• The Porsche Panamera Turbo carries a hefty price tag.
• The Cadillac CTS-V is essentially a Corvette Z06 with four doors.
• Can the awesome Caddy face down possibly the greatest sedan on Earth?
  
  

The Porsche Panamera is an incredible machine — so incredible that we named it Business Insider's 2017 Car of the Year.

The Panamera in Turbo trim is monumental: There's a stonking twin-turbocharged, 4.0-liter V8 under the hood, cranking out 550 horsepower. But behind that motor is a cabin of unparalleled luxury.

For those who want it all, the Panamera Turbo doesn't disappoint. But it will cost you more than $150,000. Face it: one doesn't get to be a Porsche owner without doing some damage to the bank account.

That's a rich sticker, but for about half the price you can get your hands on even more power. It won't be German power — it will be Detroit oomph. And it will have a Cadillac badge.

The CTS-V is probably my favorite high-performance four-door on Earth. If you like the Corvette Z06 and its 6.2-liter, 650-horsepower V8 widowmaker, the CTS-V has the same powerplant, just tuned down by 10 horses, to 640. You would be hard-pressed to notice the dropoff in power. In both the Caddy and Vette, you're getting some extreme performance at a cost that's sort of difficult to overlook.

So let's call this comparison a showdown between perhaps the greatest sedan in existence and the extreme value proposition. Read on to see who wins.

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The CTS-V in "Red Obsession." I enjoyed the vehicle immensely. Our test car cost over $90,000 and was very well-optioned. Base, the CTS-V is about $86,000.

Read the review »

The "V" cars are Caddy's answer to high-performance versions of European sports sedans: BMW's M Sports, Mercedes-AMGs, and the Audi RS. And, of course, dedicated high-end rides such as the Panamera.

It's tough to climb higher in the General Motors lineup than the CTS-V, however. With the Z06 and ZR1 'Vettes, you get mountains of power but no back seats, and the flagship CT6 Caddy doesn't yet come in V trim.

I will at this point acknowledge that one might not be cross-shopping a CTS-V and a Panamera Turbo. But then again, a lot of folks don't think they should cross-shop a Z06 and, say, a Ferrari 488. That doesn't mean they shouldn't.

I also more recently checked out the car in a fetching "Crystal White" paint job. It got some serious stares, but I still liked the CTS-V better in red.

The heart of the Caddy is the savage, 640-horsepower, supercharged V8 LT4 motor, which the CTS-V shares with the Corvette Z06.

This engine is sublime. For my money, it's better than the Porsche's 550-horsepower V8, but I tend to think that big V8s get along better with superchargers than turbochargers. (Both increase the compression of airflow headed in an engine's cylinders for combustion, but superchargers are powered by the motor, whereas turbos are spun by engine exhaust.)

The best part of driving a CTS-V, in many ways, is starting it up and hearing the gutsy roar and rumble. Because we're dealing with a luxury sedan, out on the road, the CTS-V isolated the driver and passengers from the exhaust note, but you can sure as heck feel those 640 horses doing their thing.

The eight-speed automatic has a manual mode, so you can use the paddles behind the steering wheel to shift your gears. The CTS-V also has various drive modes, including a ferocious "track" option. I found that skipping the paddles and going with "comfort" and "sport" modes were the best route.

"Driving the car is glorious," I wrote in 2016. "The Z06 requires constant attention ... The CTS-V, by contrast, is an insane beast when you want it to be, possessed of earth-splitting violence delivered via a 0-to-60 time of 3.6 seconds."

• Kick off 2019 the right way by making your life, work, and money more productive.
• We rounded up some of the best business and money books from 2018 to make 2019 your most productive year yet.
• They're filled with insights on how to make the most of your time, build habits, and find success at work, from creating a culture to leading the right way.

Make 2019 the year of productivity when it comes to life, work, and money. 

There's no shortage of books to help guide you through your most productive year yet. To help you get started, we rounded up some of the most popular books on Amazon in business and money published in 2018.

They're brimming with advice on how to utilize your time, focus on the things that matter, and build new habits. They're also full of secrets to success in business, from leading organizations and making the most of meetings to building a culture and overcoming obstacles — and how to scale up your business to be the next big thing.

Read more:The best business books of 2018

Because if you succeed in work and use your time effectively, your chances at building wealth will be more successful, too.

Kick off the year on the right note with these books.

SEE ALSO: 11 books to read in 2019 if you want to get rich

DON'T MISS: 13 unforgettable insights from a year reading about relationships, time management, and getting ahead at work

'Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones' by James Clear

From Amazon:"If you're having trouble changing your habits, the problem isn't you. The problem is your system. Bad habits repeat themselves again and again not because you don't want to change, but because you have the wrong system for change. You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems. Here, you'll get a proven system that can take you to new heights."

Find it here »

'The Formula: The Universal Laws of Success' by Albert-László Barabási

From Amazon:"Too often, accomplishment does not equal success. We did the work but didn't get the promotion; we played hard but weren't recognized; we had the idea but didn't get the credit. We convince ourselves that talent combined with a strong work ethic is the key to getting ahead, but also realize that combination often fails to yield results, without any deeper understanding as to why.

"Recognizing this striking disconnect, the author, along with a team of renowned researchers and some of the most advanced data-crunching systems on the planet, dedicated themselves to one goal: Uncovering that ever-elusive link between performance and success."

Find it here »

'Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts.' by Brené Brown

From Amazon:"Four-time #1 New York Times bestselling author Brené Brown has spent the past two decades studying the emotions and experiences that give meaning to our lives, and the past seven years working with transformative leaders and teams spanning the globe.

"She found that leaders in organizations ranging from small entrepreneurial startups and family-owned businesses to nonprofits, civic organizations, and Fortune 50 companies all ask the same question: How do you cultivate braver, more daring leaders, and how do you embed the value of courage in your culture?"

Find it here »

• Most people's New Year's resolutions are related to self-improvement.
• INSIDER surveyed more than 1,000 Americans about what they think President Donald Trump's New Year's resolutions should be for 2019.
• We discovered that many people want Trump to "tweet less" or simply "resign."

New Year's resolutions aren't easy to keep: 80% of our resolutions tend to fail by February. 

Still, with a fresh year on the horizon, it's tempting to fantasize about what we might do better in 2019.

Or perhaps what others might do better. 

To get a read on what Americans want from their president in the coming year, INSIDER — a sister publication of Business Insider — posed the following question to 1,037 people across the country:

What is a New Year's resolution you'd like President Donald Trump to make? ___________

Responses to our online fill-in-the-blank SurveyMonkey form ranged from some extremely vulgar answers that can't be printed here to some simple, supportive suggestions like "continue" (5.7%) or "build the wall" (2.8%). That seems to align with Trump's own plans for the new year, since he has pledged to keep the government shut down until a $5 billion southern border wall is funded. 

