Tony Robbins, an abundance of words

Money Master the Game

Tony Robbins, Money Master the Game. A big book on personal finance from a big hyperactive guy. A 600-page book that could have been 60 pages.

First Impressions

I first saw Robbins at TED. Schwarzenegger on fast-forward. That voice scared me.

Then Tim Ferriss interviewed him. The podcast promised simple rules for investing. I wanted those rules. I bought the book.

The Problem

The introduction is endless. Page after page of “I did this, I talked to that billionaire, I discovered this secret.” Full of himself.

Then I read he does this on purpose. The repetition, the long-windedness—it’s his method. To make things stick.

It does make the book readable. Lively, even. But it never stops.

The Good Parts

Strip away the self-promotion and repetition, and there’s solid advice:

Investment basics:

  • Avoid complicated products
  • Use cheap index funds
  • Diversify: domestic stocks, international stocks, real estate, treasuries

Savings hacks:

  • Save salary increases instead of spending them
  • Cut costs where it doesn’t hurt
  • Understand compound interest (10% annual growth doubles money in 7.2 years)

The secret Robbins drags you through multiple chapters is simple: diversify your portfolio. That’s it. Something you can learn in one paragraph.

The US Problem

Halfway through, the book becomes very American. 401(k) rules, US tax codes, American investment products. Useless if you’re not American.

I started skipping pages.

A sort of verdict

Robbins’ abundance of words is both the book’s strength and weakness. The repetition makes concepts stick. But information density is so low that reading becomes nauseating.

The math is basic. The advice is solid. The delivery is exhausting.

A 600-page book with 60 pages of content. We need a European version. But please, make it concise.

What I Learned (Despite the Word Count)

  1. Index funds beat actively managed funds – Lower costs, better returns
  2. Diversification works – Spread risk across asset classes
  3. Compound interest is powerful – Start early, be consistent
  4. Save increases, not income – Lifestyle inflation is the enemy
  5. Simple beats complex – The simplest investment strategy usually wins

The irony: Robbins’ book proves his own point backwards. More isn’t better. Less is.

You Kill It, We Grill It – everything I like about Seligman

I was searching for Martin Seligman, after watching his TED talk, but hit this site  from Seligman, Arizona.

I wanted to go there immediately. Fantastic, these all American images on that site. I imagine sitting on the porch of one of these houses, in a rocking chair. All according to the cliches. Cowboys shouting in the saloon next door.

Horses loosely attached to the fench rail.

Sporadically cars drive by, suspending large clouds of dust.

At least four reasons to stop at Seligman on your Route 66 road trip:

Everything I said. Well, that’s all.

  • The Roadkill Café – “You Kill It, We Grill It!”
  • Historic Route 66 General Store
  • Route 66 Motel – “All of our rooms are newly remodeled,including new mattresses to ensure maximum  sleep comfort”
  • The site’s visit counter is at 4951 last time I visited (July 2015).