Adam Mundorf : Philosophical and Financial : Thoughts and Musings

  Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Wealth The Millionaire Next Door By Adam Mundorf Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Wealth Wow!  Look at that beautiful sports car, the big house, the jewelry and the designer clothing.  They must have it all!  Right?  No.  In all reality, these are the first people to go belly up at the first sign of trouble.  From the outside looking in, you would assume that these people had their shit together.  Very rarely do any of them, that's why the wealthier one gets oftentimes the simpler and more frugal their tastes.  I've seen it time and time again, visiting friends in wealthy neighborhoods and seeing foreclosure signs littering the streets, including some of my Wall Street friends.   Once a point of misaligned jealousy from me has come to light, they could never afford this lifestyle at all. Living life on leverage and trying to keep up with the neighbors gets expensive. In the world of money and wealth, the truly wealthy laugh at those with 'things'.  Things

  Be the Person You Want your Child to Be By Adam Mundorf To bring a life and soul into this world, what a responsibility.  The purity of a child, free of vice until the world gets a hold of them. From the financial burden, emotional burden and focus towards making your child's life better than you had it.  For many, this can mean more opportunity or financial success.  For me, I would want my child to be free of vice and a virtuous person.  Even if you don't have a little one relying on you for guidance, why don't we pretend that you do? Are you living a virtuous life that you would want your child to imitate? Or are you living a life of vice and negativity? Do you want your child to grow up and become a drug addict? Or are you living a life free of substance abuse? Alcohol/Pot/Drugs Do you want your child to grow up and be promiscuous? Or are you living a life of monogamy and/or temporary sexual abstinence? Do you want your child to grow up and be reliant on social media/

  The Demon that Strikes at Night By Adam Mundorf You've had a successful day and get ready to go to bed.  Everything is seemingly normal but creeps a thought from the past or a current situation.  Causes you to writhe and think, while the clock ticks on.  Why does this occur? It is the demon that strikes at night when your mind is set to wander. It's the fear and lack of practice of being alone.  It's the inability to be alone with your thoughts without the aid of a smartphone or some other external stimulus.  Your mind will create the most absurd shit when it's not being distracted.  It will create different imaginary scenarios, replay embarrassing moments from the past and as Seneca says : "Makes us suffer more often in imagination than reality."  Luckily for you not all who wander are lost.  When the despair strikes at night, remember your life's mission. Think rationally about your thoughts. Take a couple deep breaths and remember that the sun will ri

  Pushing Against Dopamine Sisyphus By Adam Mundorf Man ,  what's better than coming home from a long day at work only to bathe in dopamine.  That's if the following losers even work at all.  Let's have a drink, I've earned it.  Let's watch pornography and masturbate, I need it.  Let's eat tons of junk, I deserve it.  Let's smoke pot or do drugs because I can't handle stress.  Let me browse Tinder, I'm desperate.  Let me be promiscuous for fear of being alone.  Let's spend lots of time on social media for validation from others.   Let's party to forget about our life's true mission. When did life become solely about comfort?  When did doing the bare minimum become acceptable?  When did it become cool to be entitled for no reason?  When did it become acceptable to live off the generosity of others? Do you have running water?  Do you have a roof over your head?  Do you have health in your body?  Do you have a computer in your pocket?  Do yo

The Life of Quiet Desperation I'll Never Be Like You By Adam Mundorf The white picket fence, the perfectly manicured lawn, two kids, three cars in the driveway, a fully stocked closet with rarely worn expensive clothing and a T.V. in every room.  From the outside looking in you would think that everything in their life is perfect.  Things couldn't be further from the truth.  With things come obligations and with obligations come stress.  You work a job you hate, to afford things you don't want, to impress people you don't even really like.    Many people have looked at themselves in the mirror and realized that this is not what life is all about.  Working that 9 to 5, buying things on leverage for appearances and making 100k but spending just as much.  Their spouse chose them not on spiritual, emotional and sexual attraction but by the lifestyle they can provide them.  They did everything 'right'. did exactly as society told them but never what they wanted.  For

  Why I Love the Song Cheap Thrills Many Have Wondered By Adam Mundorf Many people know that my favorite song of all time is Cheap Thrills by Sia.  Not only do I love the instrumental but my interpretation of the lyrics are what drew me in.  You don't need money to have fun.  You don't need to spend a fortune to have a fulfilling life or day.  I just want a nice simple life with simple things.   I want to live in the present. A nice sunny day with soft green grass. Someone to hold hands with and to hold me. A nice cup of coffee in the morning. I want to stay in good health. I want to have a simple home. I want to live a life of virtue. All of the above should be 'cheap thrills' but cheap doesn't always mean unfulfilling.  The best things in life are free.......

Eating Your Soul By Adam Mundorf  The modern world is plagued with the unaware soulless.  The pursuit of money, sex, gluttony, porn, fame, social media and other dopamine dominant behaviors devour your soul.  Sacrificing your morality, self worth and self respect for a Snapchat streak, fear of abandonment/being alone or for some attention. Many don't realize until it's too late and their mental/spiritual health has deteriorated beyond repair.  Their self image is ruined and they are morally/emotionally bankrupt. Don't join the ranks of the soulless.  Be crystal clear in who you want to be on your deathbed because it may come sooner than what you think.  Do you want to be a morally deprived dopamine junkie with a demon on your chest or do you want to be more akin to a saint?  Someone who lived a life of virtue and lived closer with God.  For the record, I'm not talking about the Christian God, it's all symbolism to me.  A greater energy of good and morality that reig