What a crazy past few weeks, trading has been very consistent.  I am still working on improving my positioning, entry/exit, and patience.  But I know I will get there. "I am not where I want to be, but I am not where I use to be".  This quote rings in my head as I move along on my journey.  Powerful stuff, you are what you think of my wise mentor tells me.

So I wanted to take sometime and start a thread that I feel is important, especially for anyone who is looking to get into this lifestyle.  Things that should be planned and thought through and ironed out as your journey begins.  I can go deep into each category to show my own experience.

First off let me fill you in a little bit of myself.  I been trading a little over a year, prior to trading I was more of a SnP index investor.  Started out with mutual funds with fund managers... that was a flop, saw zero growth and the fees, no one tells you about that.  Decided to move that fund over to my own trading and just bought and held.  That was also a disaster, I didn't know what I was doing, the account just grew from the money I deposited.  

On top of Long Term Holding stocks, I have a service providing business, small family run and I also have a couple rentals that I manage.  On top of that I work as well.  My trading isn't there yet for me to fully quit and focus mainly on trading (a little more on this later as I hear and notice some newbies doing exactly this, jumping head first before really learning to swim)

Now I understand everyone is different, so as you read this just take the parts that pop out to you.  I am only sharing because these where major factors that helped me in my journey.

I want to get into an analogy.  Imagine your life as a wheel.  This wheel consist of everything about you that keeps you running.  Things like, physical health, are you taking care of your body, or your mental status, do you handle stress well or emotionally strong or focus on continue learning, building the knowledge account.  Other can be relationship, are you married, have kids, friends you hang out with, are they healthy relationship.  Finance, do you have a clear understanding of your budget, income in expense out? Spiritual walk, to me this is most important, you have to be working towards something greater than yourself, this is where I draw a lot of my energy in this area.  More on this later. Etc. I hope you are following me.  Now if one of these areas are weak, for example your physical health is poor, you don't eat right, and don't sleep well and are out of shape. How do you think you "Life Wheel" will roll as you move along on your journey?  Fast? or Bumpy and slow?

So take a huge assessment of yourself and determine where you are at in the areas of your life.  I'll bullet point these so you have thoughts to punder:

1) Physical Health

2) Mental/Emotional State

3) Spiritual Walk

4) Relationship (this could be family, friends, etc.)

5) Finance/Career position

6) Growth/Contribution (this is goals and aspiration, your vision of your future)

There are more but I think this is key for almost everyone.  Ask yourself where you stand and if you were to make a success in trading, will the position you are in get you very far?

 

I'll leave you with that to think about.  And an awesome quote to strike deeper thought "The moment you accept total responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you claim the power to change anything in your life." - Hal Elrod

Hit me up, Peace, stay Fresh!!!