Sven Loeffler on LinkedIn: Do you budget or track net worth? I am interested in how larger… (2024)

Is work-life balance even a thing? Should we really be striving for a balance between work and life, as if they are opposing forces? If we constantly view work and life as competing against each other, doesn't that make reaching a balance nearly impossible?Perhaps, instead of seeking a balance, we should aim for INTEGRATION. Work and life can coexist harmoniously when we engage in work that we genuinely enjoy. When you are passionate about what you do, work becomes a fulfilling part of life rather than a separate, burdensome activity.In this integrated approach, there's no need to stress over balancing the scales. You work when you need or want to, and you live your life fully in the moments when work isn't necessary. This way, both work and life flow seamlessly together, and the idea of a balance becomes irrelevant. It's about creating a life where work is a joyful, natural part of your daily experience, rather than something that needs to be balanced against your personal life.Now this isn't something everyone can achieve perfectly or immediately. But I think it is an ideal I want to strive for. So maybe the balance is in how hard we want to try to attain this ideal... Thoughts?

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Is Net Worth a vanity metric? Or is it helpful? Is it wise to do so as Christians?"What gets measured gets managed." If we don’t set goals and track our progress, it is hard to improve in the long-term.Proverbs 27:23-24 advises us to “be diligent to know the state of your flocks, and attend to your herds; for riches are not forever.” This indicates that careful management and planning are biblical.Tracking your net worth can be part of this diligence. It provides a snapshot of your financial health and helps ensure you are on a positive trajectory to meet your goals. Goals such as saving for the future, providing for your dependents, and giving.But what about “You cannot serve both God and money!?” Or “The root of all evil is the love of money?”It comes down to a matter of priorities. If accumulating wealth becomes an obsession that leads you to neglect spiritual responsibilities or relationships, money has become an idol.—I believe tracking your net worth can be a tool for stewardship. Luke 14:28-30 talks about planning ahead and counting the cost before building a tower. By understanding where we stand financially, we can make better decisions that honor God.Additionally, the process of tracking net worth often leads to better financial habits, such as budgeting. Knowing where your money is going can prevent wastefulness. It's a form of gamifying your financial life.Like a lot of things, tracking your net worth is neutral. It is your use that dictates its benefit. The ultimate goal is to live a life that honors God, with net worth being just one of many metrics reflecting responsible stewardship.

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When someone you look up to and respect tells you to do something once, you might consider it. When they tell you twice, it’s probably time to act.My friend Andrew Miller suggested I pay for ChatGPT+. Why? Using it more often would help me learn to incorporate AI into my daily life more effectively. Incorporating AI into daily life is important since AI will only get better from here and will only be used more.As Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, aptly put it, “AI is not going to take your job. The person who uses AI is going to take your job.”I now use ChatGPT-4o daily, multiple times a day. The speech conversation mode is my go-to feature. When I need to ideate and think through a problem, I can just talk to it. It provides additional details and insights that spark more ideas. This helps refine my thought process quickly, leading to creative solutions. The actual solution may not always come directly from ChatGPT, but it helps me run through problems efficiently.It’s also incredibly useful for those situations where finding accurate information would normally take too long. With a quick shortcut from my lock screen, I can open ChatGPT, get an answer fast, and use my time better. (Case in point - I remembered the quote above but didn’t know who said it. It took me a total of 10 seconds to get the answer!)What are some other use cases you've found helpful with AI?

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I am on a mission to interview and speak with great Christian business men and women.But… I am not the best-connected person.So… If you know of a Christian business person I should talk to, put their name in the description below 👇!I have benefited greatly from talking with some local alumni of Bob Jones University. But I don’t want to stop there. Can you give me names of those outside the immediate BJ bubble?I am also the President of a business origination at BJU called the Entrepreneurship Network or E-Net for short. I would love suggestions that would work great as speakers at our events.If anyone has an in with people like Ken Ham or David Green let me know! Thx

