FinanceMotivation

Financial or Career Victory?

Checkmate is a position that you may find yourself in even in you never play chess. You may also find yourself in a stalemated position or you may repeat your own sequence of actions many times without improving your position in life. Checkmate happens in life when you have lost power over your future; stalemate happens when you cannot increase your power; repetition happens when you don’t have a plan and you keep on spending your money on the same things. Of course, we don’t want to be kings and we don’t want to destroy our opponents in the game of life. Yet we do want to be like the pawn: a frail character that becomes more powerful after completing a long journey. For many of us that means finding work, saving and investing money, avoiding the threats to our progress, and making a plan for our later life. Going into the future without a plan can be as scary as walking through the countryside at night without a torch.

As in chess, the secret to avoiding checkmate is to have a plan. If you do not have a plan for your money right now you should definitely work on it. Do you have a pension? Do you know how to invest? Have you thought about how you can improve your qualifications so that you can secure a better job? Likewise, failing to plan can lead to a moment of dread in which you realise that you are facing a financial problem but you have insufficient resources to block or fix the problem and you cannot escape from it. This experience can be traumatising and the worry about experiencing it in the future can negatively affect your mental health in the present.

Interestingly, Robert Greene listed planning among his 48 Laws of Power and he likened the plan for life to a military strategy. Greene’s advice was that one should concentrate one’s forces on one thing at a time because ‘intensity defeats extensity every time’. In other words, it is better to be make excellent financial gains in one thing than to make modest gains in many things. In our context, that of seeking financial independence, the ‘intensity’ that Greene lauded could mean that it is wise to focus all of your energy on passing the MRCP exams, or on increasing your passive income, or on reducing your expenditure, or on any other action that will benefit your financial situation in the future. I do not imagine that all of the medics who read this blog will have the time in the short-term to read everything that is relevant to their various investment opportunities. However, it is important to be intensive in finding out any relevant information if one is serious about investing money. For many, the investments may seem like a pipe dream and, in that case, they should focus on improving their career through gaining promotions and increasing their salary. Additionally, they should focus on understanding their own budget and reducing their expenditure. Bringing in more money from multiple income streams would be a pyrrhic victory if your career becomes less profitable or if you lose your job.

Moreover, Greene emphasised the importance of long-term planning so that one will not be ‘overwhelmed by circumstances’ and will ‘know when to stop’ which highlights the importance of understanding how much money you really need to be satisfied. It is highly unlikely that I will become as rich as Donald Trump Jr. or anyone else who was born into a highly successful family. But even Trump Jr. will surely have a long-term plan for his own future since money is a finite resource and it can be frittered away on pleasures and high-value goods. Indeed, I admire the rich heirs of the wealthy for their intensity in maintaining and improving their financial situation. They were not guaranteed success in life. Fire begets ash; rich people can produce vain and ineffectual offspring. Yet their plans for making money are effective and buttress them from the circumstances that could otherwise hurt them. You may not want to be one of the wealthy elite but you need to know what you do want and how you can plan to get it so that you can retire and relax when you do attain enough money.

Alternatively, it is also possible to improve your financial prospects without having a plan in place by being an opportunist and taking advantage of the changing realities of the world. An opportunist looks at what is available and pays for what is of good value right now. For instance, an opportunist who is interested in a holiday may look into the exchange rates of different currencies and the changing political situation to decide where he or she will visit (I hear that Hungary is good just now for British holiday-makers). In the Internet age this is what most people do when they have to make a significant purchase. It is the reason why price comparison websites exist and it is an excellent idea to check such websites for cheaper holiday deals or for specific services or goods that you require such as a new car. An opportunist would also have an understanding of the particular tax and savings laws in his or her country and he or she would pay attention to the changes in the legislation to make profits.

The tax situation has been explored by Rory. I will perhaps look into the comparison websites in more detail in future. However, we both urge you to make a plan for your financial future and plan for your early retirement.

Will

Hello. I am a teacher living in Scotland with interests in self-improvement and financial planning. My knowledge of doctors and their lives comes from conversations with friends, who are medics of various stripes, and acquaintances who work in the profession. I have found it surprising that doctors branch off into their own specialties and rarely talk about life to their colleagues from different specialties. This is a shame and something that I think could be changed. I’d like to view myself as a messenger between medics who can add in helpful information from the outside world. I was brought onto the ‘ukdoctoronfire’ team by Rory, one of those medical friends, to give a generalist’s perspective on the life issues affecting doctors in the UK. These issues fall nicely into the motivation and finance categories. In my own life I’ve put a lot of effort into self-improvement and developing my financial situation with a view to retiring early. It is my pleasure to spread the word to others.

63 thoughts on “Financial or Career Victory?

  • It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d most certainly donate to this outstanding blog! I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to new updates and will talk about this site with my Facebook group. Chat soon!

    Reply
  • Este site é realmente fascinate. Sempre que consigo acessar eu encontro novidades Você também vai querer acessar o nosso site e saber mais detalhes! Conteúdo exclusivo. Venha saber mais agora! 🙂

    Reply
  • naturally like your website but you have to take a look at the spelling on quite a few of your posts. A number of them are rife with spelling problems and I in finding it very bothersome to tell the reality however I’ll surely come again again.

    Reply
  • Great info and right to the point. I don’t know if this is truly the best place to ask but do you guys have any thoughts on where to get some professional writers? Thanks in advance 🙂

    Reply
  • Wow, wonderful blog layout! How lengthy have you been running a blog for? you made blogging glance easy. The whole look of your website is magnificent, as well as the content!

    Reply
  • I’m still learning from you, as I’m trying to reach my goals. I definitely enjoy reading all that is posted on your website.Keep the tips coming. I loved it!

