6:00pm Those that know me well know I don't do well unless highly challenged, motivated, and focused ... all three of which have been a challenge for me during recent times. And so as I enter day one of this seven day mid-year break, I'm giving some extensive thought to the rest of 2009 and beyond in terms of doing something big. Really big.As many know, I love breaking new ground, challenging the industry status quo, and doing things that most refuse to. It's simply in my nature. And if it's not incredibly obvious by now, I'm bored with trading right now.
It reminds me of the 1990s when I gave up a highly lucrative and successful career as a corporate executive after also becoming bored -- in only my 30s -- and finding a new challenge in trading. Now, over a decade later and after the last year and a half's climax, I've met about every trading goal I set for myself (except the back-to-back $1M which is admittedly becoming less of a motivating force than I was hoping it would be), and am left looking for more.
Don't get me wrong ... not more money. But more "something".
There's certainly no lack of onlooker suggestions ... writing a book, ramping up size substantially, sharing live trade sequences, creating a private "turtle-like" group, starting a live contra-CNBC trading TV/Internet channel, climbing Mount Everest (ummm ... with my back???), and on and on. You name it ... it's been suggested.
One thing is clear. Whatever I do, I'll have to be true to myself and everything I've stood for in this industry over the last decade, and money can't be the driving force. It would also have to be something that no one else is doing ... in a similar spirit to this daily bare-it-all diary. And I just might kick around some ideas around the fire pit next Saturday.
My MBA prof at the University of Wisconsin loved the line ... "Go big or go home."
One thing is clear. Whatever I do, I'll have to be true to myself and everything I've stood for in this industry over the last decade, and money can't be the driving force. It would also have to be something that no one else is doing ... in a similar spirit to this daily bare-it-all diary. And I just might kick around some ideas around the fire pit next Saturday.
My MBA prof at the University of Wisconsin loved the line ... "Go big or go home."
It's nearing time to do one or the other.
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12 comments:
re: "Go big or go home"
This post has got me thinking of my all-time favorite quote, which comes from Teddy Roosevelt...
"Far better is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though risking great failure, than to take rank with those poor souls who neither enjoy much nor suffer much in that gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat."
All the best in whatever endeavor you ultimately end up pursuing Don.
charleS
what about starting a hedge fund?
You could start a $25 micro account at FXCM and grow it like crazy while posting your thoughts every day.
It would definitely be interesting to watch =)
bored of trading???
BLASPHEMY!!!!
You are speaking with the tongue of the Devil and you need those demons exorcised young man.
(insert scene "in the name of Christ I compell you.....") (can't find it on YouTube - damn)
:)
PS - I am bored of always feeling I am so close to putting my trading together and just missing.
The Denarii Trader
Of this I have no doubt: You will find another door opening when you are ready to move on.
Re: last night's post from ShannonB: I know what you mean about not understanding; I followed a super trader many years ago and it took me literally one year before I had the slightest idea of what he was talking about; it was as if it was a foreign language he was speaking. Stay with it and be a sponge.
Amazing post, nice to see Don and so many others comfortable with their spiritual side...
"God's arms are not too short, they reach all of us." - Jim Rohn
Don,
After a trend down day today what is your expectation for tomorrow and how would you expect to trade?
VicM
Don,
You have mentioned frequently your goals of having 1M back-to-back years, and how you are constantly gauging your perfromance YTD to see how you are tracking for that goal for this year, etc, etc.
From where I sit, and the math, as I see it, has you already having met that/those goals, well ahead of time.
Perhaps some internal dial-o-meter has clicked 'off' that 2M marker, and has you subconsciously having fulfilled that goal already.
Time to hit the reset button...or the snooze alarm!
Well-deserved break time.
Abel
Don
For what it's worth, I think you'd make a great educator, as you display every day on this blog. The people that have really made a big difference to my life have been educators in everything from university to trading to judo are the great instructors I've had the good fortune to be trained by. So, I guess whilst not the most lucrative financially, you could truly make a difference to peoples lives (this is not to say you don't make a difference now - you truly do, but I appreciate that your main focus has to be trading).
Best wishes
Mark
Sometimes the best and biggest thing to do is nothing!
get your pilots license and go explore
or shut off the computer for a year and go travel and check off all the places you've always wanted to see
or shave the mustache
Don,
You might be bored with trading right now because the markets ARE boring right now. Of course, I'm sure wife has a nice little "honey-do" list waiting for you to tackle. If that doesn't bring you back...
Mark
Warren Buffet has this phrase he uses "the ovarian lottery". That he happened to born at the right time in the right place and was wired just right...to make billions! If he'd been born in another time or place it probably wouldn't have worked out so well for him. What you pull out of the markets in a decent day would probably build and equip a school in some parts of the world. "Build a Hundred Schools" or "Give 100000 kids and education". Wouldn't really get you away from trading I guess....
Anyway, aren't these years (40's+) the ones of greatest creativity? Whatever you come up with will be just fine! Hopefully you'll share it on the blog when the time comes.
"The road winds on and on. Out from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road has gone but I must follow it if I can. Pursuing it with weary feet until it meets some larger way, where many paths and errands meet. Where then, my friend, I cannot say".
Good luck!
PS Have you tried looking into the Alexander Technique for your back?
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