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For the past two weeks, I have posted on LinkedIn every day. Here are a few key takeaways:- Surprising Engagement: Even with under 400 connections, I was amazed to see a couple hundred impressions per post.- Connecting with Professionals: Regular posting has opened doors to connect with high-level professionals. It's like being consistent with your posts elevates your status, and people notice when you're putting in the effort. Some of these connections have led to valuable conversations and insights.- Content Quality and Perception: Many of my posts where less than good. Many were written in five minutes because of how late I was. Something I knew but everyone still has to get past is that others don’t have expectations and forget your posts quickly.- Building a Habit: When you know that you have to post today you are more observant and mindful of your thoughts and experiences. Ideas that would have disappeared before now are grasped and considered content.Areas for Improvement:- Quality and Time: Spending more time developing ideas can improve the quality of my posts.- Organization and Scheduling: Writing drafts and letting them sit before posting could enhance my content. Also, posting late at night was not ideal. Writing posts ahead of time and scheduling them for the morning could help with consistency and quality.- Visuals: Including photos or videos can make posts more noticeable and engaging. A video I did on the fly received good feedback, building my confidence to continue.Overall, I'm happy with the progress and the lessons learned. Moving forward, I'll stay consistent while improving my content quality. For the next two weeks, I'm committing to another sprint. Let's see where this journey takes me!--Image created with GPT-4o--

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We are going to die in the present.Interesting POV huh?Life is short so enjoy it. Yes but... an over emphasis on enjoyment and happiness can loose sight of the other side of life: purpose. We have a purpose and in order to do things of value takes discipline and forethought. Purposeful living demands both planning and action, which aren't always easy to execute well.Balancing the pursuit of happiness with the pursuit of purpose ensures that our lives are not only enjoyable but also meaningful.Any thoughts?

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I believe DISCIPLINE is the #1 skill to master at any age! Everything is built on discipline. No matter how great or life changing a habit or responsibility you have or want to build is, you must have the discipline to show up or I has no effect! Motivation comes and goes, often fading over time. That is why anyone who desires success must develop discipline.Discipline ensures you stay consistent, push through challenges, and ultimately achieve your goals 🏆. It is the foundation upon which all success is built.Without it, even the best plans and intentions can fall apart.Discipline is like a muscle 💪. It doesn't just appear after you decide you want it. You have to intentionally work at it and stretch it to grow it.To work that muscle, do seemingly small things that build on each other. Anything that you have an internal struggle and resistance to doing can help.The key is to do it right away!For me, that includes: making my bed 🛏️, taking cold 🚿, running daily at a slow pace🏃♂️, resisting Instagram and YouTube ❌, and waking up at a specified (constant!) time without hitting snooze to do devotions 📖.These small things build the ability to (as Nike says) "Just Do It!"I love how Sahil Bloom puts it, “Discipline is the ultimate act of service to your future self.”Here are some quotes I found helpful:"The only discipline that lasts is self-discipline." — Bum Phillips"Discipline is the foundation upon which all success is built. Lack of discipline inevitably leads to failure." — Jim Rohn"With self-discipline most anything is possible." — Theodore Roosevelt"Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most." — Abraham Lincoln"The pain of discipline is nothing like the pain of disappointment." — Justin Langer

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I have a personal website and below are my reasons for having it. Let me know what you think!In today’s digital age, remote work and ever expanding importance of relationships and a network, having a personal website is an important tool to consider. It is powerful for personal branding, professional growth, and continuous learning.Personal Replication: A personal website serves as a central hub for all your content, making it easy for others to search and benefit from your work. You are able to replicate yourself through content creation. You can then point to articles or videos already created as a resource.Professional Presence: sets you apart and can be a crucial asset when starting new projects, like my upcoming podcast, by offering potential guests a comprehensive background about you. It allows you to provide your mission and direction so others can understanding your story better than random social media posts.Expanding Network: “Your Net worth is your Network.” In business, relationships are key, and a website serves as an anchor for you or others to refer to. It facilitates connections by including links to your social media profiles and contact information, making it easier for people to engage with you.Skills Development: Maintaining a personal website involves learning about web design, content creation, and digital marketing, networking—skills that are valuable in today’s world. By sharing insights and receiving feedback, you establish yourself as a thought leader and accelerate your learning.For me I see a personal website as a step towards greater visibility and opportunity in my personal and professional life.Feel free to check out my website and let me know your thoughts!https://lnkd.in/eaKJE-Nw

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