Ten personal finance checks and measures; Persistence pays off for start-ups; Why bosses go bad; Four things to think about before jumping ship; John Ralston Saul

By Amanda Morrall

1) Get fit

Personal finance is a bit like gardening in that it requires constant attention, maintenance and vigilance. Whilst it's easy to get overwhelmed by the volume of administration required, the worst thing you can do is become paralysed. Just as it's better to pull one or two weeds (which you know will multiple if left neglected) rather than do nothing, getting a better grip on your personal finance doesn't have to be an all or nothing affair.

In that spirit, here's an excellent piece from Time's Money section on 10 ways to improve your financial health. The article makes a good point that even if you do one of the 10, you'll have accomplished something. Baby steps. 

2) Start-ups

Just a reminder (and I'm not an ANZ customer or agent or affiliate) that the bank's $30K flying start competition for the best business plan is closing next week. I picked one of their small business start-up guides the other week, and it's full of excellent tools, resources, and tips. It's available on-line as well. 

And for more inspiration, the following article from Unlimited magazine discusses the importance of persistence in business and how failure will only make you stronger, if you don't give up. 

3) Bad bosses

Is your boss a narcissist or a psychopath? Over the years I have had both and wondered why these people end up in management when clearly they have no people skills. In the Buddhist tradition, every person you come across serves as a mirror, either for latent qualities in yourself that need to be nurtured and drawn out, or for less attractive characteristics that ought to squelch or manage. It's something I always try to keep in mind in my relationships with people, particularly those who frustrate me. 

Here's the Financial Times writing about the making of financial psychopaths Allen Stanford of Stanford International Bank and Rajat Gupta of McKinsey & Co and Goldman Sachs both of whom were ensnared by the karma cops recently. 

4) Before you quit

If you have the misfortune of having a bad boss and are itching to quit or change jobs, you'll want to think carefully about the consequences. Investopedia explores four considerations before switching jobs.

5) Writers and investors

Here's a pairing that caught my eye this morning. The Responsible Investment Association Australasia, for its upcoming conference in Melbourne Aug.30-31st, has teamed up with the Writer's Festival. Their two featured guest speakers are Canada's John Ralston Saul, ("The Collapse of Globalism and Reinvention of the World") and Affluenza: The All Consuming Epidemic author John De Graaf.

Please Bernard can I go to Melbourne?

Here's Raulston Saul talking about the decline of globalisation and his book.

Never heard of Affluenza? Watch this.

To read other Take Fives by Amanda Morrall click here. You can also follow Amanda on Twitter@amandamorrall