Since writing, I’ve been happy to read hundreds of emails from people who say their learning habits have improved since implementing the ideas. In addition to the free articles and ebook, Learn More, Study Less continues to be the best seller on this website.

Even with the positive feedback, I still get a few emails per week from people asking for more. Unfortunately, until recently, all I could do was offer additional tips on a per person basis, which is difficult and inefficient.

Too Many People Read — Not Enough People Do

Part of the problem, I realized is that there is a big difference between the consumption of ideas and taking action on them.

This is especially true for holistic learning, which definitely isn’t a quick fix. As Liam Martin, friend and now holistic learner, commented to me, “Holistic learning is like martial arts. You don’t become a ninja by reading a list of tips, you become a ninja by training.”

So I decided to create a program that would fill this gap between consumption and action. A program that wouldn’t just give you the ideas, but also detailed implementation strategies, personal help and a kick in the ass to get started.

Announcing: Learning on Steroids

Learning on Steroids would be a monthly program with one goal in mind: implementing rapid learning strategies in your life.

I’m still in the process of designing the program (and would love your feedback!). But at the moment, the monthly program will probably consist of:

1. Twice monthly implementation guides. These would be short PDFs explaining a particular rapid learning tactic I use, along with detailed steps to implement it in your actual life.
2. Ass-kicking emails designed to push members to start new 30 Day Trials. You will be able to use the power of group support to switch from reading to taking action.
3. Personal email support. Get direct access to me through email, both for tracking your progress and to overcome any hiccups in getting started.

Having read Learn More, Study Less won’t be necessary to join the program. However, if you have read the book, it will probably give you a head start in implementing the rapid learning techniques.

Join the Pre-Launch Mailing List

Because this is a new program, space will probably be limited for the first few months. I’d rather deliver a great service to 100, than overextend myself and fail to deliver to 300 or more.

I’ll be offering early enrollment offers and bonuses to people who join the pre-launch mailing list. So if you’re interested in rapid learning, you can join here.

Leonardo DaVinci

If you have many different passions, pursue all of them.

Recently, I’ve had a couple emails from readers explaining that their problem is simply having too many passions. Far from being members of the apathetic masses, these people seem to have difficulty focusing because there are simply so many things to be interested about.

I know I may incite a lot of disagreement for saying this: but I believe that it’s completely okay to have multiple passions and to pursue all of them.

The Comeback of the Renaissance Man (or Woman)

I believe today is a great time to be a renaissance man. The explosion of the internet as a platform, both for new businesses and in transforming old businesses, is creating more opportunities for multi-talented people.

As the world becomes more interconnected, I feel two major shifts are important to note:

1. Competition is increasing
2. The number of niche markets is increasing

I believe this means two positive things for the renaissance men and women out there:

First, because competition is increasing, specializing alone isn’t the best strategy. Being extremely good at your craft will always matter. Mediocrity sinks in a competitive world. However, with intense competition, being in the top 1% of your field could still put you in the bottom 100,000.

Diverse interests put you at an advantage here. Because although becoming the best at one common skill set is almost impossible, it is easier to become the best at an overlap between two or three different skills.

Scott Adams, creator of Dilbert, offers himself as an example. He claims he isn’t the funniest, nor most artistic, person. But the overlap allowed him to be successful.

Second, as niche markets increase, bizarre skill sets that previously would only interest an insignificant minority may now be viable. Gary Vaynerchuk pointed out in a recent speech that, “…there’s a $70,000/year business providing reviews 0f Pinot Grigio wines out there.”

Even if only .01% of the world care about your passion overlap, that’s still over a half million potential clients or customers.

Renaissance Man or Obsessive Focus, Both Styles Can Work

First, I don’t want to claim that this means you need to start taking karate lessons, mastering Sudoku and learning Gaelic if those things don’t interest you. If you have one obsessive lifelong passion, pursue it. If you have many, don’t fight that either.

Even if you only have one passion, you can specialize in content to find your niche rather than explore the overlap between two different skills. The world is large, and there is a place for both styles.

I simply believe a lot of people who pursue many passions have been told, unfairly, that they need to stop daydreaming and get to work. Eliminate all the other interests but one. And, if you aren’t going to master something, it isn’t even worth beginning.

