Your all-in-one guide to getting your career and finances in order ― for greater clarity, happiness, and peace of mind.
Studies show that if you're like the majority of young professionals, you feel dissatisfied with your job, your finances, or your overall station in life. It can seem impossible to disentangle the work stuff, the money stuff, and the personal stuff, because they're all inextricably linked. But the good news is, you don't have to go at it alone: Work Your Money, Not Your Life is your all-in-one guide to achieving both your career and financial goals so that you can get where you want to be.
In his debut book, Roger Ma, an award-winning financial planner and a publisher strategist at Google, offers secrets on how you can craft a meaningful career, gain financial comfort, and achieve a greater sense of purpose. And the premise behind it all is this: money affects every part of our lives. Simply by sorting out your personal finances (and it isn't as bad as it sounds!), you can build a foundation from which you'll be able to find the right career path, visualize your desired lifestyle, and turn your dreams into a reality.
You'll learn how to:
* Relieve yourself of the work, money, and personal stressors that keep you up at night
* Dispel the job myths that are preventing you from a more rewarding career
* Apply the fundamentals of personal finance to your unique situation, without all the confusing jargon
* Prioritize and balance your career and money needs through exercises and easy-to-use templates, launching yourself on the path to the life satisfaction you desire
When the life you're living and the life you want to live don't match up, everything feels off balance. Where do you begin trying to connect the dots? Start with this book. Through accessible, practical advice, you'll learn the career and financial strategies you need to live the life you deserve.
Author(s): Roger Ma, Jennifer Ma
Publisher: Wiley
Year: 2020
Language: English
Pages: 288
City: Hoboken, New Jersey
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Contents
Introduction
Part I Here's the Deal
1 You're Worth More Than You Think
Net Worth Is Not the Be‐All and End‐All
Saving Money Is About More Than Just Retirement
How Long Is Your Runway?
Breaking Free: The Power of Financial Runway
You Can Take Back Control of Your Life
You Don't Need to Be Financially Independent to Have Financial Flexibility
Your Ideal Career Is Within Reach
2 Everything You've Been Taught About Jobs Is Wrong
“It's All About Money and Prestige”
“The Goal of Working Is to Climb the Corporate Ladder”
“Everyone Has One True Calling”
“Do What You Love”
“Work‐Life Balance Is the Answer”
Get in the Driver's Seat
Part II Figure Out Your Starting Point
3 How's Your Job?
Job Factor 1: Are You Getting Value?
Job Factor 2: Are You Adding Value?
Job Factor 3: Are You Increasing Your Value in the Market?
Job Factor 4: Does Your Role Align with Your Values?
Job Factor 5: Do You Feel Valued?
Summarizing Your Current Job Situation
Now You Know
4 Compiling Your Financial Report Card
Metric 1: Net Worth
Step 1: Input Your Account Balances
Step 2: Input Your Home and Car Values
Step 3: Rinse and Repeat
Metric 2: Burn Rate
Metric 3: Financial Runway
Metric 4: Credit Reports and Scores
Taking a Closer Look at Credit Scores
How the FICO Scoring Model Works
Summarizing Where You Are
5 How to Increase Your Financial Runway
What Do You Love Spending Money On?
Your Financial Runway Action Plan
Cut Low‐Hanging Fruit
Expend Some Effort
Tackle the Hard Stuff
Your New and Improved Financial Runway
Part III Optimize Your Job
6 What Does a “Good” Job Look Like for You?
Part 1: Interests and Strengths
Part 2: Preferences and Priorities
Step 1: Envision Your Ideal Weekday and Weekend Day
Step 2: Consider Your Geographic Needs
Step 3: Consider Your Financial Needs
Piecing Together Your Ideal Job
7 How to Tweak Your Job
What Do You Mean By “Tweak”?
Getting Started
How Others Made It Happen
Your Turn
When Is a Job Tweak Not Enough?
8 Supplement Your Job to Explore New Opportunities
The Perks
Now, Some Practical Points
Getting Started: Figure Out What to Pursue and Make It a Reality
Deciding Whether to Go All‐In
9 Prepare to Change Your Job
Should You Stay, or Should You Go?
Focus Your Search
Step 2: Explore Through Networking
Step 3: Narrow Down Possible Roles
Step 4: Close the Skills Gap
Ready, Set, Go!
10 Take Action to Change Your Job
Identify and Apply for Opportunities
Position Yourself Effectively
Interview Tips
Evaluate Opportunities
Rinse and Repeat
Part IV Optimize Your Finances
11 Chart Your Goals and How Much They Will Cost
Step 1: Choose Your Destination
Step 2: Map Out Your Path
Step 3: Refine Your Plan
Are We There Yet?
12 What You Need to Know About Investing
Why Investing Can Be Powerful
Key Factors for Investing
What to Invest in (Asset Allocation)
Where You Can Put Each Investment (Asset Location)
What You Pay to Invest (Fees and Expenses)
Can I Start Investing My Money Yet?
13 How to Construct Your Portfolio
Step 1: Complete Prerequisites
Step 2: Review Your Goals
Step 3: Evaluate Your Options
Your Strategy Can Change
14 Protecting Your Wealth
Insurance
Protection Everyone Needs
Protection Dependent on What You Own
Protection If Someone Depends on Your Income
Estate Planning
Other Ways to Transfer Your Assets
That Wasn't So Bad, Was It?
Part V How to Stay the Course and Enjoy the Journey
15 Focus on What You Can Control and Tune out the Noise
Overcome the Fear of Failure
Make Time
Handle Other People
Feeling Good Along the Way
Help Yourself
16 You Don't Have to Do It Alone
What Service Providers Offer
Who You Can Call
Bottom Line
Conclusion
Acknowledgments
Endnotes
Index
About the Authors
EULA