    Reply
  • Hi there, You have performed an incredible job. I’ll certainly digg it and personally suggest to my friends. I’m sure they’ll be benefited from this website.

    Reply
  • I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was wondering what all is required to get setup? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100 positive. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated. Appreciate it

    Reply
  • I think other web-site proprietors should take this site as an model, very clean and magnificent user friendly style and design, as well as the content. You’re an expert in this topic!

    Reply
  • I wanted to write you this bit of note to be able to say thank you as before regarding the amazing thoughts you’ve provided in this article. It has been quite strangely open-handed of you to offer openly what exactly a lot of people could have distributed as an electronic book to earn some money for their own end, certainly considering the fact that you might have done it in case you considered necessary. The tricks in addition served like the good way to understand that other individuals have similar passion just like mine to figure out more with regard to this condition. I’m certain there are many more pleasant sessions ahead for folks who start reading your website.

    Reply
  • 738505 562656I found your weblog site on google and check a couple of of your early posts. Proceed to sustain up the extremely excellent operate. I just extra up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Searching for ahead to reading extra from you later on! 58615

    Reply
  • I enjoy the efforts you have put in this, thanks for all the great posts.

    Reply
  • 723418 564457Pretty section of content material. I just stumbled upon your site and in accession capital to assert that I get in fact enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way Ill be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently quickly. 614410

    Reply
  • 133594 95827Man you legend. return see my web site, you should get pleasure from it. 820275

    Reply
  • 836786 927147I recognize there exists a lot of spam on this weblog. Do you want support cleansing them up? I might assist amongst courses! 746766

    Reply
  • Whats up very nice web site!! Guy .. Excellent .. Superb .. I will bookmark your website and take the feeds alsoKI am satisfied to search out so many helpful information here within the submit, we need develop extra strategies on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .

    Reply
  • 441994 981990You completed several very good points there. I did specific searches on the problem and located a lot of men and women go in conjunction with along together with your weblog. 282713

    Reply
  • 327298 439110Right after study some with the weblog posts on your own website now, we genuinely like your way of blogging. I bookmarked it to my bookmark internet web site list and are checking back soon. Pls consider my web-site likewise and make me aware in case you agree. 394333

    Reply
  • 483903 194715quite good post, i undoubtedly adore this incredible internet site, carry on it 832407

    Reply
  • 55835 802504We clean up on completion. This may sound obvious but not a lot of a plumber in Sydney does. We wear uniforms and always treat your home or workplace with respect. 123855

    Reply
  • 143991 393726It was any exhilaration discovering your website yesterday. I arrived here nowadays hunting new things. I was not necessarily frustrated. Your ideas right after new approaches on this thing have been helpful plus an superb assistance to personally. We appreciate you leaving out time to write out these items and then for revealing your thoughts. 602939

    Reply
  • 495247 859416Bereken zelf uw hypotheek. Hypotheek berekenen? Maak snel een indicatieve berekening van het maximale leenbedrag van uw hypotheek. 526026

    Reply
  • 566369 322262Wow, great weblog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you make blogging look simple. The overall look of your internet internet site is fantastic, let alone the content! 562290

    Reply
  • 613890 985266You completed certain good points there. I did looking on the topic matter and found most persons will go together along with your blog 456065

    Reply
  • 356622 708193Spot up for this write-up, I actually feel this exceptional web site requirements a good deal a lot more consideration. Ill more likely be once once again to read considerably a lot more, thank you that information. 318549

    Reply
  • 41660 891728I entirely agree with you about this matter. Good post. Already bookmarked for future reference. 193469

    Reply
  • 962656 71654I enjoy reading by way of and I believe this web site got some genuinely utilitarian stuff on it! . 211304

    Reply
  • 872497 551067The leading source for trustworthy and timely health and medical news and info. 546920

    Reply
  • 286452 694160I dont leave a lot of comments on lots of blogs each week but i felt i had to here. A hard-hitting post. 756208

    Reply
  • 772182 542770Ive writers block that comes and goes and I need to find a method to get rid of my writers block. It can occasionally be so bad I can barley make sentences. Any guidelines? 64915

    Reply
  • 671746 984671hi!,I like your writing so a lot! share we communicate far far more about your article on AOL? I want a specialist on this region to solve my difficulty. Could be thats you! Seeking forward to see you. 956922

    Reply
  • What i don’t understood is in fact how you’re now not actually a lot more smartly-favored than you may be right now. You are so intelligent. You already know thus significantly in terms of this subject, made me individually imagine it from a lot of various angles. Its like women and men are not fascinated until it is something to do with Woman gaga! Your own stuffs nice. All the time take care of it up!

    Reply
  • Thanks for another informative site. The place else may just I get that kind of information written in such an ideal way? I have a mission that I’m simply now running on, and I’ve been at the glance out for such information.

    Reply
  • As I site possessor I believe the content material here is rattling excellent , appreciate it for your hard work. You should keep it up forever! Good Luck.

    Reply
  • Thanks for one’s marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed reading it, you might be a great author.I will be sure to bookmark your blog and will come back from now on. I want to encourage that you continue your great writing, have a nice morning!

    Reply
  • Hello very cool blog!! Guy .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your site and take the feeds additionally…I’m glad to search out a lot of helpful info right here in the put up, we’d like work out more techniques on this regard, thank you for sharing. . . . . .

    Reply
  • Very nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I’ve really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I will be subscribing to your rss feed and I hope you write again soon!

    Reply
  • I believe this site has some really wonderful info for everyone :D. “Morality, like art, means a drawing a line someplace.” by Oscar Wilde.

    Reply
  • I’d have to check with you here. Which is not something I normally do! I take pleasure in reading a publish that will make people think. Also, thanks for permitting me to comment!

    Reply
  • I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. nonetheless, you command get bought an edginess over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come more formerly again as exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this hike.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *