Even a genius cannot completely resist his Zeitgeist, the spirit of his time.

Viktor E. Frankl

Good morning,

I hope the weekend was a wonderful one.

It has been a relatively calm and positive start to the year with global equities and bonds behaving reasonably well. The past few weeks have been marked by a heavy dose of corporate earnings, more layoff announcements from the technology sector, closely watched updates from central banks, and some interesting economic and employment data to digest last week. We’ll update on some earnings in next week’s memo as there seem to be some stark differences between the current market climate here in Canada, in the US, and around the rest of the globe.

Speaking of climate, given the absolutely freezing temperatures here in Ontario this weekend, I decided it was a perfect weekend to breakout the old classic surf albums, particularly Dick Dales “King of the Surf Guitar".

As my kids were forced to absorb the guitar riffs of the 50’s and 60’s over the weekend, my 10 year old daughter Presley-Mae posed an interesting question…..she asked, “Dad, did people in the old days have more fun? Their music is exciting and they seem happier in the old movies”

Now, we can’t blame her for using the term “old days” given that she has also suggested that I was born just after the last ice age, but he observations are certainly interesting and hard not to reflect and reminisce. Before you start to think about your own history and recollection of the “good old days” have a quick read of Bertrand Russell’s thoughts on Growing Old:

"Psychologically there are dangers to be guarded against in old age. One of these is undue absorption in the past. It does not do to live in memories, in regrets for the good old days…..One’s thoughts must be directed to the future, and to things about which there is something to be done. This is not always easy; one’s own past is a gradually increasing weight. It is easy to think to oneself that one’s emotions used to be more vivid than they are, and one’s mind more keen. If this is true it should be forgotten, and if it is forgotten it will probably not be true”

The Zeitgeist of today

If we are to look to the world in front of us and focus on our vision of our future, it’s now, more important than ever, to stay in the spirit of the times and staying focused on your journey ahead.

Scholars have long maintained that each era has a unique spirit, a nature or climate that sets it apart from all other epochs. In German, such a spirit is known as Zeitgeist, from the German words Zeit, meaning "time," and Geist, meaning "spirit" or "ghost." This means staying attuned to current events, trends, and cultural phenomena, and using that knowledge to inform your decisions and actions at home, at work, and in the community. At its core, the zeitgeist is a reflection of the collective consciousness of a society. It represents the values, beliefs, and priorities that are shared at a given point in time. For individuals, staying in the zeitgeist means being able to tap into this collective consciousness and use it to navigate the world around us.

Given the rapid and everchanging world, it’s difficult to stay adapt to the spirit of the moment…..let alone taking time to understand economic, social and cultural trends. For us to do this, we need to focus on our efforts and our attitude, honing in on what we are able to control within the zeitgeist of today, this attention can propel us toward the life we want to live. I thought I’d share a few constructive thoughts and ideas for focus as we all adapt and evolve with the spirit of our time.

Move towards the affirmative

Take ownership of your time

James Clear has said that “your calendar is a better measure of success than your bank account.” Remind yourself that every item on your calendar or agenda is something that you’ve said yes to. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, look at your schedule and see if there’s anything you can say no to instead.

Create a space to brainstorm decisions

We are all faced with difficult decisions every day, decisions that may seems to have an impact on our entire direction and course. If you’re not really sure how to make a decision, step back and give yourself the headspace to figure it out. Be aware of how you feel when you’re considering a decision. Imagine the possibilities. When weighing up whether to lean into a new experience or opportunity, ask yourself what’s the best thing that could happen if you say yes.

Look at what’s on the backburner

If you’ve been discounting or denying yourself your own Vision for a long time, try taking them off the back burner and give them room to grow and develop. What first steps can you take toward making your Vision a reality?

Don’t be afraid to fail

Remind yourself that not everything works out and try not to be disappointed if you attempt something that doesn’t go according to plan. The more you succeed and fail, you’re learning and the better you’ll get at saying yes to the things that are right for you. Bill Ackman on success: "I’ve always had this view that success is not a straight line up. If you read the stories of successful people, almost every successful person has had to deal with some degree of hardship, whether that hardship is personal hardship, health-related hardship, or a business issue. I’ve always had the view that how successful you are is really a function of how you deal with failure. If you deal with failure well and you persist, you have a high probability of being successful."

Do the things you love

Warren Buffett once said that the key to your happiness is to "do something you enjoy all your life." He added, "I urge you to work in jobs that you love. There may be risks involved in chasing after that dream, you don't just wake up one day and quit your job and the financial security of a steady paycheck to start a business. But when you do discover where you want to spend your time and your energy that will spring you out of bed every morning, it'll be totally worth it. Doing what you love what you do each day is a major contributor to true happiness in life.

Make happiness a priority

Confucius once said that "The healthy man has 10,000 desires, but the sick man has just one." illustrating that when things get difficult, we are able to eliminate the noise and clearly focus on what is important. In a dire position, priorities become obvious. But we don't have to wait for an illness or a grim prognosis to prioritize happiness.

As we head into the week, step back and think about the spirit of the times, and ask yourself if you are spending your time and energy in the right places. When you do what you love, you create alignment between your work, your values, and the things that bring you purpose.

“Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and pain of it, no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it, because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace."

Frederick Buechner, Now and Then: A Memoir of Vocation

Be well and enjoy the moments

Derek