Read More: Most Americans would rather spend the $5 billion Trump is demanding for the border wall on infrastructure, education, or healthcare

Other survey responses focused on self-improvement ideas for Trump. But of the 1,037 people we surveyed, 213 suggested that the president should "resign" and leave office. That was by far the most popular response.

The second most popular answer was and "tweet less"— more than 10% of survey respondents suggested this. President Trump tweets, on average, more than five times a day, often disparaging the media as "fake news" or criticizing the government's Russia investigation. Over the last year, he's posted hundreds of comments on Twitter, even going so far as to brag that his "Nuclear Button" is bigger than North Korea's.

Below are the most common responses to our survey, from Americans of all political stripes. You may notice that a common theme seems to be a desire for Trump to improve the way he communicates. Whether encouraging him to tweet less, be kinder, be honest, or speak cautiously, people are clearly thinking about ways Trump could be a more thoughtful leader in the new year.

Some less frequent survey responses — which still garnered more than a handful of supporters — included suggestions that Trump "respect others,""work for other Americans," and "improve US." Other answers, as we said, were too vulgar to include in this chart.

Fewer than 1% of respondents gave Trump a traditional New Year's resolution: 0.7% thought that he should lose weight and exercise more in the new year.

SurveyMonkey Audience polls from a national sample balanced by census data of age and gender. Respondents are incentivized to complete surveys through charitable contributions. Generally speaking, digital polling tends to skew toward people with access to the internet. SurveyMonkey Audience doesn't try to weight its sample based on race or income. Total 1,037 respondents polled November 23-24, 2018, margin of error plus or minus 3.15 percentage points with 95% confidence level.

SEE ALSO: A Yale psychologist's simple thought experiment temporarily turned conservatives into liberals

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Barbara Corcoran on Donald Trump: 'He is the best salesman I've ever met in my life'

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• The easy organizational fix for all the products cluttering my bathroom costs less than $20 and is sold on Amazon by an unknown brand. 
• The Orimade Bathroom Shelf ($18) is a simple and strong stainless steel shelf that adheres to the wall with no tools or additional hardware and can hold a good amount of weight. 
• If you want an organization solution that's effective and requires very little effort on your part, look no further than this affordable and versatile shelf. 

The result of 1) a job that requires taking home and reviewing various products and 2) a typical New York City apartment design where countertop and living space is half the size it should be, is unsurprisingly, a very cluttered bathroom. 

After one last foolish attempt at playing the delicate game of product Tetris, I knew I had to do something about this unorganized lifestyle and looked to Amazon for inspiration. When I buy for my home, I like splurging on good-looking kitchenware or houseplants, but take on a more utilitarian approach when looking for organization and storage products, whether they're for my closet or for my kitchen. 

Wanting something cheap, simply designed, and durable, I found my match in this $18 bathroom shelf by Orimade.

A big factor that drew me to it was the description of easy, tool-free installation. These magical words have previously led me to finds like the $100 Zinus platform bed frame and will continue to be my guiding light as long as I remain a lazy and impatient nomad wandering between short-term lease commitments. 

The stainless steel shelf measures 15.8 x 4.2 x 2.4 inches and attaches securely to the wall with adhesives, so you won't damage the walls. However, the damage-free promise only applies to smooth, hard surfaces like ceramic tile, flat marble, and plank. If you stick it to wallpaper or a painted wall, it will take paint off when you remove it. 

The instructions to install the shelf were easy to follow: clean the wall surface, apply one adhesive (both have two sets of hooks to hold the shelf), measure the appropriate distance with the included ruler, apply the second adhesive, then snap the shelf into the grooves of the hooks. I waited 24 hours before placing my products on, as suggested by the manufacturer instructions, but other online reviewers didn't wait and the shelf appeared to hold up well anyway. 

The shelf was an instant fix to my bathroom clutter. Nearly all the skincare and personal care products I use on a daily basis — the creams, gels, toner, lotion, contact lens solution, toothpaste, retainer, and more — currently sit on it and it hasn't budged in the last two months of use, even after I've bumped into it a few times. It's as simple of a look as a shelf can go, which is an advantage if you're looking for a versatile style. 

If you need to free up space in your bathroom, or even your kitchen, the shelf is the perfect solution and makes efficient use of wall areas that would otherwise go to waste. I have it next to my sink as my personal morning and night routine station, but it's water-proof and also works well to hold your bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash in the shower. It only costs $18, and for an extra $2, you can get the version with an adjustable, attached towel bar. When it comes time to remove the shelf, all you need to do is direct a hot hair dryer at the adhesive to peel it off. 

Buying stuff off Amazon can be hit-or-miss when the product is suspiciously cheap or is made by a brand no one has ever heard of, but I'm glad I trusted the existing reviews and bought the Orimade shelf for my bathroom organization dilemma. Upon seeing how quickly and easily the shelf made a difference, my roommate bought one for all her products, too, and our apartment is looking better than ever. 

Shop the Orimade Bathroom Shelf, $17.99, available at Amazon

Join the conversation about this story »

• Educational attainment varies across the country.
• Using data from the Census Bureau, we found the town in every state with the biggest share of adults with at least a bachelor's degree.

Different places have different levels of educational attainment.

The American Community Survey is an annual survey run by the Census Bureau to allow the government, corporate and academic researchers, and anyone who is curious about demographics to better understand the population of the US Among many other subjects, the ACS includes questions about respondents' education levels.

Read more: All 50 states and Washington DC, ranked from least to most average

Using the 2012-2017 ACS estimates for places with at least 1,000 population, Business Insider made a map showing, for each state, the town with the highest percentage of adults over 25 who have at least a bachelor's degree.

Some of the places were college and university campuses, and we excluded those from our analysis, instead focusing on incorporated towns and cities and unincorporated Census-designated areas.

Several wealthy suburban and exurban enclaves appear on the list, like Scarsdale, New York and Chevy Chase, Maryland.

• Read more about demographics and economics in the US:
• The minimum wage is set to increase in 21 states and DC in 2019 — here's what it will be in every state
• The most and least expensive places to live in America
• The most disproportionately high-paying job in every state
• Here's how many people in each state were born outside the US

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Barbara Corcoran on Donald Trump: 'He is the best salesman I've ever met in my life'

• Reading isn't just good for learning something new — it's also excellent for your brain function.
• Dr. Mark McLaughlin, a neurosurgeon, says that reading books (outside of medicine and school) transformed his life.
• He says not only does it help you learn how to navigate specific circumstances in a better way, but it also helps the brain's connectivity.
• Various studies have found reading can improve parts of the brain related to language and empathy.

As I was about to start my own practice as a neurosurgeon, I experienced a transformative moment.

It didn't happen in the OR during a challenging surgery. It happened in a quiet room at home, under the glow of a single lamp.

I started reading books.

As a kid, and even as a young adult in medical school, I rarely read books other than those required for my studies. I didn't have the patience. Non-medical reading seemed like a waste of time.

