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Once a month (or so), I’ll share a dozen things that have inspired me to greater personal, professional, and financial success in my life. I hope they bring similar success to your life.

1. Sir Terry Pratchett on the impact of a person

“No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away.” – Sir Terry Pratchett

Terry Pratchett’s books entertained me for endless hours over the last two decades. He was the author of a humorous fantasy series called Discworld, where he used the tropes of a fantasy world to often comment on things in the real world in a very funny yet insightful way. He’s written many other books, too, including the great sci-fi series The Long Earth.

A college degree will help you earn more in the long run. But if financial independence is your goal, should you be more interested in the short-term? Photo: Nazareth College

At dinner a few days ago, I was discussing the concept of financial independence to a friend of mine who had really never heard of the concept. He and his wife are actively saving for retirement, but they fully expect to retire between the ages of 62 and 65, not earlier, so the idea of effectively “retiring” much earlier than that was intriguing to him.

That’s when he asked a question that’s left me thinking for the past few days. Here’s what he asked:

If you’ve talked to a lawyer about your financial situation and you’re sure that bankruptcy is the best option, here’s what you should know going into it. Photo: Robert Couse-Baker

Filing for bankruptcy is often seen as a scary but necessary option. But it’s important to know that even when you’re facing what seems like financial ruin, you have choices. Bankruptcy laws have changed over the past few years and offer benefits as well as drawbacks to filing.

If you’ve talked with a lawyer about your finances and you’re sure that bankruptcy is the best option for your situation, here’s what you can expect throughout the process.

Do you hate your job? Go on, you can tell us. If so, you’re not alone.

In fact, I find that the vast majority of people don’t like their work and wish they could be doing something different. They dream of being able to work for themselves or work from wherever they want. Sometimes, they just snap and quit their 9-to-5’s, but in my opinion it’s always best to quit a job gracefully, even if you totally, completely hate it.

Here’s how:

1. Keep Social Media Clean

One way to end on a bad note is to air your grievances on social media. If you’re friends with co-workers or have an active Twitter profile, it’s best not to complain about your job. For example, don’t quit and then post something like, “I’m so glad to be done with that cubicle!”