It all works!”
How to Balance Between Mother, Family and Business
“The only way possible is to always put my family first and rest
will fall in place.” It is so easy to become busy with work being exciting, but
end of the day, the most important thing is the health & happiness and
family and friends.”
will fall in place.” It is so easy to become busy with work being exciting, but
end of the day, the most important thing is the health & happiness and
family and friends.”
Power of Femininity
There is no reason to shut off femininity. Dress you like
but be appropriate, drink nice coffee and pastries, stretch and practice
yoga, write a poem or love letter etc
but be appropriate, drink nice coffee and pastries, stretch and practice
yoga, write a poem or love letter etc
“Femininity is a woman’s characteristic sense of fun,
spontaneous and creativity. Use your feminine energy to get noticed” – Elisabeth
Webb, CEO of La Vida Femme.
spontaneous and creativity. Use your feminine energy to get noticed” – Elisabeth
Webb, CEO of La Vida Femme.
Don’t Rely on Man
Many women give up what they really want in life or in their
career because of a guy he barely identify as a new boyfriend. That is
stupidity!
career because of a guy he barely identify as a new boyfriend. That is
stupidity!
“A successful woman
knows how to juggle between work and relationship or even family of children.”
knows how to juggle between work and relationship or even family of children.”
Time to Speak Up and Time to Shut Up
There are times to speak up and time to shut up. For example,
speak up for what you really want in career or for justification of your work
effort, such as a pay raise, promotion etc. If you do not speak up, please do
not blame your superior for not noticing or take for granted.
speak up for what you really want in career or for justification of your work
effort, such as a pay raise, promotion etc. If you do not speak up, please do
not blame your superior for not noticing or take for granted.
Once you speak up, there are times to Shut Up! Once you ask for what you want, then stop and
listen for respond. Do not keep going a list of reasons why you need a pay
raise to sustain your needs. Your employer will feel irritated
eventually.
listen for respond. Do not keep going a list of reasons why you need a pay
raise to sustain your needs. Your employer will feel irritated
eventually.
Finding Solutions To Your Problems
Find someone who has gone through what you are going through
successfully and ask them how they did it.
successfully and ask them how they did it.
Solutions and Ideas Matters More than “I can do
anything!”
anything!”
During Interview, the employees that come with ideas and
solutions are more important than those who say they can do anything.
solutions are more important than those who say they can do anything.
Worry is the Cousin of Fear
Circle the worry. Write it down and acknowledge them so that we
can think about it later. Do not get distracted with what you are doing
now. What already happened happens. Reverse the worry.
can think about it later. Do not get distracted with what you are doing
now. What already happened happens. Reverse the worry.
Worry: What if I go all these interviews and never get a
job….
job….
Reverse worry: What if I go all these interviews and all of them
offered me a job, how to choose.
offered me a job, how to choose.
How to get Unstucked?
Stop thinking about it and keep on worrying! Stop
overthinking and over-analysing! Stop all what ifs, if they were already
being considered. Just dived into it and do it.
overthinking and over-analysing! Stop all what ifs, if they were already
being considered. Just dived into it and do it.
“Do it and then let go the
results.”
results.”
Act and Behave like Successful People
Mixed with successful people, act and behave like them without
being phony and fake. Adapt their good traits and habits into your own style. No
one is asking you to be fake and snobbish, it is just continuous improving and
educating yourself.
being phony and fake. Adapt their good traits and habits into your own style. No
one is asking you to be fake and snobbish, it is just continuous improving and
educating yourself.
To Compare is Despair
Comparing will distract our attention. Constant comparisons lead
us thinking always that “the grass is greener on the other side. It
isn’t!”
us thinking always that “the grass is greener on the other side. It
isn’t!”
Also start believing everyone is better than you lead to
despair, discouragement and defeat.
despair, discouragement and defeat.
Show Gratitude & Appreciation
“Gratitude is riches.
Complaint is poverty” – Doris Day, American Singer and actress.
Complaint is poverty” – Doris Day, American Singer and actress.
Giving Back Must Be Genuine
Give, but from a happy heart! Do not do charity and starting
feeling heartache to see your money part! Then you are not ready. Giving must
be genuine and you must only do it when you are ready and must feel
comfortable. Do not compare the amount you give. It is absolutely not
important.
feeling heartache to see your money part! Then you are not ready. Giving must
be genuine and you must only do it when you are ready and must feel
comfortable. Do not compare the amount you give. It is absolutely not
important.
Rolf’s Summary
Overall I reckon it is a good book to read. And like what I already
mentioned, understanding the “same thing” from a woman’s perspective can be
different.
mentioned, understanding the “same thing” from a woman’s perspective can be
different.
Towards the end of the book, the author also encouraged us to write
a “5 Year Letter”, post date it to 5 years later and then open during that
time.
a “5 Year Letter”, post date it to 5 years later and then open during that
time.
Write as if it is 5 years from now in present tense, describe
what your life is like, with as many live it, earn it details, dreams realized
etc.
what your life is like, with as many live it, earn it details, dreams realized
etc.