My perspective changed in my mid-30s, when I was starting Princeton Brain and Spine Care. Med school didn't prepare a doc to run a small business, so I had to get up to speed fast. I immersed myself in volumes on management, planning, human resources, accounting, and leadership.

My breakthrough book was "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. Then I dove into Malcolm Gladwell's "The Tipping Point," which I consider one of the greatest marketing books ever. As I continued consuming volumes on business, I branched out into biographies and fiction. I had finally broken free of the limitations of reading for a specific need.

Before long, I realized that books were doing more for me than just instilling knowledge in my brain — they were also improving my communication skills. I became a more attentive listener in meetings with patients and business associates, and more articulate and insightful in my responses.

Of course, being a brain guy, I wanted to know how reading books impacted me on a neural level. Clearly, it was affecting my overall thought processes — but perhaps also my brain anatomy.

Research on the topic has confirmed this: Reading actually changes the wiring of the brain.

Advances in scanning technology have enabled us to see how reading affects areas of the brain associated with communication. In a 2013 study done at my alma mater Emory University, student volunteers were instructed to read sections of a novel ("Pompeii," a 2003 thriller based on the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in ancient times) for nine consecutive nights. MRIs taken the morning after revealed an increase in connectivity in the left temporal cortex, an area of the brain associated with receptivity for language.

What's most interesting is that this strengthened language processing was evident even though the subjects weren't reading at the time of the scan. According to Gregory Berns, the neuroscientist who led the study, this increased connectivity was "almost like a muscle memory." Imagine how strong these connections become if you read every night!

Another MRI analysis by Raymond Mar, a psychologist at York University in Canada, revealed a significant overlap in brain networks that comprehend stories and those involved in trying to understand the thoughts and feelings of others — the basis of empathy.

Reading fictional stories apparently makes us better at dealing with real-life people, especially in challenging encounters.

I have recognized this benefit in my own life, both in the hospital and in my business dealings. It's critical for me to handle encounters with patients and their families with tact and understanding. One day I may need to gently persuade an ambivalent patient to undergo an essential operation. On another day, I may have to console parents over the loss of a loved one.

Immersing myself in the lives of various characters on the printed page has enhanced my ability to "read" real people in challenging scenarios.

Reading on a regular basis has also better equipped me to get colleagues on my side when I need their cooperation and support. In fact, it has enriched all of my social encounters — in business, in coaching wrestling, and with my own family.

I've come a long way from reading books to become more informed. I clearly see how reading helps me navigate situations that have nothing to do with the topics I've read about.

It's cross-training for the brain. And excellent training for life.

Being a bibliophile has also helped me better train and engage my employees. For example, I give out copies of "Do No Harm: Stories of Life, Death, and Brain Surgery" by Henry Marsh to my staff and encourage discourse about it at office meetings. It's filled with inspiring stories relevant to a surgeon's work and gives my employees a better perspective of what it's like to be a doctor and a patient.

My greatest hope is that my gift of books will land in the hands of people like me: latecomers to serious reading who are grateful to have discovered the wonders of literature.

When they catch the wave of words, they may be amazed at what exciting new shores they land on. As Walt Disney once said, "There's more treasure in books than in all the pirate's loot on Treasure Island."

Dr. Mark McLaughlin, M.D., practices neurological surgery at Princeton Brain and Spine Care and believes that we can all apply the core principles behind brain surgery to our daily lives. His mission is to use the lessons he has learned from his career to help others manage stressful situations and engage with problem-solving.

SEE ALSO: I'm a neurosurgeon, and the best morning routine I've found only consists of 3 simple steps

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Barbara Corcoran on Donald Trump: 'He is the best salesman I've ever met in my life'

• Luxury watches and private yachts are obvious status symbols, but there are so many other subtle, and in some cases, particularly odd, ways to flaunt wealth.
• In some US cities, you may be able to decipher a person's social position by the size of their family, the animals in their backyard, and even how many digits are on their license plate.

People have found obscure ways to flaunt their social position for centuries.

Before sports cars and luxury gym memberships came along, Americans demonstrated their wealth by snapping selfies, although not the kind we take today. Shortly after the X-ray was invented in 1895, the rich couldn't wait to snag a radiographic machine of their own. They would snap photos of their jewelry-clad bones with at-home X-ray machines they scored from the black market.

And while the days of smuggling X-ray machines are long gone, Americans now try to impress each other in different ways: by always having the newest iPhone, wearing the most expensive watch, or exclusively sporting Lululemon to spin class. But more unexpected status symbols abound in the US.

Here are seven ways Americans around the country show their social status:

SEE ALSO: The top 10 most expensive watches sold by Christie's in 2018, ranked

Silicon Valley: Urban chickens

Not all status symbols are glamorous. Take, for instance, Silicon Valley's latest hipster trend. According to The Washington Post, tech industry leaders have started housing chickens in their backyards.

While keeping livestock has historically been the thriftiest way of putting food on the table, these egg-laying hens are fed gourmet meals and sometimes even sport diapers around the house.

Chicago: Canada Goose coats

One fail-proof way to show people that you have money is to wear extreme, expedition-ready outerwear in the city. It's a widespread phenomenon, but Chicagoans are partial to the notoriously expensive brand Canada Goose, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Sure, the Windy City can feel like the Arctic Tundra sometimes, but could its finicky climate possibly warrant wearing a $1,000 parka suited for Antarctica? Probably not.

Los Angeles: The costs of Scientology courses

If you've seen or heard of Leah Remini's docuseries "Scientology and the Aftermath," then you're familiar with the controversies of the religion that Tom Cruise and John Travolta follow. According to Remini's series, Scientology is not only a secretive religion, but also an expensive one.

The courses, books, and therapy required to join the church allegedly cost thousands, which only the rich and famous can afford, according to the series. It's no surprise why Los Angeles, with its affluent stars, has been called the "Scientology Capital of the World."

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Welcoming in the new year usually comes with a load of ambitious New Year's resolutions. One resolution that comes up often is to read more books. If this happens to be one of your goals for the new year, you can start right now — all you have to do is pick up a book.

If you're not sure just which book to begin 2019 with, check out Amazon's Best Books of the Month section. You'll find a selection of the best new releases handpicked by Amazon's editors. This month, you'll find "Maid" by Stephanie Land, the spotlight pick, along with nine other unique titles. One is sure to kick-start your desire to read more. 

If you're looking to start off 2019 with a great book, check out this list to see what Amazon's editors are loving right now. 

Captions have been provided by Erin Kodicek, editor of books and Kindle at Amazon.com.

SEE ALSO: This is the best book of 2018, according to tens of thousands of avid readers

"Maid" by Stephanie Land

Stephanie Land’s aspirations to go to college and become a writer were derailed by an unplanned pregnancy. In "Maid", she describes the struggle to keep her American dream alive.

Buy it here >>

"Sugar Run" by Mesha Maren

Debut author Mesha Maren’s ability to engender compassion in deeply flawed characters shines in this Southern noir about a parolee who tries to rebuild her life, but is stymied by her past and terrible taste in romantic partners.

