How We Live Life Is How We Approach Trading

 

9/8/2025 - I really didn't feel like going to the gym this morning.  I was tired, but I knew that I had to keep up with my workouts.  We get to this choice point often in life, where we know what we should do and part of us just doesn't want to make the effort.  It happens in markets as well.  Conducting that extra analysis; reaching out for more and different information; putting in the time for in-depth review:  all require effort.  Sometimes, we just don't want to push ourselves.

These choice points are points of opportunity.  We learn to expand our free will by exercising it--just like at a gym.  Eventually, what requires effort becomes natural and routine.  At the heart of personal growth is growth of free will.  

This is yet another way in which how we live our lives shapes our trading.  If we train ourselves for free will, we become capable of the efforts that will distinguish our trading--and all our undertakings.

I ended up going to the gym and quickly gained energy that will help fuel my day.  The right doing gives us energy.  When we're tired, the problem is often not a need for rest, but an absence of inspiration.

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9/7/2025 - The most recent post below made the point that how we live our lives shapes the attitudes and behaviors we bring to markets.  If, however, we become what we do routinely, then the reverse is also true:  Our trading impacts the rest of our lives.  If we become obsessive about our trading, can we expect to be sensitive to others and attentive to our personal needs?  If trading becomes an arena for frustration and impulsive actions, can we expect to live the rest of our lives in planned, goal-oriented ways?

How you are trading is shaping the person you're becoming.

That should either inspire you or frighten the hell out of you.

The only path to great trading is your personal path to greatness.  Great trading reinforces the ideals you pursue throughout life.

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9/5/2025 - In the long run, our trading processes can be no better than the processes with which we live our lives.  Can we expect to carefully structure and express our ideas and manage their risk prudently if we're not conscientious in our personal lives?  Can we expect a positive, motivated, energized trading mindset when our day-to-day thoughts are filled with frustration and negativity?  Trading with integrity comes from a life of integrity.  Making the right decisions and taking the right actions each day strengthens our ability to do so in markets.

My recent post about cats and creativity makes the point that finding unique ways to create loving homes for cats who have been neglected, abused, and/or abandoned has made me more creative and loving.  We internalize our daily doing.  Disciplined, creative processes for physical exercise, researching opportunities, and--yes--even feeding cats reinforce the right trading strengths.  

When we live with integrity, we trade with integrity.