Time Confetti / What Is The Price You Are Willing To Pay

Good Morning Ladies and Gentlemen

“Prophets are best spoken to 10 years later.”

Willi Ritschard, member of the Swiss Federal Council between 1973 – 1983

Time Confetti

Time confetti (a term coined by Brigid Schulte, the director of the Better Life Lab at New America and formerly a staff writer for The Washington Post for nearly 17 years) is a phenomenon which amounts to little bits of seconds and minutes lost to unproductive multitasking. Each bit alone is good. Collectively, though, all that confetti adds to something more pernicious than you might expect.

What is the price you are willing to pay

What price are you willing to pay is one essential question for almost everything in life. There is mostly a trade-off or cost associated with things in many aspects of life. It means something else of value is foregone whenever a choice is made. In a broader sense, the concept of everything having a price can extend beyond monetary terms. It can touch upon life’s philosophical, ethical, or even personal aspects. For instance, success might require hard work, dedication, and sacrifices, which can be seen as the “price” for success. Therefore, the idea varies based on context. Sometimes, the “price” might be tangible, like money or effort, while in other cases, it could be more abstract, like the compromises or sacrifices we make in pursuit of specific goals or beliefs.

Your emails, our conversations

When I look at individual emails in my inbox and think about some of the conversations I have with investors from time to time, I often notice that some people want to maximise short-term profit without paying the corresponding price. Preferably the highest possible returns without the unpleasant side of volatility. Unfortunately, Ladies and Gentlemen, this is not possible. In a world of seemingly instant gratification, this may seem unpleasant, yet it is the truth. For our private clients, we are trying not to separate between different investment styles. Instead, we offer one mandate style, trying to stay focused on the mandate specifications. However, volatility is part of the price our private investors must accept to exploit the long-term compounding effects of the mandate’s positive returns.

The connection between time confetti and the theory that everything has its price

You know, Ladies and Gentlemen, there is a connection between “time confetti” and the concept that everything has its price. Time confetti refers to the fragmented and scattered nature of our time due to various small, often mundane tasks or interruptions that consume a significant portion of our day. In the context of everything having a price, time is a valuable resource with its own cost. When time gets fragmented into bits and pieces by various demands on our attention, it can feel like we are paying the price for our ability to focus, concentrate, and engage in deeper, more meaningful tasks or pursuits. This fragmentation of time can directly relate to the notion that everything has a price. The “price” in this case might be the loss of focus, decreased productivity, or reduced quality in the tasks we engage in because our time and attention are divided among numerous demands. When time feels fragmented or scattered, the cost might only sometimes be immediately evident, but over time, it can impact our overall effectiveness and well-being. Therefore, managing time effectively becomes essential to mitigate the “price” paid.

Conclusion

By staying focused on one mandate style for our private clients, we try to keep the adverse price of time confetti as low as possible. When I was a boy, my parents often told me I should do one thing well rather than many mediocre things. At the age of sixty, it still makes sense to me.

Your point of view

Ladies and Gentlemen, please share your opinion with me, but please remember (instead of hitting the reply button) to send your messages to: smk@incrementum.li.

Many thanks, indeed!

I wish you an excellent start to the day and a wonderful weekend!

Yours truly,

Stefan M. Kremeth
CEO & Head of Wealth Management
Incrementum AG – we love managing assets

Tel.: +423 237 26 60
Cell: +41 79 303 48 39
Im alten Riet 102
9494 Schaan/Liechtenstein
Mail: smk@incrementum.li