CLIPPING CHAINS

May 13, 2019May 13, 2019

The Entrepreneur: The Head of the Chicken

A well-known phrase in East Asia goes something like this: “it’s better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox.” In my brief and cursory research for this post, I noticed several variations, including my personal favorite: “it’s better to be the head of an ass than the tail of a horse.” Either way, the phrase celebrates the entrepreneur, recognizing those who go out on their own.

The idea is profound, especially in modern times, where greater power in the employment market is being centralized with fewer and fewer individuals. Sure, a corporate job might feel safe, but in this post, we examine the human toll on being “the tail.”

May 6, 2019June 21, 2019

Rest: We Need It and We Don’t Get Enough

It’s no secret by now that I’m a full-on obsessed rock climber. Long ago the ship sailed on climbing only for “fun,” and my time devoted to this sport has been replaced with performance ambitions. I’ve spent most of the last decade planning, goal-setting, training, and chipping away at pre-defined objectives. But in climbing and in life, you can only go full throttle for so long. Of everything we do to be a better climber — or even a better human — sometimes it’s what we don’t do that really matters. Rest might be the most important element.

April 29, 2019August 22, 2019

In Defense of Stew

It is late April as I write this. Spring has sprung, flowers are in full bloom, and Gary is tuning up the lawn mower. People are aerating their lawns, for some reason. Pasty white legs are in shorts and flip flops, even though it’s not quite yet that warm. Not in Colorado at least. We’re headed out of winter, and we’re starting to crave the fresh fruit and veg of summer. But folks, I’m here to stand in solidarity with a winter standard: Stew.

April 22, 2019August 9, 2021

Van Life: The Economics and Trade-0ffs

Now more than ever the parking lots at popular climbing areas across the country are being crowded by big boxy Sprinters and a variety of less-sexy creeper vans. As I’ve touched on before, the allure of climbing and other lifestyle sports is incredibly strong. The power to hit the road is so strong that climbers are increasingly dropping the creature comforts of modern building dwelling to pursue the mobile dream in the back of a van, a pull trailer, or sometimes even a Honda Civic. This, my friends, is Van Life.

At face value, assuming you think you can handle the obvious discomforts of a claustrophobic space in the dead of winter on a snowy day, the economic decision seems like an obvious win. Right?

April 15, 2019August 9, 2021

Reader Case Study: Maximize Adventure or Career?

Full disclosure, I’m posting this week’s case study as an interview, but no one is being interviewed here. This post is the amalgamation of several email discussions I’ve had with readers in the last two to three months. The premise is this: folks out there know some form of career is necessary, but they’re overwhelmed by the idea of 40+ years of something that isn’t the dream job. Oh yeah, and they’re obsessed with rock climbing.

I’m going to outline below the basic way we’ve structured our lives to be career-focused for only a small portion of our adult lives. From there, we’re free to pursue whatever it is that gets us giddy (which can still be a career).

April 8, 2019May 8, 2020

Net Worth: It’s Really Going to Matter…Someday

I promised at the end of our post on spending tracking that we’d also be addressing and tracking one’s net worth. I’m a man of my word, so here we are.

Net worth is defined as total assets minus total liabilities (debt). Simple enough right, so why the post?

First, there’s some nuance involved in the categorization of assets and debt.

Second, and most importantly, despite the relative ease in calculating net worth, I speculate that very few have taken the time to calculate their own. Guys, forget early retirement. Failure to take note of the reality of your finances can leave you very much hosed by the fatty knot of life. Deliberate attention and a hard look at “normal,” however, can flip the script. There’s no better time than today, and we’re here to help.

March 25, 2019July 29, 2019

Know Thyself: A Guide To Individuality

The concept of conformity involves changing one’s behavior to “fit in” or otherwise not stand out. It’s human nature; there’s a lot of comfort in being part of the herd and going with the flow. But when it comes to many of life’s endeavors, aligning ourselves with the “average person” may be detrimental to our future. Below we outline ways to find your sense of individuality and to know thyself…

March 18, 2019March 18, 2019

Tara Kerzhner: Lights, Cameras…Kittens?

Howdy folks, we’re back on the interview wagon again after a couple of weeks of “you’re spending too much” rants. I feel better, thanks for asking. This week we are once again going to focus on the lifestyle of folks in the climbing industry, and the financial implications for building a sustainable life in a world where money most certainly does not grow on trees. As usual, I reached out to someone whose work I respect, the very talented photographer, filmmaker, and climber Tara Kerzhner. Not only does she do exceptional work behind the lens, she has a unique character that makes her stand out — particularly a running theme of cats, which permeates her online persona.

March 11, 2019August 9, 2021

Tracking Your Spending: The Ultimate Task

I realize that only some small subset of the folks who end up on this website are likely to pursue financial independence. It’s not for everyone. But if we can make a single small impression on you, dear reader, it would be to invest time in tracking your spending. It doesn’t matter if you are clawing your way out of debt or nearing retirement in your late 20s, you must know exactly how much money is being spent. The more specific you can be in tracking your spending, the more power you have in making change.

March 4, 2019June 21, 2019

Personal Finance: Not Very Sexy, huh?

In terms of interests, I’ve always strived for simplicity. Drawn to the outdoors at a very young age in the dense Appalachian forests of western North Carolina, and later to rock climbing, I believed fully that a life in pursuit of simple pleasures was good enough. I didn’t need a big salary to buy nice things to impress others. Sadly, this is the rhythm and life of too many people. I never considered the utility of a personal finance strategy. So why should you?