Big news! I am officially a CFA Charterholder!
To give you some context, the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA®) credential is the most respected designation in the investment management industry. The CFA Program focuses on the fundamentals of investment analysis, portfolio management, and wealth planning.
To earn the Charter, candidates must pass three exams, each lasting 4 and a half hours. Typically, people spend 6-9 months studying for each exam. Even then, the pass rates are frequently below 50% for each level. And this is among professionals who are already committed to a career in finance. So at the risk of tooting my own horn, earning the credential is a very big deal, and I wanted to share my excitement.
Now for some "book club" recommendations. I recommend listening to this interview between Patrick O'Shaughnessy and Aswath Damodaran. They talk about what changes when investing in a relatively inflationary environment, as opposed to the low and declining inflation environment we've had over the last 30 years. It's anyone's guess what the future holds for markets and the economy, but this podcast helped broaden my perspective on what the next 10-20 years might look like for markets.
Finally, I'd like to recommend the audiobook, "The Gap and The Gain" by Dr. Benjamin Hardy and Dan Sullivan. The basic idea is that your brain works better when measuring progress relative to where you were yesterday (The Gain), rather than where you want to be tomorrow (The Gap). Doing so improves your productivity, self-confidence, and even your happiness! If you're interested in learning more and applying this to your day-to-day life, I encourage you to check it out.
Enjoy!
Nicholas