I definitely fit more into the multiple passions category than complete focus. I have interests in art, design, programming, nutrition, psychology, fitness, history, literature, public speaking, dance, language learning, cosmology and many other topics. I believe it gives me otherwise inaccessible opportunities in my main pursuits, writing and entrepreneurship.

Focus and Hard Work Still Matter

Having many different passions isn’t a bad thing, but a wonderful thing. That being said, this doesn’t reduce the need for focus or hard work. Just because you’re interested in a million different things, doesn’t mean it takes serious effort to become extremely good at one pursuit.

While exploring other interests on and off, I’ve devoted close to four years and thousands of hours into improving my writing and business skills. This website is a massive, continuous project. It didn’t just spring up during a brief obsession, but a long period of patient focus.

Whether you choose incredible specialization or a unique skill combination isn’t important. You still need to work hard. You still need to show up, every day, to improve your craft.

How Do You Combine Hard Focus and Multiple Passions?

Some time ago, I realized that productivity systems, discipline, motivation and all that Dave-Allen-goodness works well for doing the things you need to do.

But those same systems are really lousy at getting you to do the things you want to do. Putting a genuine curiosity on an action item list makes the curiosity a lot less genuine.

So my answer to the above question was to use my productivity systems, habits, discipline and focus to work on my projects and long term goals. But, at the same time, I don’t restrict myself from pursuing personal interests in my spare time.

Don’t Force Alternate Passions

I don’t force these alternate pursuits. When I was learning to salsa, two years ago, I didn’t put any pressure on myself to master it. My only goal was to enjoy the challenge of learning a new skill. Same for when I started creating photoshop art, reading classical history or, just recently, began learning Ruby.

From an outside perspective, it might appear to be a struggle to manage all these different tasks. Like the parents who send their kids to ballet, soccer, piano and language lessons every day after school.

However, since there is no pressure to achieve anything, these new skills are fun and relaxing. If I’d rather watch TV one day, I don’t force myself to do new things, I simply do these side pursuits because usually television is boring.

With my main passions, I apply a little (although not a lot of) discipline. I set goals, make to-do lists and push myself. With alternate passions, I just go wherever they take me.

The Unusual Benefits of Side Pursuits

Often these side pursuits eventually have an impact on my main pursuits in life. Aside from just being enjoyable, learning new, different skills, has a cumulative effect. When I started learning photoshop art, I wasn’t thinking that those skills would eventually allow me to illustrate my own books.

Do side pursuits always pay off, in a strictly economic way? No. But then again, economics aren’t the point.

If you have multiple passions, allow yourself to explore them. Don’t force it, but don’t draw a box around yourself just because the world tells you to.

Sure, there are exceptions (and they tend to be overhyped by greedy marketers). However, I’ve noticed human beings tend to make two types of errors:

1. They are overly optimistic with their timing
2. They are overly pessimistic with their ambitions

The first error results in people giving up on their goals way too early. The second error results in people not setting goals at all.

Success Takes Longer Than You Think

How much time does it take to make exercise a habit? For me, it took 3 failed 30 Day Trials before the fourth finally stuck. In total, it took over four months, and that was just to make the habit last, not even to start seeing results.

How much time does it take to build a successful blog? I spend 2 years building this blog before I started earning livable income. After four years, reliably earning a full-time income is still a goal of mine.

How long does it take to learn a foreign language? After 7 months (2 of living among native speakers), I’m able to hold conversations in French, but expect another 3-6 months to reach a level most people would deem fluent.

Ok, so maybe the point of this story is that my successes always take longer than I think. However, just from interacting with readers, I suspect my bias towards expecting early success is a common one.

Why the Long, Hard Road Doesn’t Need to be Depressing

Telling someone that reaching their dream will take more time, not less, than they predict isn’t going to win you any friends. People want to be inspired and motivated. They want to be sold that the road isn’t nearly as long and hard as it appears (not that it is, in fact, longer and harder).

This is probably why get-rich-quick schemes are so popular. People don’t want their optimistic lens of the world fixed, they want it exaggerated.

But I’ve found that discovering your path in success is longer and harder than you initially foresaw, isn’t a bad thing. There are two reasons I believe adding a dose of pessimism with your timing can be a wonderful thing:

1. It makes you patient. It’s way easier to focus on the big picture, and not get distracted by all the crap life throws at you if your vision is long-term.
2. You’re more likely to actually reach success. If you planned to stick with learning a foreign language for 18 months before quitting, instead of 6 months, your chances of success skyrocket.
3. It forces you to really commit to a new pursuit. The commitment that comes from knowing you’ll stick it out for a few years instead of a few months gives you an edge over all the wannabes who throw in the towel too early.

