Joseph's "Just My Thoughts"

If you don’t know your identity, you also don’t recognize the power given to you, nor do you know when to use it. It is only because of who I am that I understand where I stand and what power I possess. Identity determines what I should do. If you don’t understand what to do, you don’t know when and what power to apply. Identity is not fixed; it develops or evolves according to circumstances and times. Therefore, identity is an attribute that one should constantly examine. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

A willingness to work less and play more is often reviled more than an attitude of passion and hard work. Implicitly, the stereotypes that “live passionately is cool” and “you must succeed as much as you try” are ingrained in our consciousness. However, this perspective overlooks another significant, less visible aspect: efficiency. The issue lies not in laziness but in settling for reality; instead, we should focus on making life more efficient to uncover the benefits of laziness, which has indeed changed the world in revolutionary ways. I am very interested in laziness. Revolutionary opportunities often lurk among lazy people. Nonetheless, that doesn’t mean I dislike hardworking individuals. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

People understand that a brand is established when it is named. However, a brand requires a named entity, and that entity must be cherished by consumers. This means there must be prior production, followed by a name. The essence of branding lies in manufacturing. Capital is necessary to produce goods that meet consumer needs. Individuals can create a brand simply by distributing products made by others, but they will eventually face limitations. Manufacturing capacity is crucial to branding, and most of the world’s renowned brands emerge from this productivity. Don’t confuse this with branding by merely assigning a name. They will soon find themselves in trouble if they mistakenly think they are branding without securing manufacturing capacity. Even if you don’t own a manufacturing facility, branding becomes simpler if you establish the ability and framework to control those facilities and raw materials. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

‘Capital’ means ‘Principal.’ What does ‘Principal’ mean in business? The ultimate goal of any business is to create wealth. Wealth serves as the foundation for creating value, and that value must be generated solely through production. To produce, the cost must be invested first; the source of that cost is referred to as ‘Principal.’ In other words, the result of a transaction through trading is ‘revenues,’ and if costs and expenses are subtracted from sales, what remains is ‘profit.’ If costs and expenses exceed revenues, it results in a losing trade; if they are lower, it results in a profitable trade. Therefore, principal serves as the benchmark for profitability; in other words, it is referred to as capital. Whether a business is good or bad is determined by its profitability. If the principal is insufficient, borrowing capital becomes necessary, which is termed “debt.” Just as the number of principals capable of producing tankers differs from those that can create bicycles, the si...

Most successful wealthy people consistently say that “wealth comes from the mind.” In a way, this notion seems like a luxury that only accomplished individuals can afford. However, it is true. The essence of money is merely a representation of the idea of credit. In other words, money is philosophical, and wealth is nothing more than the application of ideas. Wealth originates in the mind because it results from engaging with philosophies and ideas. Therefore, to achieve wealth, you must first learn to control your mind. Developing money-making skills follows next. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Recording and storing purposes include reloading, confirming, and recalling memories and data when needed later. There is nothing more foolish than when recording and storage become ends in themselves. The same applies to money. When frugality and saving become ends in themselves, the function of generating profit through investing money and creating surplus by spending turns into foolish storage that fails to achieve a positive function. Such a person will engage in activities that neither they nor others can benefit from. We should always examine whether the ends and means have been interchanged. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Power is often granted rather than generated. In other words, it derives from the consensual approval of others. The dilemma lies in whether to use the power conferred to the organization. If power is not utilized when it should be, it leads to neglect and a breach of trust. Conversely, if it is used when it should not be, it constitutes interference and violence. So, how do we distinguish between these situations? It should be exercised decisively when disagreements need resolution, when injustice or crime is anticipated or has occurred, or when harm is expected to be, or has been, inflicted on someone. In these instances, the use of power must be accompanied by accountability. Power should be deployed only if no one else is accountable for the choices and decisions made. Otherwise, it is better left to the organization’s discretion. Consequently, power, leadership, and benefits are healthy only when proportional to the level of responsibility. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

One of the misconceptions people have is that they believe they ‘buy (get)’ things with money. However, in reality, it is an exchange of money for goods. You might question whether these two concepts are similar, but there is a significant difference between them. In other words, it leads people to forget that money is also a ‘good’ whose value fluctuates based on the amount available in the market. This creates an overconfidence in money. In terms of value, money is only as valuable as its role and mission in exchange. If the role of food is to ‘eat,’ then the role and mission of money is that it is endowed with ‘the power to exchange anything.’ If money can’t be exchanged for food, can you eat money instead of food? The standard that allows goods to exchange roles and missions with each other is called ‘price.’ - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

If you don’t examine your mind occasionally, you may find yourself dominated by it. The issue is that our minds are far from perfect. The mind is not directed or influenced by your life; rather, it feels satisfied when it achieves a sense of balance. However, achieving balance doesn’t always equate to perfection. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