Buy it here >>

"The Current" by Tim Johnston

When a car is pulled from the Black Root River, only one occupant makes it out alive. The incident mirrors one from a decade prior, so this no accident, and the further the surviving woman delves into the mystery, the more imperiled her life becomes.

Buy it here >>

This is a preview of the Global Payments Landscape report from Business Insider Intelligence. Current subscribers can read the report  here.

• Noncash payments are on the rise worldwide.
• As new players emerge to capitalize on consumer appetite for digital payment methods, three mature markets — the UK, Australia, and Sweden — have become standouts for what a more cashless society could look like.
• The UK, Australia, and Sweden are transitioning to digital particularly well, and can serve as a roadmap for other mature markets seeking to overcome the legacy channel of cash.

Noncash payments have been gaining popularity around the world for the last decade. And though cash isn’t anywhere near dead, its global growth is slowing as consumers turn to emerging cashless alternatives.

But there are a few key markets - Australia, Sweden, and the UK - where annual noncash payments have already surpassed traditional cash transactions altogether — and they’re stong early indicators of what a truly cashless society could look like.

Why are digital payments on the rise?

The growing adoption of noncash payments is a direct result of the rise of e-commerce, but that’s not the only factor. Consumers today are adaptable to disruptive technologies and are generally open to trying new types of digital payment methods.

This consumer appetite is compounded by their access to infrastructure, as well as the emergence of government-backed initiatives, such as real-time transfers and the backing of electronic currencies, that make digital payments more enticing to both consumers and merchants.

How are Australia, Sweden, and the UK driving the world towards cashless payments?

Australia, Sweden, and the UK are emblematic of opportunities for payments players to lead the world away from cash. The Global Payments Landscape from Business Insider Intelligence, Business Insider’s premium research service, provides a snapshot of the payments industry in each of these three markets.

The report shows that several leading payments players have already emerged or are dominant within each of these regions — and they’re finding success in different ways. For other mature markets seeking to overcome the legacy channel of cash, the digital transformations of Australia, Sweden, and the UK can serve as a roadmap.

Here are the strategies these regions are implementing in the race to become the world’s first cashless society:

• Australia is launching government initiatives and instating new regulations. The Australian government has banned purchases over AU$10,000 ($7,500) from being made in cash, as well as launched the New Payments Platform (NPP) to allow real-time funds transfer as a means of replacing transactions typically made in cash, such as paying back a friend.
• In Sweden, consumers are rapidly abandoning cash in favor of cards. In fact, only 2% of the total value of transactions in Sweden consist of cash — a figure that’s expected to decline to less than half a percent by 2020.
• Contactless payments are leading the shift away from cash in the UK. Nearly the entire population has a debit card, and debit card transactions surpassed cash payments for the first time at the end of 2017. This milestone was largely fueled by the surge in contactless cards, which grew 97% annually last year to hit 5.6 billion transactions.

Want to Learn More?

The Global Payments Landscape from Business Insider Intelligence compiles various payments snapshots, together illustrating how digital payment methods are supplementing or replacing cash in each market.

Each snapshot provides an overview of the payments industry in a particular country, and details the evolution of its development. They also highlight notable payments players in each region and discuss the opportunities and challenges that players are facing in their respective markets.

Join the conversation about this story »

• Not everyone is suited to owning a business– and that's OK.
• Some people don't have an entrepreneurial mindset, and there are clear signs that you're not ready to start a company, according to Uptima Business Bootcamp cofounder Rani Langer-Croager.
• There are also some practical matters you should have in order, particularly your finances.

Despite the entrepreneurial hype of the Silicon Valley era, not everyone is suited to owning a business— and that's OK.

"Starting and growing a business takes a lot of energy. It's very risky,"Rani Langer-Croager, the cofounder of Uptima Business Bootcamp, told Business Insider.

There's no shame if you are happier as an employee, as some people don't have an entrepreneurial mindset. Though you can develop entrepreneurial traits, your business would need to be something "that you can't not do," according to Langer-Croager.

From issues of risk appetite to matters of personal finance, Langer-Croager shared eight signs you might want to keep your day job, at least for now.

SEE ALSO: 8 things that could increase your chances of being audited, and how to avoid them

1. You have a low appetite for risk

Here's the harsh reality of starting a business: around 70% of startups are no longer in business by year 10, according to Fundera.

Even if your product or service is fantastic, there are a host of snags you can hit, from running out of money to running out of steam. To deal with this risk, "every entrepreneur should go into this with their own timeline" for when they expect the business to turn a profit — and pay its founder a salary.

This timeline should be "tied to their own financial wellbeing," Langer-Croager said. In other words, figure out how long you can afford to allow your business to grow without getting something back from it, knowing that there's a chance your startup might never turn a profit. She said that doing so "makes managing that risk a little easier." 

2. You have a "scarcity mindset"

"People who are in a scarcity mindset think there aren't enough opportunities or resources for them," Langer-Croager said. This can result in a sense of desperation that can lead you to pursue avenues that hurt your business, rather than holding out for better opportunities. This is a pitfall even for seasoned business owners during down times, she said.

"Working on your own relationship with money and knowing that relationship might be deep-rooted" may be necessary to remove this obstacle to becoming your own boss, according to Langer-Croager.

3. You need a quick profit

Small Business Trends reported only 40% of startups actually turn a profit and 82% of small business failures are tied to cash-flow problems.

It can take years for your business to become profitable enough to pay yourself a living wage, Langer-Croager noted. "If you're trying to make cash quickly, you're going to put a lot of pressure on the business that's not going to allow it to grow the way it needs to grow," she said.

• Making friends as an adult can be difficult.
• As we get older, life changes can affect existing friendships, and adulthood can make forging new ones harder than it was in adolescence.
• But it is possible to make new friends in adulthood with a few simple steps.
• It's a process that requires repetition, disclosure, and some initiative on your behalf.

It's akin to how salmon feel when swimming upstream. Trying to keep in touch with your buddies post-college, much less forging new friendships, is difficult, exhausting, and sometimes futile.

But it's not just you.

An analysis of a whopping 177,000 people found that friend groups expand until about age 25, after which they shrink like a sweater in the dryer. Additionally, a national survey conducted in 1985 found the most commonly reported number of confidants was three. Fast-forward several decades, and that number has dwindled to zero. That's right, zero.

Whether as a result of parenthood, divorce, moving to a new city, or simply focusing on family and career, having to make new friends doesn't end on the playground. It is a task and a skill that we revisit time and time again throughout life.

When it comes to making friends, semantics reveal an important detail: We make friends. Making a friend isn't luck or chance: It's a process, which is actually good news. You don't have to wait for the stars to align; instead, with three factors — repetition, disclosure, and some initiative — we can give the stars a nudge.

