#66: You know that rare moment when you meet someone with whom you connect *instantly*? I felt that way when I met Emma Pattee, the 26-year-old millionaire and mini-real-estate-mogul who joins me on today's episode. Emma and I share similar stories: we're both young female artists and entrepreneurs who figured out that wealth is a tool for creating the freedom that allows us to live on our own terms. We both hustled harder than words can describe, living and breathing our commitment to breaking free from the trading-time-for-money cycle. We refused to accept the defaults that were handed to us. We viewed our investments as a way to create a more sustainable, meaningful life. We rejected the limiting belief that a creative, meaningful life is somehow more 'pure' when it's lived in scarcity and deprivation. We embraced abundance. We asked "how can I create this?" We viewed every problem as inherently solve-able. We took responsibility for everything that crossed our paths. Most critically, we decided that we weren't going to let any excuses hold us back. We accepted radical responsibility for our own lives. We wouldn't allow ourselves to get trapped in a victim mindset, a comparison ("they-have-it-easier!") mindset, or an external-factors-are-holding-me-back mindset. I rarely meet people who have committed to the inner work of internalizing these lessons. Emma is one of those rare people. And that's why I'm excited to share our breakfast conversation with you. I hope you enjoy this episode. And to paraphrase Seth Godin, more importantly, I hope this episode spurs you to take action. Lots of love, Paula   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

#64: Your potential is unlimited. I realize that's the type of cliche that you normally find embossed in cursive script on the side of coffee mugs. It's trite and impersonal and overused. But it's also true. Your potential to earn and grow is limitless. But it's not free. You need to invest time and money into developing your potential. Your time and money are limited, though, and you could also choose to invest in market-based assets, like stocks, bonds or real estate. How do you make that decision? Are you going to invest in yourself? Or the market? Or both -- and in what proportion? How do you make these choices? When you're buying a few shares of a total stock market index fund, you have a generally clear idea of what you're getting. You've seen the historic returns. You can predict, to a reasonable degree, the consequences of that investment over a multi-decade span. But when you're investing in yourself -- e.g. learning a new skill, developing a side business, or taking a class -- you can't rely on the same formulas or models. There's no chart mapping the historic returns. Financial capital is easy to track. Human capital is harder to quantify -- but potentially more rewarding. Can you compare investing in assets vs. investing in yourself? How can you make a smarter decision about your own path? On today's podcast, I talk to Michael Kitces -- a financial planner, entrepreneur, and all-around smart guy -- about this million-dollar decision. Find more helpful information at http://affordanything.com/episode64   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices