Live Your Best Life
What someone I never met taught me
Throughout life there are certain individuals who will come into your life and make a lasting impact. Some of those people will remain in your life forever and others will go away. Then at certain times in life what they taught you comes up again like it was yesterday.
Let me introduce you to Jon Boorman.
When I joined Twitter years ago, I had no idea what I was really doing on the social media site. I wanted to see what it was about. I’d started following sports personalities. Then I stated to follow people related to finance and investing.
Among the first people I came across on financial Twitter were Josh Brown, Barry Ritholtz and Jon Boorman. I had been investing by buying stocks and mutual funds since I was 18. These three were providing both entertainment and education all at the same time. I was learning more about investing and finance through their writings and posts.
I’m not one to converse or tweet much on Twitter. I’ve been a rather private person up until I launched Spilled Coffee. I’d just read what people said on Twitter. I use it as a way for me to learn.
While I was expecting to learn more about investing, there was something different about what I was learning from Jon Boorman. While Jon was a rockstar in the investing community, Jon was teaching me about living your best life.
One of the books Jon shared called The Why Cafe by John Strelecky has become a book I read every year and has had a profound impact on how I view and live life.
He also exposed me to one of the best quotes I have ever read. I have this printed and see it everyday.
I Was Dying
First I was dying to finish high school and start college.
And then I was dying to finish college to start working.
And then I was dying to marry and have children.
And then I was dying for children to grow old enough for school so I could return to work.
And then I was dying to retire
And now, I am dying … and suddenly I realize I forgot to live.
- Author Unknown
He also wrote a blog post that I still have saved and go back to read it from time to time. I highly recommend you take the time to read it.
Some Things I’ve Learned Over The Last 30 Years
I had to attach the below from his post. It so eloquently describes what Jon was teaching me.
“All cruelty springs from weakness.”
Social media is a tough arena. I slip up sometimes and get sucked into some troll’s orbit, and on the occasions it’s happened, even when I’ve sent someone packing with their tail between their legs, the short-term satisfaction soon gives way to wishing I hadn’t responded.
When I’m driving and I’m getting frustrated with someone in front of me I imagine I know the person. It’s amazing how it changes how you react. In a similar vein, on twitter now I try to talk to people as you would if having a conversation face to face. Be nice. We all have off days. You never know what’s going on in people’s lives. Everyone’s going through something.
When you’re young, you have so much time but never enough money. When you’re old you have money but never enough time.
How you perceive and value time and money will change many times throughout your life, but at the end there’s only one you’ll want more of, would give anything for, but it won’t be available at any price. Cherish it while you can.
What brought this all together for me was sadly in 2019 Jon got diagnosed with Glioblastoma, a form of incurable brain cancer. Throughout his fight he continued to post on Twitter. He shared trips and experiences he had with his wife and kids. His Twitter account is still active. @JBoorman
Jon passed away on October 21, 2020.
These were Jon’s final words from his wife which I pulled from his Twitter feed.
Jon Boorman's final words: 1) I’ve become very stoical in recent years which has made this much easier to process. I’ve had an absolutely glorious life. I sometimes feel I’ve had two or three.
2) I started so young in The City in London at 17, and after a few years was at the top of my game, running a trading desk in my mid-20s. What an incredible adventure.
3) Later married, the years we call BC (before children), traveling the world. And then the children. A beautiful girl. A sweet handsome boy. Moving to the US. What a dream.
4) I made some awful decisions along the way too, but had some great success. I’m comfortable, maybe too comfortable to not be hungry, but I’m always learning.
5)I have no regrets for myself. None. But I feel wretched for my wife, for whom retirement is now set to be a lone affair, and for the children. I’ll miss engagements, weddings, and grandchildren.
6)It’s a deep privilege to be able to say goodbye to people. Deep privilege. Constant family. Countless friends.
7) Knowing that you will die is fairly innocuous, of course we all will. But when you know you face death within weeks/months, your perspective changes. There’s elements of that we should have in our daily lives.
8) Glioblastoma (brain cancer) has given me that, and that’s something I didn’t expect.
9) I know I will die. I just know what will kill me. And roughly when. So buy that coffee. Have that ice cream. And be nice.
Even though I never got the privledge to meet Jon, it felt like he was an old friend.
Throughout this time it wasn’t investing that Jon was teaching me. Jon was teaching me about living your best life.
Time is short, so value it. It’s about living your best life. Thanks to you Jon, I live by this everyday.
The Coffee Table ☕
Morgan Housel had a post called Getting Wealthy vs. Staying Wealthy which was an excerpt from his book The Psychology of Money. This was one of my favorite parts of his book so I enjoyed reading this reminder of a lesson again.
Josh Brown wrote a good post explaining how inflation shouldn’t be a reason to not invest in stocks in Past Performance.
Ben Carlson’s post Is Real Estate a Better Investment Than the Stock Market? was a very interesting look at a long debated topic. He makes some good points that I agree with and this debate of the pros and cons will wage on.
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