1. Be a regular

There's a prevailing sense that having shared interests — a love of bocce, Democratic politics, or Argentine tango —  precedes a friendship. And while a mutual love of David Lynch films can't hurt, the true magic ingredient is considerably less sexy than shared interests: repetition.

To have the best shot at friendship, we have to interact with the same person again and again. One study illustrated this fact perfectly: 44 state police trainees, when asked to name their closest friends, chose those who fell next to them in alphabetical order of seating.

Another classic study of friends in a university apartment building found that the most popular individuals were simply those who lived in the most highly-trafficked areas: the foot of the stairwells.

Therefore, think about how to see the same people on a regular basis. Rule out drop-ins, like one-time meetups or special events, and look for  activities where the same core people show up every day or every week, like going to the the local dog park, choral group practice, Thursday night running group, or anywhere you can be a "regular."

The bottom line? Keep showing up. Commit to any new activity for at least a few months. Conventional wisdom holds that six to eight  conversations — beyond "Hey, how's it going?"— are necessary before people consider us a friend.

2. Talk about yourself 

For the shy among us, answering questions that come with meeting new people can be torture: 'And what do you do for work? Where are you from? What brought you to this city?'

But it can be just as  frustrating for our conversation partner to have to interrogate us.

Therefore, experiment with sharing the details of your life and inner workings more freely. If you're shy or socially anxious, experiment with initiating and offering more than usual.

This might feel wrong, as if you're talking too much, being annoying, or making it about you, but if you're known for being reticent, give yourself permission to stretch and grow. Research shows what draws others in is disclosure, specifically that which is "sustained, escalating, reciprocal, and personalistic."

Whether you're an introvert, extrovert, or anywhere in between, telling someone the details of your life sparks them to share with you, which in turn brings you closer.

Even the most banal small talk can be made personal. Talking about traffic can be a disclosure: "I prefer to ride my bike because it's so much faster, but I draw the line when it's raining like this.""Traffic was horrible, but '2 Dope Queens' got me through as usual.""The construction on Broadway is nuts — I could barely get to my favorite donut place." You're still talking about traffic, but you've also laid the groundwork of conversation by giving them a topic or two to riff off.

3. Be the conversation starter

It's not your imagination that people seem busy and noncommittal when it comes to making new friends. But as long as you get some basic friendliness (no grunting and staring at their phone when you say hello), try this mindset: Assume that they like you, and act in kind.

Unapologetically brighten when you see them. Share a little bit of your life. Don't wait for them to initiate the "hello," or suggest trying the new ramen place — be the reason the conversation starts.

In my experience as a clinical psychologist, pretty much everyone is secretly scared of getting rejected. So initiate. They'll be relieved and you'll be on your way to those six-to-eight conversations.

There's no doubt about it: It's tough to cut through the busyness and ambivalence of life to meet new friend after we've tossed our mortarboards. But don't despair: the stardust that is potential friendship is all around us. Interaction by interaction, disclosure by disclosure, initiation by initiation, we really can, as the Girl Scout song reminds us, make new friends.

Ellen Hendriksen, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, award-winning host of the Savvy Psychologist podcast, and author of How to Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety. Follow her @ellenhendriksen.

SEE ALSO: A clinical psychologist shares the simple strategy she gives her clients to help them get better at public speaking

DON'T MISS: 4 ways to make small talk without seeming awkward or boring

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NOW WATCH: Barbara Corcoran on Donald Trump: 'He is the best salesman I've ever met in my life'

• The past year had a lot of breathtaking sports to offer.
• Between the Winter Olympics, the World Cup, and thrilling NBA and NFL seasons, it was quite a year for sports and sports photography.
• Whether capturing an important moment or simply a moment of beauty, great sports photography gives us a new perspective on athletes we love to watch.

The past year was a great one for sports.

Things started with a bang, with an epic Super Bowl and an enthralling Winter Olympics. From there, we journeyed through the NBA playoffs, and the summer brought us World Cup we'll never forget.

After spending the dog days of summer watching baseball, football season was back before we could blink. With it came historically high-powered offenses and a brand new slate of rookies ready to change the league.

Through it all, some of the best photographers alive were there to cover it and produce some astounding images. 

Take a look below at some of the best sports photographs of 2018.

Rory McIlroy finds himself in a predicament amongst Augusta National's iconic foliage during the third round of the Masters.

Read more:The 55 best photos from the 2018 Masters

Boxer Paddy Barnes makes his way to the ring.

The Philadelphia Eagles walk out on to the field prior to their NFC Championship game against the Minnesota Vikings.

• Morning routines can be hard to develop, but having one can set you up for a productive day and successful life.
• Neurosurgeon Mark McLaughlin shares the three-step morning routine he follows to set up the rest of his day for success.
• He calls it his "triple threat": meditation, filing, and planning.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed when juggling career and work demands, family time, relationships, and other obligations.

If you feel like you're constantly playing catch-up with no time to achieve personal or professional fulfillment, it's possible to turn it all around by changing one thing about your day: your morning routine.

There's a reason successful people tend to beearly risers— think Tim Cook or Oprah. The quiet early morning hours are a key time for focusing on a set of routines that start your day off right, before the rest of the world wakes up and has the potential to throw you off course.

If your morning routine isn't designed to maximize productivity, then you're missing an opportunity to boost your performance in both life and business.

As a busy neurosurgeon, wrestling coach, author, speaker, and dad, my morning routine is the secret to my success. It consists of only three simple steps that set the rest of my day up for productivity — I call it my triple threat:

1. Meditating

I awake each day at 5:00 a.m. and meditate for 10 minutes, without fail. This is anon-negotiable self-care aspect of my day, which is why it comes before everything else.

I was fortunate to learn transcendental meditation — which involves silently reciting a mantra over and over — from instructors John Hanlon and Dean Sluyter, who's author of severaloutstanding books and audio meditations, at the Pingry School back in 1980. However, over the years, my technique has changed to natural meditation— which does not require the use of a mantra. It is more centered on quiet inactivity.

Meditation — or mindfulness practices — can help reduce your stress levels and avoid burnout, improve your mental health and well-being, boost your creativity levels, enhance your capacity for empathy, improve sleep and so much more.

Try at least 10 minutes of meditation to start your day and discover what it enhances in your life.

2. Filing

This sounds like a real 180-degree turn, right? Going from relaxing and focus-enhancing meditation to…filing? Hear me out.

I've created a personal file system labeled for each day of the month, and every day has one task in that file. When something pops up during my day that's not urgent, I file it away in this system and don't think about it again until its designated day. For example, I might wake up one morning, check my file, and see that today's task is to write a thank-you note to a friend. I can check this off my list and move on with my day.

Create a similar daily filing system for yourself to remove the stress of all of the little "to-dos" that can easily pile up and overwhelm you.

3. Planning

Starting your day without a set plan is like running a race with no idea of the route or destination: You might get there eventually, but you're going to be stressed, exhausted, and certainly lagging behind everyone else.

That's why the third element to my "triple threat" morning routine is consulting my day planner and making a list of everything I need to get done that day before it all has a chance of going sideways. Though most things have gone digital these days, I personally use a classic paperFranklin planner. There arebenefits to keeping a paper day planner, including increased mindfulness and memory retention.

Mapping out your day before it begins each morning doesn't mean it won't go off course, but it will help keep you focused on your goals and give you a better shot of actually achieving them.

Lastly, try different morning routines until you land on one that works for you. While it doesn't have to be complicated, it does need to be intentional and tailored to your needs in order to help you have a more productive, successful day.

Dr. Mark McLaughlin, MD, practices neurological surgery at Princeton Brain and Spine Care and believes that we can all use the core principles behind brain surgery and apply them to our daily lives. His mission is to utilize the lessons he has learned from his career to help others manage stressful situations and engage with problem-solving.

SEE ALSO: I got up an hour earlier for 2 weeks — and it completely changed the course of my days

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NOW WATCH: Barbara Corcoran on Donald Trump: 'He is the best salesman I've ever met in my life'

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

• ClassPass is offering a free month-long trial— double their standard trial period offer.
• With the trial, you can go to up to six boutique fitness classes in January for $0. 
• It's the perfect way to jump-start that New Year's resolution.
• Find out how ClassPass works below.

ClassPass is a relatively inexpensive way to drop into boutique fitness classes in your area without any commitment or membership. You pay a monthly ClassPass fee and get credits, and you use those credits to sign up online for classes that pique your interest: boxing, yoga, cycling, weight training, martial arts, pilates, and a seemingly never-ending list of others.

And, since budget-friendly options can often mean second-rate options, it’s nice to know ClassPass typically features top-tier studios, including a majority of the fitness classes you’ve likely heard of or have actually been meaning to try.

Right now, ClassPass is offering a free month-long trial for the new year.

Their standard offer is typically two weeks. You can take up to six classes during your free month, and you can cancel your membership whenever. If you don’t cancel, though, you’ll be auto-enrolled in a monthly membership.

Here’s how ClassPass typically works:

1. After your free trial, you pay a monthly membership fee that’s based on your city and how many classes you want to take each month. For reference, the lowest tier membership starts at $15, though you should expect to pay something closer to $59 (the rate in cities like Minneapolis) to $79 (the rate in New York City) per month for five to eight classes. That works out to be about $7-$12 per class in Minneapolis or $10-$16 in New York.
2. Use the app or online site to book yourself in one of the thousands of participating fitness classes in your area. Every class has a different credit value, and you can book in advance or last-minute—even up to five minutes before it starts when you use the mobile app.
3. Add more credits anytime if you use yours up.

The perks are plentiful. You pay as much as 50% less per month for multiple specialized fitness classes (for comparison, a single class can normally run for $30), you can get class recommendations and read reviews so you know what’s good before you try it, and you can stream workouts from home if you’re not up to leaving the house. You don’t have to buy class packs or commit to a membership that penalizes you if you decide in February that you’re really not interested in getting into fitness in 2019.

Plus, the versatility means working out can actually be fun and engaging — and you can rope friends into trying out new classes with you, in the hopes that you’ll discover you actually love something like martial arts but just never knew it. And if you’re traveling, you can switch your account location and use ClassPass wherever you are (given you're in one of the 80 participating cities). 

The risks you run, depending on the city, are popular classes booking up quickly, falling in love with a high-credit class, needing to buy more credits because you exercised too much that month (is this really a bad thing, though?), or paying for a month and never using the credits. If you end the month with a bunch of unused credits, you can use them on the considerably higher credit spa treatments ClassPass also offers. Otherwise, up to 10 credits roll over each month. And if you love a workout spot that isn’t listed, submit it as a recommendation to ClassPass.

You can go to most studios an unlimited times per month (or per “cycle”), though it’s possible more credits will be charged if you go often, in which case you’ll see a message explaining the change.

Overall, ClassPass is ideal for relatively inexpensive access to variety and top fitness classes. But, with a month to try it, you don’t have much to lose. If you’re thinking about trying it, now is a good time. 

Sign up for your free month-long trial of ClassPass here

SEE ALSO: 90+ of the best end-of-year sales on the internet — from big-box retailers to your favorite small startups

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This is a preview of a research report from BI Intelligence, Business Insider's premium research service. To learn more about BI Intelligence, click here.

Social media is becoming increasingly influential in shoppers' purchasing decisions. In fact, the top 500 retailers earned an estimated $6.5 billion from social shopping in 2017, up 24% from 2016, according to BI Intelligence estimates.

In addition to influencing purchase decisions, social media is a large part of the product discovery and research phase of the shopping journey. And with more and more retailers offering quick access to their sites via social media pages, and shoppable content becoming more popular, it's likely that social media will play an even larger role in e-commerce. 

In this report, BI Intelligence examines the advantages and disadvantages of each platform, and reviews case studies of successful campaigns that helped boost conversion and increase brand awareness. Additionally, we explore how retailers can bring social aspects into their own sites and apps to capitalize on consumers' desire for social shopping experiences.

Here are some key takeaways from the report:

• Social media is becoming more influential in all aspects of the purchasing journey.
• Facebook is the clear winner in social commerce, with its huge user base and wide-ranging demographics.
• However, retailers should have a presence on every platform their target market is on. Each platform will require a different strategy for retailers to resonate with its users.
• Retailers can also benefit from bringing social aspects in-house. They can do this by building their own in-house social networks, or by embedding social media posts into their sites.

In full, the report: 

• Provides an overview of the top social media platforms — Facebook, YouTube, Instagram — that retailers should be using, the demographics of each platform, as well as their individual advantages and disadvantages. 
• Reviews tools recently developed by these platforms that help retailers create engaging content.
• Outlines case studies and specific strategies to use on each platform.
• Examines how retailers like Sephora, Amazon, and Poshmark are capitalizing on consumers' affinity for social shopping by creating their own in-house social networks.

Interested in getting the full report? Here are two ways to access it:

1. Subscribe to an All-Access pass to BI Intelligence and gain immediate access to this report and over 100 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. >>Learn More Now
2. Purchase & download the full report from our research store. >> Purchase & Download Now

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• Though millions of men suffer from male pattern baldness, it's still a sensitive topic that many aren't willing to seek help for or discuss openly. 
• Direct-to-consumer company Hims sells hair loss products like finasteride and minoxidil (the generic formulations of Propecia and Rogaine) at better prices and with a friendlier, modern approach, so guys don't have to feel ashamed or embarrassed about finding hair loss solutions. 
• With a one-time $5 medical consultation and $44 per month complete hair kit subscription, men will be on their way to regaining their hair and their confidence. 

Hair loss is a regular, common part of life. By age 35, two-thirds of American men will experience some degree of hair loss and by age 50, approximately 85% will experience noticeably thinning hair. Men in their 20s aren't invincible from this hereditary and hormonal condition, also known as male pattern baldness or Androgenic alopecia, either. 