If someone lacks mental strength, they can’t keep anyone in their thoughts due to exhaustion. You can obtain mental strength by emptying your mind. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Cash serves as a universal means of payment for exchanging goods and services that everyone needs. For manufacturers to continue producing these goods and services, prices must be slightly higher than the market value of cash. This is because if the value of the goods or services produced falls below the cash, manufacturers or service providers will prefer to hold cash instead of producing these goods or services. Consequently, it is accurate to say that the value of cash is less than that of the goods or services. However, people desire cash because it functions as a means of payment endowed with “compulsory circulation power.” In other words, cash has no limits on the exchange of value and possesses the capacity to reward even human life. Due to its enforced value exchange by law, people consistently strive for cash, even if it holds less value than goods. Therefore, all economic indicators and expressions of wealth are converted into cash. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

If a planner becomes attached to the work they plan, it is easy to lose their objectivity. To be a planner, one needs to step back and view the work from a third-person perspective without getting caught up in the planning process. The cost of a project that has lost its objectivity is severe and leads to regrets. However, it is not too late to develop attachment after evaluating the planning results. Creators must work with attachment, but planners need to remain objective to maximize their chances of success. Adhesives are only useful when sticking different materials together; in other situations, nothing is more inconvenient than glue. In planning, attachment functions similarly. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Common means relatively few limits. Therefore, the common items should be inexpensive—for example, air. But just because it’s common doesn’t mean it lacks value. It simply signifies a lower price. Just because it’s almost free doesn’t mean it’s without merit. The sector a product belongs to affects the profitable connection between value and price. Daily necessities are inexpensive because they are common, but they hold significant value. If the imbalance between value and price exceeds the risks of an exchange opportunity, a profit is generated. If you capitalize on this opportunity and take a risk to purchase the imbalance, it is referred to as an investment. Opportunities always arise from imbalance. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Transactions are made at a price. The value must precede the price, and this value arises because of the limit. Everything in the world is finite. It’s frustrating and sad due to that limit, but it’s worth it in the end because you can’t do it anymore. As the limit approaches infinity, the value decreases, and the smaller the limit range, the greater the scarcity, which leads to a higher value. If there are hundreds of gold medals in one event at the Olympics, that gold medal loses its value. There is a high probability of finding value where there is a limit. Depending on one’s perspective, someone’s limitations can become opportunities. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Victoria’s Secret once created underwear worth 1.9 million USD, adorned with diamonds and jewels. Of course, wearing such underwear in real life is impractical and may not sell, but once Victoria’s Secret produces it, media outlets worldwide will promote this underwear. When considering the promotional impact, 1.9 million USD is not wasted as a publicity expense; the cash may be gone, but the jewelry-adorned underwear remains an asset, and brand promotion occurs globally, making it a genuinely profitable venture. Moreover, the existence of 1.9 million USD in underwear means that even if Victoria’s Secret products carry a higher price than competing brands, consumers may feel less price resistance. Spending money wisely is just as crucial as earning money. To understand the relationship between costs and assets, one must learn accounting. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Money is essentially the same, yet it creates different qualities in how it is used and transacted. In other words, the quality associated with money varies. Not all debts are created equal; there are good debts and bad debts. The quality of these debts can also be classified as good or bad, impacting sales and profits. This is similar to how paying the same amount for fruits can yield different results: one box might contain delicious fruit while another may hold tasteless ones. Thus, even when spending the same amount of money, the pleasure and satisfaction derived from the taste can vary significantly. When these differences accumulate, the utility value of money significantly affects wealth distribution, making the gap between wealth and poverty even more pronounced. Earning well, spending wisely, and borrowing judiciously greatly influence our happiness in life. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Human relationships can break down in an instant, but most are the result of long-term mistrust. Likewise, reliability is built over time. A single special trigger can initiate this breakdown, with all outcomes being a continuous accumulation of small factors. When you reflect on your relationship, you may identify a certain pattern by reconsidering what earned your partner’s trust and what let them down. That pattern reveals my true self exposed to the outside. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

In the animation “Finding Nemo,” the main character, Nemo, asks questions about the sea and where he lives. “What is the sea?” Hearing this, the dolphin puts Nemo on its back and jumps over the water to reveal her world. When you are in the sea, you do not know what the sea is. However, when you rise above the surface, you can see that the sea is a place where water gathers at a low level, and above it are air and land. She eventually realizes that she is also on the ground with water. If you want to understand the essence and grasp the reality, you must step out of the place you belong to for a while. Further development and reform can be expected. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

Understanding what one belongs to is knowledge derived from personal experience. In fact, the experiences of others can provide a more accurate understanding of your place in the world. A third-party perspective is crucial for problem-solving. The viewpoint and position of an outsider, rather than my own, enable me to comprehend my situation most objectively. A solution lacking objectivity is likely to lead to the repetition of problems and may render them unsolvable forever. When I ascend the mountain and gaze down at the town I live in, I notice things I’ve never seen before. Significant progress occurs when a third-party perspective is applied. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”

“This shampoo prevents hair loss,” and “Do your drains get clogged often? Change your shampoo!” Which of the two messages is better? Both messages appeal to the shampoo’s effectiveness in reducing hair loss, with the former addressing the person experiencing this issue, and the latter targeting all family members, including him. Depending on how one interprets the impact of preventing hair loss, the sales results can vary significantly. Some view it as maintaining a good appearance, while others see it as a matter of hygiene and convenience. Linking product benefits to public interest offers many advantages. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”