Perhaps most importantly, being patient with the deadline allows you to enjoy the path getting there. Instead of becoming irritated when you stop seeing success, you’ll view the plateaus as just another stretch of the long road you originally committed to.

People Underestimate What They Can Accomplish

If people are overly optimistic with their timing, I believe most people are overly pessimistic with their goals.

People tend to see their future life in mostly the same terms as they see their present. Maybe they have a bit more money, a bit better relationships and a bit more freedom, but their ambitions paint a picture of a life that is just a bit more colorful than their life today. They don’t imagine a completely different picture painted on that canvas.

Just as I made the mistake of overestimating my timing in accomplishing key goals, I also underestimated how much my life could improve.

If you had told me six or seven years ago, that today, I would be running my own business, living in a foreign country, have written several books, built an active social life and succeeded in implementing most of the habits I wanted to create, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. My situation at the time would have put limits on my imagination of how my life could be today.

So my point of this article isn’t to undercut your motivation, and tell you your goals are too far away. No, I believe patience is important because, when properly applied, it tells you that your goals are probably smaller than you’re capable of.

Gary Vaynerchunk – Why Now is the Time to Cash in on Your Passion: The best part is in the last minute when a reader asks Gary how to find time to do what you love.

Gary’s response: “You work your 9-5, go home, spend 2 hours with the family and then crush it from 7-2. Everyone has time, just stop watching fucking Lost.“

From the Archives

The Goal of Learning Everything – “Even learning a small fraction of everything can have huge benefits that ripple outwards towards every other area of life. Unfortunately, most people fall into a group I’ll call ‘functional’ learners, and severely cut off their potential.”

From the Shelf

The Mystery of Capital – Why has capitalism created so much wealth in western countries, and even more problems outside it? This book proposes that the failure of capitalism outside the West is due to the lack of integrated property systems that keep the poor from participating in the global economy.

The Way of the Linguist – Steve Kaufmann runs one of my favorite language learning blogs on the web, The Linguist. As much autobiography as how-to, Steve demystifies the process he’s used to learn nine different languages.

I’m definitely not a chef.

In fact, only six months ago, I would probably have been the last person to write an article like this. I prided myself on my ability to warm canned food. Pasta or the occasional stir-fry were the peak of my cooking ability.

Yet, in the last few months, I’ve made a complete shift in my cooking habits. More precisely, my habits now involve actual cooking.

In just the last week I’ve made gnocchi from scratch, pasta sauces using fresh tomatoes, homemade soup and even hummus without a blender. Considering my former resistance to cooking, I thought I’d share how this transformation happened. And, potentially, how you might be able to discover the joy of cooking too.

Why Cook from Scratch?

For many of you, this article may seem to be a bizarre non-sequitur. What does cooking your own food have to do with getting more from life? Isn’t cooking a backwards, medieval practice that should have been outlawed after the 1950s?

First, as with all my articles, I’m here to show not to preach. If, after reading, you decide to warm up a bowl of macaroni and cheese, be my guest. I simply want to show how I feel this change has had a positive impact on my life.

Second, cooking from scratch has had a positive impact on my life. Here are just a few of the benefits I think go along with the decidedly un-modern practice of cooking:

1. Tastier. Beyond a minimal skill level, homemade tastes better than pre-packaged.
2. Cheaper. The price of groceries here in France was a major trigger for my cooking efforts.
3. Healthier. No preservatives, chemicals or taste enhancers. Just things your grandma would recognize as real food.

Beyond just the obvious benefits, I found that once I actually gained a minimum level of cooking skill, cooking actually became fun. Instead of being an agonizing delay in consumption, it was an enjoyable practice of skill.

Doesn’t Cooking Require a Lot of Time?

I had always liked the idea of cooking meals. But the time never seemed to justify it. All that effort, just to have something to eat? Those from my parents’ generation cooked because they had to, I thought. People in the 21st century have better uses of their time.

This turned out to be a complete myth.

Yes, homemade meals take more time. But, not too much more time. Instead of spending 5 minutes to heat up a bowl of soup, I could spend 20 minutes to make one from scratch. The added time in my life spent cooking is probably less than an hour each day, including clean-up.

That’s also an hour per day, total. For some reason, tasks that append an extra fifteen minutes here and there are much easier to fit into your schedule than an uninterrupted hour chunk. Lunches and dinners just get a bit longer, so I’ve hardly noticed the time loss.

The Reason People Don’t Cook: They Don’t Know How

No, it turns out the time myth was just covering up the real reason I didn’t cook: I didn’t know how.

In the past, we were taught how to cook by our mothers and fathers. Many of us still are, but those lessons take a backseat when modern society offers us prepackaged delicacies.

Just as you would never learn to speak a foreign language if you always had a translator, most people of my generation didn’t learn to cook because they never needed to. The path of least resistance wins once again.

The reason I didn’t cook was because my early attempts at self-cooked meals were typically worse than premade food. My first batch of soup made from scratch tasted worse, not better, than canned soup. My first attempt at hummus was watery and far below the standards provided in the supermarket.

I hadn’t realized it yet, but my self-cooking efforts were still below the frustration barrier. I was still at the “I Suck” stage and hadn’t moved into the period of skill acquisition where practice actually becomes enjoyable.

Learning How to Cook

I’m no Emeril. Or even a Julia Child, for that matter. Considering my shift towards cooking was so recent, I’m not going to give you recipe tips or tell you how to flambé a crépe.

But, I’d like to share my thoughts on how I started to cook more, and what triggered that change in me, so hopefully a few people here can benefit.

1. Get the Right Tools

One of the tipping points for me was getting the right tools. Having a proper stove, utensils, bowls and cooking space made it far easier for me to get started. Normally I don’t advocate tool-getting as a first step in any new pursuit, but at least in this case, it reduced the barriers for me to get started.

2. Accept Early Failures

Most of my first attempts making any food item were sub-par. The gnocchi was gooey, the hummus had too much water, and veggie burgers were a disaster. But that’s okay, because after a few early failures, I started to become decent and could actually enjoy the food.

3. Follow Recipes, Improvise Later

My rule of thumb is to follow any recipe for a new food item to the letter. Sometimes I’ll still screw it up, even with that rule. But, if you follow a recipe exactly, its way easier to diagnose what went wrong, and avoid making mistakes.

The following times I’ve attempted cooking something, I usually ignore the recipes directly and improvise a little. This speeds up the time it takes to cook, ensures I take advantage of available ingredients and makes the practice a lot more fun.

4. Have Fun

I don’t say it enough here, but my main reason for pursuing an eclectic mix of knowledge and skills is because I enjoy learning. After early failures, cooking has actually become an enjoyable past-time of mine. Far from being menial labor, its an exercise of a skill I’m becoming better at.

Will I continue cooking my meals from scratch? I certainly hope so. Even if my initial zeal wears off, I expect that some ability to cook will now always be with me and I can enjoy it in the future. That’s the great thing about learning new skills, you never know when you’ll be able to take advantage of them in the future.

Enjoying a Good Meal

A few days ago I made a plate of gnocchi that I made from scratch with potatoes and flour, along with a homemade olive and tomato sauce. I enjoyed it with a fresh baguette, a glass of red wine and the view from my balcony in France.

It was definitely worth the extra twenty minutes.

Given the volume of ideas, spread over years of writing, one of my biggest challenges has been putting it all together. How do all these different ideas on wide ranging topics connect?

It’s hard for new readers, who often haven’t read the huge archives, to put everything together.

It’s also hard for experienced readers, because my strategy for life is constantly evolving. I may still believe, in bulk, the things I wrote about close to four years ago. But, if I wrote them again, they would probably take on a completely different flavor.

ScottHYoung.com — All in One Source

My solution to this was to write a book that cohered my current thinking on all of the major themes covered in this blog. How to Get More From Life is a 60+ page, full-color ebook that covers:

• My overall philosophy towards self-improvement
• Habits
• Learning
• Productivity
• Fitness
• Social Skills
• Entrepreneurship and finding your passion
• Motivation, confidence and happiness
• My views on the meaning of life

The book details the status of many of my different ideas in my life as of this moment. Such as: which habits I’m currently running, how this business is doing and what a self-proclaimed atheist feels is the meaning of life.

Best of all the book is completely free.

—

Thanks again to everyone who participated in the survey this weekend.

I was especially touched by the respones to question #6 (or how has this blog impacted your life). Dozens of stories from people who have changed their habits, become vegetarian, improved the way they learn and increased their productivity. Thanks for all the kind words.