Although online forums like r/tressless offer some reprieve for men seeking support and guidance for everything from pharmaceutical solutions to the emotional effects of hair loss, it seems that many men still aren't talking about it enough to each other or their doctors. 

That's not surprising —  hair is linked strongly to self-image, confidence, and identity, so hair loss is a tough topic to broach. In speaking to friends experiencing hair loss in their 20s, I learned the importance of hair isn't something you realize until you find yourself trying to avoid taking pictures or fending off insensitive jokes and questions from friends and relatives. 

When faced with noticeable hair loss, some guys choose to take the plunge and go bald, which is a great route to go if they're comfortable with it. But others would prefer to keep their hair for various reasons, and that's completely fine, too.

For the guys who opt for the latter, online startup Hims wants to help.

Through its modern aesthetic, friendly, yet transparent messaging, and affordable hair loss products, Hims is assuring men that it's okay to acknowledge insecurities like hair loss and actively seek the help they want. 

Hims offers three main products to treat male balding. These make up The Rx Hair Kit ($44/month): 

1. Finasteride pills: An FDA-approved medication that blocks dihydrotestosterone (DHT), the hormone that binds to hair follicles and makes them shrink, then fall out. Its brand name equivalents are Propecia and Proscar. 
2. Minoxidil drops: An FDA-approved topical solution used once or twice a day to help regrow hair by increasing blood flow to hair follicles. Rogaine is the popular brand name equivalent. 
3. Shampoo: A special formulation that reduces DHT levels and adds volume to hair. 

Working together, these pills, drops, and shampoo actively prevent hair loss, promote hair growth, and simply make hair look good. Their consistent use is made convenient through Hims' automatic subscription option.

Finasteride is a prescription product, so you'll need to pay $5 for an online medical consultation with a licensed doctor before proceeding. At this time, Hims' finasteride is available in 18 states. Minoxidil and the shampoo do not require prescriptions and can ship anywhere in the US. 

Because Hims is direct-to-consumer, its products cost 50% to 80% less than their retail cost, addressing affordability and accessibility problems that may have previously prevented men from trying hair loss solutions. Cost isn't the only differentiator. Hims' frequently updated blog offers open, informative discussions that educate men on the science and issues surrounding hair loss.

The company hopes that this combination of cheaper products and better education can get men to feel more comfortable with the difficult, deeply personal topic of early hair loss. Hims' guiding philosophy is that prevention is more effective than denial. The sooner you're open to trying solutions, the better off your hair (and the accompanying confidence levels) will be. 

In addition to hair loss products, it also offers skin-care and sexual wellness products, making Hims a general wellness brand for any man looking to improve themselves in areas that are all too often — to the detriment of both himself and other men — whispered about discreetly rather than discussed transparently. 

Shop hair loss products at Hims here

Shop all men's wellness products at Hims here

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• Forget old-school self-help.
• With this 31-day guide full of sage life advice, you can head into the new year feeling confident to tackle anything.
• Tasks include overhauling your LinkedIn, practicing a new language, and setting a savings goal based on your age.

2019 is upon us. Meaning it's time to stop thinking about how to improve your health, job, relationships, and life in general — and time to start doing. And we're here to help.

Above is our 31-day guide to starting off a healthy, wealthy, happy year. Each day is accompanied by a task, along with a quick explanation of why it's important.

Read on to find out how to set yourself up for success.

SEE ALSO: 13 experts share their favorite tips so you can make 2019 your most productive year yet

January 1: Ask yourself: What do I want that I already have? What else, if anything, do I truly want?

Katherine Schafler, a New York psychotherapist, wrote about the "ambition trap" in a post for Thrive Global. It's the tendency for getting everything we want to make us unhappy.

"The more self-aware you are, the easier it'll be for you to distinguish between what you like, and what you actually want to acquire," she writes. "But how do we make that distinction? As human beings, we're so used to wanting more as a default mode. More food, more money, more friends, more sex, more stuff, more time, more attention. So how do we start wanting less?"

It starts with the questions posed above.

January 2: Stop hitting the snooze button.

It might feel as though pressing the snooze button in the morning gives you a little bit of extra rest to start your day, but the truth is that it does more harm than good.

That's because when you wake up, your endocrine system begins to release alertness hormones to get you ready for the day. By going back to sleep, you're slowing this process. Plus, nine minutes doesn't give your body time to get the restorative, deep sleep it needs.

January 3: Start keeping track of your net worth.

One of the easiest ways to keep track of your financial progress is to monitor your net worth: everything you own minus everything you owe.

As a financial planner in New York, Business Insider's Lauren Lyons Cole says one of the first tasks she asks clients to complete is their current financial snapshot, an overview of every aspect of their financial situation, including account balances. Once you can see all your money in one place, you can start figuring out what you want to do with it.

Bonus: Getting organized frees up brain space so you don't have to think about money nearly as much.

• Shoppers love Costco for its low prices, bulk products, and, of course, free samples. 
• Costco memberships come with many perks. But the store can be time-consuming to shop at, and it's hard to know when you're getting the best deals.
• Here are ways to save time and money while shopping at Costco. 

Shoppers love Costco for its low prices, bulk products, and, of course, free samples. 

The membership-based warehouse store can be an overwhelming maze of discounts and deals. The retailer charges $60 annually for a basic membership and $120 for an executive membership.  

Costco memberships come with many perks, including cheap gas, vacation deals, and discounts on prescription medication. The store also offers plenty of savings opportunities on top of its already low prices, like coupons and "warehouse savings." 

Even though Costco offers a lot of great deals, it can be tricky to weed through them to find the best ones. Plus, Costco is known for its massive lines and hectic shopping experience. 

Some tricks to know include looking at the price tags to see if a markdown is final, splitting bulk deals with friends or family, and heading to the center of the store to find the best deals. 

Here are more ways to save time and money while shopping at Costco: 

SEE ALSO: We compared Amazon and Costco prices to see which company offers better deals. Here's the verdict.

Make a beeline to the center of the store.

The flashy displays in the front of the store may be fun, but they're likely more expensive. Head to the center of the store to find some of the best deals. 

Keep an eye out for the "star."

If an item has an asterisk on the price tag, it will not be restocked. Make sure to buy it while you can. 

Split bulk items with friends or family.

Buying in bulk offers major savings, but you may not have the storage space for everything. If you split bulk items, you and a friend can both see major savings, without being weighed down by having more than you need. 

• INSIDER polled more than 1,000 people living in the US about New Year's resolutions, specifically how long they should last. 
• Most Americans agree that, if you're going to resolve to try something new in 2019, you should try to stick to it for at least a few months. 
• That advice squares well with what scientists know about behavior change, but they also say it's best to start small and be specific.

On New Year's Eve, when spirits are bright, it can feel like a hopeful moment to pin one's ambitions on being a far better person in 2019. The truth, however, is a bit bleaker. We often aim too high with our new year's goals, with 80% of people failing New Year's resolutions by February.

