Conventional thinking breeds mediocrity. I see it every day - in our corporate work force; in our political system, and in our investment system. I remember one of the daily quotes posted by my ninth grade homeroom teacher – just because 99 out of 100 people think an idea is good, doesn’t make it a good idea. How true these words have proven to be!

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income is $46,326 (2005 data). Corporate America is not paying the average person very much, unless you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, where the median pay in 2005 was $8.4 million.

Our political system has failed to deliver, over and over again. 46.7 million people subsist without healthcare insurance (2005 U.S. Census data). 50% of Hispanics and 45% of blacks (I think it is politically incorrect to refer to blacks as African Americans) do not graduate from high school. More college-aged black men are in prison than in college. And according to the Chinese government, in the past twenty years, California has built 20 new prisons while building just one new university.

And then there’s the rock – our investment system – the institution that is looking out for our future, after we retire. It’s a sham, whether it’s social security or Wall Street. Just ask the average 75-year old social security recipient if she is living comfortably in her golden years. I bet not. The median American household’s net worth is $46,506 (2000 U.S. Census data). Only 2% of retirees are financially secure. The rest (98%) scrape by, struggling to make ends meet.

Half of all American households survive on an income less than $46,326. 37 million people live in poverty (again, 2005 U.S. Census data). 25% of blacks and 22% of Hispanics live in poverty. 10.8% of whites live in poverty. (News flash: These poverty statistics are an outrage! Does the word bias or discrimination apply here?) For a family of four, our government defines poverty to be household income below $20,650 (a 2007 report from the Health and Human Services department). I don’t know about you, but try adequately feeding, clothing, housing, educating and providing healthcare for a family of four on $20,000. It simple can’t be done.

The conventional wisdom has been and continues to be - prepare high school students to go to college, yet most don't go to college; get a corporate job; work five or more days a week from 9 to 5, or longer in many cases; buy a house; commute to work, in many cases more than 30 minutes each way; work forty years; and, retire.

The results, well they speak for themselves. They stink. Therefore conventional wisdom needs radical change.

Look what conventional wisdom gets you. If you are lucky enough to have gone to college and nailed an above average job, you might have saved a few dollars and invested in a mutual fund. Over the years, the stock market on average has yielded an 11% return. But here’s the rub, 85% of all mutual funds under perform the market. So, even though you may be above average in income, your mutual fund is under performing in investment returns.

See, invariably, conventional ways of doing things do not produce great results!

Over the years, I frequently commented to my co-workers that I needed to change things. That is, find a job with a two-day workweek and a five-day weekend. Well, I haven’t been thinking big enough.

What about a 4-hour workweek? Surely you think that I jest. Well, call me crazy, but I think it’s possible. And it is not conventional. Therefore, almost no one will even attempt to create a 4-hour workweek.

But I am. I will. That is my new objective. But before you send me to the loony bin, try reading Timothy Ferriss’s book, “The 4-Hour Workweek”.

Just maybe, you might break away from the crowd and put yourself in a position to succeed.

And one other thing – Dallas will soon be in my rearview mirror. Tim has opened my eyes and asked me, “Why am I paying $3,500 a month on my mortgage to live in Dallas? Think of all the places in the world I could live and work for much less!” Well I am. And I will.

Gillian, pack your bags, we’re moving!

Pierre Cutler
The Sacramento Executive