I’m working on a new project, and I’ve put together an easy 7-question survey. If you could take 2 minutes and fill it out, I’d really appreciate it!

—

Also, just to let the everyone know I’m thinking about you, I have a new 60+ page, ebook coming out next week. Best of all, it’s going to be completely free. I’ve appreciated all the participation recently and wanted to say thanks.

I didn’t want to mention it on Tuesday because the details weren’t finalized, but now I can confirm it. Ramit Sethi and I will be conducting a live webcast on personal automation, for anyone who signs up for the bootcamp.

Speak with Ramit and Scott Live

Ramit and I use different strategies for automation, so he will cover his methods of using assistants and outside systems to save him time and money, and I’ll talk about habit automation so the important behaviors of your life don’t require self-discipline.

This is the first webcast I’ve done for the website, which means for almost all of you, this will be the first chance to chat with me live. I enjoy getting emails, but I’m hoping that this will allow Ramit and I to interact in a more personal way with some of the readers here. I have no idea when I’ll be doing another one of these, so if you’ve wanted to ask me questions, this is an opportunity you don’t want to miss.

However, as this offer is bundled with the bootcamp, it will expire Friday night. Sorry, I can’t make exceptions.

If you sign up for the bootcamp today (or have already signed up) you can forward me your receipt to get any ScottHYoung.com product of your choice for free (~$50 value). In addition, you will also be invited to an exclusive webcast where Ramit and I discuss personal automation strategies live and take your questions.

1. You can opt out of society and hide all your cash under your mattress.
2. Or, you can see the crisis as the kick in the ass you need to start taking action on your financial life.

Ramit Sethi is one of my personal idols. If you don’t already know and love Ramit, check out his wildly popular blog, or his New York Times’ bestselling book, I Will Teach You to Be Rich.

Ramit’s popularity in the realm of saving, investing and earning more money is well earned. He delivers commonsense, yet powerful, solutions, such as:

• How to negotiate your salary to earn thousands more per year, with little work.
• Where to invest your money (and why stock-pickers don’t have a clue).
• Spending money strategically to earn more money.
• Why cutting down on latte purchases doesn’t work, and how to focus on the big wins.
• How to create a credit history to save thousands on any future mortgage or loan.
• How to automate your income streams to earn more with less work.

Through his books and blog writing, Ramit has made an impact in my life. In addition to thinking strategically about my future financial life (which may be worth thousands in the years ahead), Ramit’s writing convinced me to organize my savings intelligently. Now I can earn hundreds of dollars risk-free when most banks are charging a fee just to give them your money.

I Will Teach You to Be Rich Bootcamp (Only Available for 3 Days!)

Ramit Sethi

Given my fanboy status for Ramit, when he asked me to partner with him to promote his upcoming bootcamp, I was excited. I knew that if the bootcamp was anything like his blog, books or videos, it would be a huge benefit to my readers. Ramit already has dozens of examples where readers have saved thousands in just 30-60 minutes of work by acting on a few of his suggestions.

This bootcamp is a six-week training program designed to help you take control of your financial life in a step-by-step process. It’s not an ebook you can download, skim through and forget the next day. It’s personal coaching that is for people who want to take action on their finances.

What Will You Learn in the Bootcamp?

Ramit isn’t about vague generalities. He isn’t going to tell you to “think rich” and sit back and smile at the mind-blowing advice he gave you. One of the reasons I love Ramit, is he is incredibly specific. Generalities make you feel good. Specifics change your life.

Here’s what different types of people can expect to achieve with the bootcamp:

• Twentysomethings – How to save and plan for specific life situations (getting married? buying a house or car?)
• Students – Handle student debt, set up financial systems before you enter the workforce.
• Entrepreneurs – How Ramit has started several companies, automated income streams, and guest speaking entrepreneurs answer any of your questions–live.
• In Debt? – How to escape your debt. Not only the technical answers, but also the psychological keys to overcoming debt.

Best of all, the bootcamp will bring like-minded people together. I believe the networking and peer-support benefits of the bootcamp could pay for the price alone.