But still, year after year, we continue to make (and break) these goals. Perhaps because we think we can make it last a little longer. 

To get a sense for how long people think resolutions should last, INSIDER, a sister publication of Business Insider, asked more than 1,000 Americans "how many months is it reasonable to expect someone to keep a New Year's resolution?" 

Here's a month-by-month breakdown of their expectations, and some tips to help you stick to your goals for longer than what others might expect. 

SEE ALSO: How to actually make and keep New Year's resolutions, according to a behavioral scientist

94% of respondents said people should keep their resolutions for at least one month.

The type of resolution you make could play a part in the success rate. Yale psychology Professor John Bargh previously told Business Insider that the most successful resolutions are small, reasonable changes that we can seamlessly incorporate into existing daily routines.

He says you shouldn't even try to bust a big bad habit or start a new regimen unless you really, really want to, because otherwise the resolution likely won't stick. Behavior change is hard. 

By the end of February, 22% of people have decided it's OK to give up on new habits.

Still, a majority of Americans — 86% — say it's best to keep chipping away at your New Year's goals.

To maintain new behaviors, psychology professor Wendy Wood at the University of Southern California says you should put them into practice in routine, easy-to-follow ways. In other words, if you make a New Year's resolution a habit or daily reflex, it's more likely to stick.

78% of those surveyed think it's still a good idea to maintain new year's ambitions at the three-month mark.

But by the end of March, 35% of respondents think it's fine if your resolutions have gone by the wayside. 

• Josh Leslie is the CEO of Cumulus Networks.
• When Leslie was 30, he told his manager that he wanted to be a CEO by the time he was 40.
• By his late 30s, CEO was nowhere in sight and his career seemed to be on a distinct sideways trajectory.
• So he changed his perspective: He stopped thinking about his next job, the size of his team, and the perception of his accomplishments. Ten months later, he became the CEO.
• On his first day, he realized he had been preparing for the role for years.

I joined Cumulus Networks in June of 2015 as the vice president of sales, which was a role I had been in for several years before, and I was comfortable with. Our founder, JR Rivers, was CEO when I joined. But as time went on, JR transitioned to the CTO role, and gave me the opportunity to lead as Cumulus' chief executive.  

So, ten months after I joined the company, I walked into the office for day one of a completely new role: CEO.

It was an exciting, thrilling opportunity; Something I had perhaps been unknowingly preparing for since childhood, and something I had definitely put at the top of my goal list.

Thinking back to my first day as CEO, I realize it wasn't that much different than my experience in the previous ten months as VP of sales — I knew my team, I knew my way around the office, and I knew a bit more of what I was getting myself into versus starting a new role at a completely new company.

But it was this ten month introduction to Cumulus, along with an entire lifetime preparing for the CEO role, that showed me I was more than ready to take on this new chapter. I was 100% ready to be CEO on my very first day.

Preparing for CEO since childhood

My earliest memories of the software business were as a young child. My dad had converted one of our bedrooms to a home office and on the weekends, he'd be in there, on the phone, talking shop. It was the first time I heard my dad swear: "That's a bunch of bullshit!" he would say.  Followed shortly by, "screw those guys."

It was kind of shock to hear, but after that shock wore off, I was simply fascinated by the grit and the pace of business and watching my dad 'doing deals.'

My dad is Mark Leslie. He was the CEO of Veritas Software and built the company nearly from inception. At its height, Veritas was a Fortune 1000 Company with annual revenue exceeding $1.5B.

My dad was revered by Veritas employees and widely respected in Silicon Valley. He left the company in 2001, to advise startups, invest, and teach at Stanford. In short, he knows pretty much everyone in tech and he casts a pretty long shadow.

When I was nine, I didn't think about what it would be like to follow in his footsteps. I wasn't one of those kids who started some amazing business at a young age, and I wasn't writing code. But I did know that I had an intense interest in the business world.

As I grew older, I still listened in on those phone calls, perused my dad's open emails when he wasn't around, and had dinner table conversations about OEM licensing deals, stock options, and UNIX file systems.

I didn't realize it then, but looking back now I realize I was training to be a CEO. Sort of. It wasn't like I was waking up at 6 a.m. to work on spreadsheets and cap tables. But I was surrounded by my dad's work.

Eventually I grew up, went to college, and started my career in sales. This was my dad's influence again. Salespeople, he said, are the ones that know what's really going on in a company. Salespeople know how to solve problems. Build the product or sell the product, he told me.

It only took my one semester in college to learn I wasn't smart enough to build the product, so I began my sales career.

When I was 30, I told my manager at VMware that I wanted to be a CEO by the time I was 40. He laughed and said fifty was a more reasonable goal, if anything.

Eventually I left VMware and I became a VP of Sales at a small Series A startup. I worked harder than I ever had but the company and the job did not turn out the way I hoped. I took another VP Sales job at another early stage startup.

After a few years at startup number two and I was approaching 40. CEO was nowhere in sight and my career seemed to be on a distinct sideways trajectory.

I had a great family, by most measures a very good career, but when I measured myself against my dad, or against my peers, and I measured my 'wins' (or lack thereof) and I was unhappy with the score.

But then I had an epiphany. I remember as a young parent, seeing one of my children display some startling ability (or at least, I was impressed!). I thought, perhaps I will be most remembered as the parent of one of my children and not for any of my own accomplishments.

It was a big change in perspective for me. For the first time, I realized: Perhaps I won't be a CEO. Perhaps I won't be a 'serial entrepreneur with multiple successful exists.' 

And maybe I don't care that much.

It was about the journey, not the destination

For the first time in my career, I started to focus on the journey, not the destination. I will simply be the best VP of Sales I can be. I will treat customers with care and employees with respect. I will spend my time on the things I know I'm good at (building trust with customers) and get help where I'm weak (process).

So that was it. I was going to be a great VP of Sales and let the chips fall where they may. I left start up number two and joined Cumulus Networks.  For the first time in my career, I did not seriously negotiate my compensation, my title or organization.

VP of Sales? Sure, I thought, that works for me. There were many questions of organizational ownership, but I had come to understand that all of those things would eventually get sorted out correctly if we focused on the right priorities and built trust with the team.

I had truly stopped thinking about the next job, about the size of my team, or about perception of my accomplishments. It was the first time I was leading. Ten months later I became the CEO.

Josh is a seasoned technology executive and currently serves as CEO of Cumulus Networks. Prior to Cumulus, Josh spent time at Instart Logic, VMware, and CommValut Systems, holding various leadership roles in both sales and business development.

A Bay Area native, Josh received a BA from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA from Columbia Business School. When he’s not in the office, Josh enjoys spending time with his wife, two kids, and his poodle, Peggy.

SEE ALSO: I run a 1,000-person company, but it's not all that different from my first day as CEO — when I gave myself a title, rolled out of bed, and got to work

SEE ALSO: I've been a CEO for 7 years, and here's the best advice I can give you about running a company

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