Power of the Pen

By now, I’m guessing you’re aware of my belief in the power of the written word. I use writing to stay in-touch, to inform, to persuade. Whether it’s this Weekly Newsletter, the print Steward newsletter, our Advance 401(k) newsletter, the monthly Retirement Advisor Magazine Real Returns column I write, or the Suburban Press Beyond The Money column, I have a strong belief in the usefulness of writing often, and with purpose. In fact, one of my favorite quotes is from the late Jim Rohn, who shared, “Clear writing is a sign of clear thinking.” So imagine how proud I am of my oldest daughter, Anna, who just competed at the state level in a program called ‘Power of the Pen.’

During a Power of the Pen competition, qualifying students are given prompts on which to write. Sometimes it’s a word, other times it’s a phrase. They have a limited amount of time to craft their most creative and compelling story on that topic, and are judged critically by a panel. Those who excel, move on to the next level. For Anna to have made it to the state level of competition is no small feat.

I’m aware that writing is not everybody’s forte. Some people are wired for a type of genius that results in expertly-crafted kitchen cabinets, others fly planes, while some teach young children to read. So with this in mind, I want to celebrate mastery of all sorts. The pursuit of mastery in any discipline is a beautiful and delicate thing to behold. Countless setbacks, missteps, and small victories pave the way to the big milestones.

So whether you’re a lover of writing or not, I hope you’re okay with me celebrating Anna’s writing accomplishments. Who knows what she’ll do with her writing skills, only time will tell. Now that I think about it, maybe I can convince her take on some of my writing duties!

One more thing…

Before I bid you farewell for the weekend, I’d like to add that while we’ve been discussing other subjects as of late, we’re still keeping an eye on the markets. In fact, the stock market has been slowly restoring some of the losses it experienced earlier in the year and last year. While we’re still not back where we left off from the market’s peak, there is much to be thankful for in the way of modest recovery.

As is always the case, please let us know your questions, concerns, as well as your victory stories. Don’t let me be the only one to brag on my family, do the same by sharing your victories with us. Just reply to this email, and let me know your thoughts.

Have a great weekend, and enjoy the beautiful weather!

All the best,

Adam Cufr Signature