Bootcamp Format (Why This Offer Will Expire Soon)

The bootcamp is conducted online, which means anyone from the world can participate. However, the bootcamp is run live, with Ramit and other entrepreneurs and experts providing live webcasts, emails and action steps. This means two things:

1. Sign-up for the bootcamp is only available until Friday.
2. The seating for the event is limited to 700 slots. Given the hundreds of thousands of people being made this same offer this week, I wouldn’t be surprised if they filled up before Friday.

The cost of the six-week program, with live webcasts and exclusive access to one of the best writers in personal finance is $199. You can sign up here.

Ramit has told me that, being his first bootcamp, this is strictly a testing price. Given that people who take action on this program can save thousands of dollars, $199 is incredibly cheap. The next bootcamp will probably be 3-5x as expensive.

Paying for Value

One of Ramit’s core ideas is that you don’t get rich by being cheap. Paying for value, where you invest in products and services that make you more money than their cost, is the difference between thinking entrepreneurially and penny-pinching.

I think this couldn’t be truer with this product. While the price isn’t expensive for the type of service offered, I can see why some readers here might be hesitant (isn’t $200 a lot of money?). But if a detailed course can help you earn or save thousands more within the next few years, even a price of $900 would be a good deal.

That being said, this product isn’t for passive types. Just by it’s design it forces you to take action on Ramit’s solutions for your financial life. But if you just want something to skim through and forget later, it won’t give you a return. Nothing can.

Sign Up Now, And Get My Products for Free

I believe in Ramit’s strategy and I’ve seen it work, both on myself and many others. As a result, I want to make the bootcamp even more attractive, so I’m going to offer anyone who signs up through this blog a special deal.

If you enroll in the bootcamp, and forward me your receipt, I will send you any product from ScottHYoung.com, completely free. That’s almost a $50 value I’m adding onto this product.

This offer includes all my books and audio programs: Think Outside the Cubicle; Learn More, Study Less; How to Change a Habit; and The Little Book of Productivity.

I’m actually worried that all the slots will be filled too quickly and some of my readers will miss out if they wait until Friday. Therefore, I’m expanding the offer: If you enroll in the program in the next 24 hours and email me your receipt I’ll not only send you the first product of your choice, but a second, completely free. That’s up to $90 in value for enrolling early.

30-Day Money-Back Guarantee

Ramit has also told me that the bootcamp comes with a 30-day period you can get a refund, no questions asked. He isn’t trying to scam you, to sell you watered-down moneymaking tips in a fancy package. We know this stuff works, so if you aren’t happy, you don’t pay.

Stop Reading, Start Taking Action

Ramit told me the initiating idea for this bootcamp was simple: too many people read blogs to feel good about themselves and accomplish nothing. But reading won’t make you more productive, happy or rich. You need to actually get up and do something. The bootcamp is a nice format because it makes people to stop reading and start taking action.

Sign up here. Send me your receipt and I’ll give you any product of your choice from this website. Sign up in before Wednesday and I’ll give you a second one, completely free.

How to Negotiate Like an Indian: How to Get an $8000 Salary Raise – Ramit is one of my favorite personal finance writers on the net. He epitomizes my belief of focusing on big wins, where you can take actions in precise areas of your life to have a huge impact. A couple hours carefully invested in the right area (such as salary negotiation) can make up for thousands of smaller wins.

From the Archives

Financial Freedom – One of my life goals is to earn/save enough money that I don’t need to work for money. Does that mean I don’t want to work? Of course not. I just want to decouple the money I need to live from the meaning I draw from my work. Material success can enable the pursuit of higher values.

Reader Question: What are Your Biggest Financial Concerns/Obstacles?

I have a special announcement coming out Tuesday related to finances/entrepreneurship/money. If you only check out the blog infrequently, I definitely suggest dropping by that day because the announcement will be time sensitive.

Before that, I’m curious to know what the readers here think about their personal finance situation? What do you feel are the biggest challenges you face with your financial success?

1. Saving more money.
2. Figuring out where to put the money once you’ve saved it. (Especially in economic times where many otherwise intelligent people are recommending cash-in-a-pillowcase as an investment strategy)
3. Earning more money. (either through part-time entrepreneurship or getting more from your job)
4. Avoiding student loans/debt.
5. Automating your finances so you don’t need to worry about them.
6. Entering (or re-entering) the job market, worrying about finding a position.

Please write your thoughts in the comments. I often only tackle monetary issues at an indirect angle (productivity, goal-setting, entrepreneurship) but I believe the important point is to be in control of your financial life so your energies can be devoted onto the things you care about.