Hey ScorpA\rents! 🌟

We all want more time, smarter investments, and a stronger mindset to handle life’s ups and downs.

The good news?

There are tools and ideas that can help you level up in all three areas.

In this edition, we’re diving into AI hacks to boost your productivity, trading tips to sharpen your investing game, and lessons from a powerful book on finding purpose and resilience.

These aren’t abstract ideas — they’re practical ways to grow your side hustle, protect your investments, and strengthen your mindset for long-term success.

Let’s make 2025 the year you turn small actions into big results! 💪

Keep reading — you’ve got this!

TL;DR

1) STING & GROW: AI HUSTLES🤖

• 🚀 AI Productivity: Leverage AI to automate tasks and boost productivity for your side hustle in 2025.

2) STING & GROW: INVESTING 📊

• 🔥 Open Interest in Options: Use open interest to identify liquidity, market sentiment, and price levels in options trading.

3) STING OF SUCCESS: MILLIONAIRE MINDSET🧠

• 📚 "Man’s Search for Meaning": Discover how finding purpose in tough times can build resilience and drive personal growth.

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes ⏱️

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STING & GROW: AI HUSTLES

🚀 Skyrocket Your 2025 Productivity With AI Now!
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Ever wonder how some businesses thrive without hiring more people?

It all comes down to one thing: productivity.

It’s not just about working harder. It’s about working smarter—and AI is playing a huge role in making that happen.

Let’s break down how smart tools, new work habits, and small tweaks can boost your side hustle, investments, and mindset.

Here’s how America is getting more done without burning out, and what it means for you. 🚀

💼 AI + Productivity = More Done in Less Time

Meet Vic Viktorov. He owns a gym in Boston.

In 2024, his business grew by 30% without hiring any extra staff. How?

👉 He used AI tools to handle tasks like writing marketing emails, creating social media posts, and even drafting business plans.

💡 The result? 
Work that used to take hours now takes minutes.

This isn’t just happening at gyms.

Businesses everywhere are learning that AI can automate repetitive tasks and free up time to focus on what matters—whether it’s growing revenue or spending more time with family.

📈 Why Productivity Matters (Especially for Your Hustle)

When workers get more done in less time, it boosts the entire economy.

Here’s why that matters for you:

🔧 More productivity = more profit.
Businesses that figure out how to do more with fewer resources stay ahead of the game.

💰 It keeps inflation in check.
When companies can cut costs, they can pay employees more without raising prices.

📊 It drives long-term growth.
The more efficient your business is, the more sustainable it becomes.

🤖 AI Tools Are Changing the Game

Think AI is just a fancy tech trend? Think again.

• Automation is here to stay. 
  Businesses are using AI to streamline everything from inventory management to customer service.

• AI is moving beyond chatbots. 
  Imagine having an AI agent handling your emails, managing your finances, or helping you create digital assets for your side hustle.

💡 Key Insight:
Companies like Architectural Surfaces have slashed product shortages by 95% using AI.

This simple change boosted their revenue by $2.5 million a month.

🛠️ Small Changes = Big Results

Sometimes, it’s the small tweaks that make the biggest difference.

At Novae, a company that makes trailer parts, employees suggested small productivity hacks—like adjusting the position of tools on the assembly line.

💥 The result? 
Output per worker jumped 35%.

There’s no magic solution.

It’s hundreds of small decisions that add up over time.

⚠️ The Downsides of Productivity Gains

Not all productivity boosts are great news for workers.

❌ AI can replace jobs. 
Businesses might cut staff if they can automate tasks.

❌ Regulations are coming. 
Governments are starting to keep a closer eye on how companies use AI.

💡 What You Can Do:
Stay ahead by learning how to use AI tools to support your side hustle—not replace it.

🚀 Why Productivity Gains Won’t Slow Down

The pandemic changed everything. Businesses had to get creative.

Think about the QR code menus you see at restaurants or video meetings replacing business trips.

These changes are sticking around because they’re faster, cheaper, and more efficient.

Hybrid work is also helping.

Balancing remote work with in-person meetings is making white-collar workers more productive.

It also reduces burnout and improves employee retention.

💡 What This Means for You?

1️⃣ Adopt AI Early: 
Tools like ChatGPT and automation software can save you hours a day.

2️⃣ Focus on Small Wins: 
Look for simple ways to tweak your workflow, like automating emails or using templates.

3️⃣ Think Long-Term: 
Productivity is about consistency. The more efficient you become, the more time you’ll have for side hustles and family life.

