Ok,
So I had a bad trade today. Shit happens. This isn't how I felt about it at the time, but it is now.
As I listen to "The Longest Day" by Iron Maiden, I can't help but start thinking. Odd really, but this song about the D-Day Invasion really got me thinking about a few things.
Fear in trading is bullshit. If you are using money management, and I was, then it doesn't matter. Even if the trade was poorly timed, it won't kill you.
Think of the men that stormed Normandy that day. I know I do, as my grandfather was one of them. There is a ton of insight that you can get from people of "The Greatest Generation".
I have asked him several times what it was like. Apart from being shot in the arm, (and going on I might add.) he said fear doesn't even describe what it felt like.
As far as relating to trading -
He told me they picked the specific day and place that would be favorable. He told me he was scared to death. But....he never once deviated from the plan. The plan was going to give him the best chance to survive.
Does any of this sound familiar? It should. Sounds quite a bit like a trading plan doesn't it? Granted, it's not life-and-death we are talking about here, but sometimes it can feel like it.
So as my A.D.D. soars into the afternoon, I start thinking about all of those boys that stormed the beach. (I do a lot anyways, probably because it's also my birthday, but that is besides the point.)
I start to think about the wisdom we can gather from all of those fine Canadian, American, and English boys that day, and the examples they set for the next 50 years. Think of it....all three of those countries became economic powerhouses after the war. Those same guys made that happen.
What can we learn from them? Try a little patience. I was born in 71, so I grew up with everything running faster than in the late 40's. But, I am willing to bet my grandfather would have been a great trader. He is used to being patient. Not everything needs to happen now. He used to say "Build a solid foundation, the rest will be easy."
I know that I had a shit foundation on this trade today. So it was always going to be hard. Simple "I want it now" mentality. So then I felt sorry for myself for a few minutes, and something he once told me came to mind....
When I was young, I wanted a stupid dog. I didn't get stupid dog. (Landlord wouldn't allow it.) So as I was whining about how unfair life was, he told me to pull out a box from the closet.
I opened the box, and saw some ribbons from the war that he had got. Next to those was a 6 inch or so piece of metal. He then told me that it was shrapnel from a 88 mm German mortar in Holland. He said he and a few people were walking down the road when it hit. He ended up with that particular piece in his leg. He said "THAT wasn't fair, I was minding my own business." He also told me it wasn't fair that he got to live, and two of those boys didn't, and he is willing to bet that their parents felt the same way.
Ok, so life isn't fair. At all. Neither is trading. Things happen, and all you can do is be prepared. Sounds like another lesson for trading.
And also, that story about the mortar shell also teaches us something about Forex:
Put it all in perspective.
Sorry for my caffeine-fueled ramblings.....
So I had a bad trade today. Shit happens. This isn't how I felt about it at the time, but it is now.
As I listen to "The Longest Day" by Iron Maiden, I can't help but start thinking. Odd really, but this song about the D-Day Invasion really got me thinking about a few things.
Fear in trading is bullshit. If you are using money management, and I was, then it doesn't matter. Even if the trade was poorly timed, it won't kill you.
Think of the men that stormed Normandy that day. I know I do, as my grandfather was one of them. There is a ton of insight that you can get from people of "The Greatest Generation".
I have asked him several times what it was like. Apart from being shot in the arm, (and going on I might add.) he said fear doesn't even describe what it felt like.
As far as relating to trading -
He told me they picked the specific day and place that would be favorable. He told me he was scared to death. But....he never once deviated from the plan. The plan was going to give him the best chance to survive.
Does any of this sound familiar? It should. Sounds quite a bit like a trading plan doesn't it? Granted, it's not life-and-death we are talking about here, but sometimes it can feel like it.
So as my A.D.D. soars into the afternoon, I start thinking about all of those boys that stormed the beach. (I do a lot anyways, probably because it's also my birthday, but that is besides the point.)
I start to think about the wisdom we can gather from all of those fine Canadian, American, and English boys that day, and the examples they set for the next 50 years. Think of it....all three of those countries became economic powerhouses after the war. Those same guys made that happen.
What can we learn from them? Try a little patience. I was born in 71, so I grew up with everything running faster than in the late 40's. But, I am willing to bet my grandfather would have been a great trader. He is used to being patient. Not everything needs to happen now. He used to say "Build a solid foundation, the rest will be easy."
I know that I had a shit foundation on this trade today. So it was always going to be hard. Simple "I want it now" mentality. So then I felt sorry for myself for a few minutes, and something he once told me came to mind....
When I was young, I wanted a stupid dog. I didn't get stupid dog. (Landlord wouldn't allow it.) So as I was whining about how unfair life was, he told me to pull out a box from the closet.
I opened the box, and saw some ribbons from the war that he had got. Next to those was a 6 inch or so piece of metal. He then told me that it was shrapnel from a 88 mm German mortar in Holland. He said he and a few people were walking down the road when it hit. He ended up with that particular piece in his leg. He said "THAT wasn't fair, I was minding my own business." He also told me it wasn't fair that he got to live, and two of those boys didn't, and he is willing to bet that their parents felt the same way.
Ok, so life isn't fair. At all. Neither is trading. Things happen, and all you can do is be prepared. Sounds like another lesson for trading.
And also, that story about the mortar shell also teaches us something about Forex:
Put it all in perspective.
Sorry for my caffeine-fueled ramblings.....