👥 Meet Vic’s Gym Transformation

After a heart attack at 40, Vic Viktorov left his consulting job to open a gym.

He runs everything—from marketing to HR—with just two salespeople and AI tools.

Here’s how he uses AI:
💻 Marketing Plans
📧 Email Drafts
📊 Financial Projections

“If I can save an hour or two every day, I can focus on growing my business,” he says.

📊 New Businesses Are Embracing Tech

Another productivity boost?

New businesses are popping up faster than ever.

In November 2024, there were over 157,000 new-business applications—nearly 50% more than pre-pandemic levels.

Why is this important?

• New businesses adopt tech faster. 
  They have nothing to lose and are more willing to try new AI tools.

• Innovation thrives. 
  Just like the early days of computers, businesses that embrace new tech trends gain a competitive edge.

🎯 Your Key Takeaways for 2025:

✅ AI is your productivity secret weapon. 
Start small with tools that automate repetitive tasks.

✅ Small changes add up. 
Look for tweaks that save time and energy in your side hustle.

✅ Stay future-focused. 
The world is changing fast, and productivity gains will keep driving growth.

Want to stay ahead?

Adopt AI tools now to make your work easier and give you more time to focus on what matters most—your family and your future.

STING & GROW: INVESTING

🔥 Unleash Open Interest Power in Options
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If you're exploring options trading, open interest is a term you’ll come across often.

But what does it really mean, and how can it help you make smarter trades?

Let’s break it down in simple terms so you can add it to your investing toolkit. 🚀

💡 What Is Open Interest?

Open interest shows the total number of open option contracts that haven’t been closed yet.

Think of it as a snapshot of demand for a specific option at a specific price (strike).

💡 Why It Matters:

• It shows how much interest there is in a particular option.

• It helps you gauge liquidity (how easy it is to buy or sell that option).

• It gives clues about potential price levels that traders are paying attention to.

📏 How Is Open Interest Calculated?

Open interest changes based on whether traders are opening or closing positions. Here’s how it works:

✅ Open interest increases if both the buyer and seller open new positions.
✅ It stays the same if one trader is opening and the other is closing.
❌ It decreases if both the buyer and seller close their positions.

🔎 Important: 
Open interest is updated at the end of each trading day, not in real-time.

🧮 Is There a Maximum Limit to Open Interest?

Unlike stocks, there’s no fixed limit on how many option contracts can be open at a time.

The number of open contracts changes daily based on demand.

If a particular strike price gets more attention, the open interest will grow.

📊 How Can You Use Open Interest in Your Trading?

Here are 4 ways investors use open interest to make smarter trading decisions:

1️⃣ As a Liquidity Indicator

Higher open interest generally means better liquidity.

💡 Why It Matters:

• More liquidity means tighter bid/ask spreads, making it cheaper to enter or exit a trade.

• Options with low open interest can be harder to trade and may have wider spreads.

🔧 Example:
Apple’s options tend to have higher open interest than smaller companies like Owens & Minor. This makes Apple’s options more liquid and easier to trade.

2️⃣ To Gauge Market Sentiment

While open interest won’t predict market moves, it can give clues about what traders expect.

💡 How It Works:
If a stock is trading at $50 and there’s high open interest in the $60 calls, that tells you traders are interested in a potential 20% price increase.

🔍 Takeaway:
Look for strikes with high open interest to see which price levels traders are watching.

3️⃣ To Identify Support and Resistance Levels

Open interest can act as a support or resistance indicator.

💡 What to Watch:

• High open interest at a particular strike may suggest resistance at that price level.

• Investors often focus on key strikes with significant open interest to gauge where the market might pause or reverse.

🔧 Example:
If ABC stock has high open interest at the $60 strike, that level could act as resistance.

4️⃣ To Spot a Gamma Squeeze

A gamma squeeze happens when call sellers need to buy shares to cover their positions as a stock price rises, which can push the price even higher.

💡 What to Look For:
If a stock approaches a strike with high open interest, watch for potential buying pressure from sellers trying to cover their calls.

🤔 So, How Can You Use Open Interest in Your Trading Strategy?

Here are some practical ways to use open interest to boost your options trading game:

✅ 1. Focus on Liquid Options:

Higher open interest = better liquidity = tighter bid/ask spreads.

This makes it easier and cheaper to trade.

✅ 2. Watch for Key Strikes:

Look at which strikes have the most open interest to get a sense of support and resistance levels.

✅ 3. Be Aware of Market Sentiment:

Pay attention to which strikes have high open interest to gauge where traders expect the stock to move.

⚠️ A Word of Caution: Open Interest Isn’t Everything

While open interest is a useful tool, it’s not the whole picture.

Use it alongside other data points like volume, historical performance, and technical analysis to make informed decisions.

💡 Pro Tip:
Just because an option has high open interest doesn’t mean it’s a guaranteed win. Always do your research before jumping into a trade.

📋 Quick Recap: Why Open Interest Matters for You

🔎 What It Shows:
The number of open contracts for a specific option.

💰 Why It Matters:

• Helps you gauge liquidity.

• Offers clues about market sentiment.

• Can indicate support and resistance levels.

🎯 How to Use It:

• Focus on liquid options to reduce trading costs.

• Track key strikes to understand market expectations.

• Stay alert for gamma squeezes that could move a stock price fast.

Up Next in Our Newsletter: Hedge with and for Options

Ever wish you could protect your investments from unexpected losses?

That’s what hedging with options is all about — like insurance for your stocks.

Whether you’re holding a single stock or a whole portfolio, you can use puts, calls, and delta strategies to reduce your downside risk.

We'll walk you through practical examples, from one-to-one hedges to delta-neutral positions, so you can manage risk like a pro without overpaying for protection.

Stay tuned!

Let’s make your portfolio smarter, safer, and more resilient in any market condition. 🚀

STING & GROW: MILLIONAIRE MINDSET

"Man’s Search for Meaning" by Viktor E. Frankl
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Ever wonder how people find strength in the darkest times?

In this powerful book, Viktor Frankl—a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist—explores how finding meaning in life can help us endure even the toughest hardships.

His lessons are timeless and can help us build resilience, face challenges head-on, and create a purpose-driven life.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the key ideas. 👇

🔎 Key Lessons on Finding Meaning in Life

💡 1. We Find Meaning Through Our Struggles

When life gets tough, we often ask, "Why is this happening to me?" 

Frankl teaches that suffering can lead to strength when we give it meaning.

It’s not about avoiding pain—it’s about finding a purpose that keeps us moving forward.

💪 2. There’s No Limit to What We Can Overcome

Frankl’s story shows that the human spirit is incredibly resilient.

Even in the worst situations, people can find ways to adapt, survive, and grow stronger.

🤔 3. We All Search for Meaning

We’re always looking for something more—whether it’s a better life, a bigger purpose, or a reason to keep going.

This search drives our actions and shapes our choices.

🧠 What Is Logotherapy?

Frankl developed a form of therapy called logotherapy.

The idea is simple:
Instead of focusing on your problems, focus on finding meaning in your life.

This approach helps people deal with everyday struggles by reminding them that life always has meaning—no matter the circumstances.

🌈 4 Ways to Find Meaning in Life

1️⃣ Through Work or Creation
Find purpose in what you do or what you create.
Whether it’s building a business, raising a family, or pursuing a passion, meaningful work gives life direction.

2️⃣ Through Relationships and Love
Meaning comes from connections with others.
Love, care, and empathy give us reasons to keep going, even in tough times.

3️⃣ Through Resilience in Hard Times
Frankl shows that we can grow stronger by overcoming adversity.
Suffering, when given meaning, becomes a source of personal growth.

4️⃣ Through Personal Growth and Self-Discovery
Life’s meaning is different for everyone.
By reflecting on your experiences, values, and goals, you can discover what truly matters to you.

🧩 What Does This Mean for You?

We all face challenges—whether it's balancing work, side hustles, or family life. Frankl’s lessons remind us that even difficult times have value if we look for meaning in them.

💡 Ask yourself:

• What gives your life meaning?

• How can you grow from the challenges you face?

• Are you focusing on what really matters?

✨ Why Optimism Matters

Frankl believed that hope and optimism help us make sense of the senseless. When we approach life with a positive mindset, we’re more likely to find meaning, build resilience, and stay strong through life’s ups and downs.

🧠 Quick Takeaways:

• Life’s meaning is unique for everyone.

• We grow through struggles, not in their absence.

• Finding purpose makes life’s challenges easier to bear.

• Logotherapy is about focusing on what gives your life meaning.

• Optimism and hope are powerful tools for resilience.

📖 About the Author: Viktor E. Frankl

Viktor Frankl was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, and Holocaust survivor. He founded logotherapy, a form of psychotherapy that focuses on helping people find meaning in life.

His work is part of the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy and continues to inspire people around the world.

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Final Thought for the Week:
Barriers are inevitable, but the power to overcome them lies within your reach.
- ”Best Job Ever!”, by Dr. C.K. Bray