Michael Martin from @martinkronicle contends in this interesting piece that Tiger Woods has not regained his golf dominance because he has lost his real reason to play golf. I forwarded this article to an elite performance coach Dr. Jonathan F. Katz of High Performance Associates and asked for his feedback and how this relates to us as traders………
My reaction to this piece…is triggered by the line in the last paragraph:”…a great learning opportunity of how one’s emotional system can be so integrated into one’s professional life…….”
People trade for all different reasons. The goals are varied and may change and evolve over time. What might be sufficient motivation at point A in your life might be different at point B. The change is NOT the problem. Problems arise when the motivation or goals shift and people do not recognize, acknowledge or address the shifting internal landscape. Knowing why you are doing what you are doing sounds like a pretty basic level of self awareness, but you would be surprised how few people are “in touch” with this level of understanding.
Money, competition, achievement, material possessions, fame, status…..these are “goals” that drive many people….especially men. However they lack a core ingredient for long term success…..namely “engagement”….a personal connectedness to what one is doing that taps into something greater than the transient pleasures associated with the “hedonic treadmill” and pursuit of wealth. People need to continually find new challenges in what they do and pursue. It is the nature of the human condition. Ignoring the shifts in one’s emotional/psychological evolution often leads to a deterioration in well-being and an overall decline in personal happiness and satisfaction. In it’s more destructive forms it can lead to acting-out and self destructive behaviors. …..Don’t ignore the warning signs and don’t be guided by fear…..embrace the challenge of re-establishing the goals and priorities in your life.
So I ask: why do you trade? Are you connected to something bigger than just the pleasure of money with your trading?
3 Comments on “Why Do You Trade? And Why This Matters So Much for Your Performance!”
I trade for the challenge (who doesn´t like solving puzzles or crooswords or playing chess or similar) and because I hate the commute. Money also plays a part , but not the main factor (wonder if thats why I am not particularly good at it :))….I actually make much less money than at the job I had and left to trade.
Well outside of professional sports, trading is one of the only other venues I can think of that allows for the direct competition of participants who are all wanting to be the best and who are rewarded for elite performance. When I sit in front of the screen, I am stepping into the ring against countless other professionals and non-professionals who are all looking to take my money. In turn, it is my goal to protect my capital and follow the gameplan I have outlined in order to profit, just like a football team tries to protect the ball and follow their scheme. All my life, I have been naturally good at basically everything I have attempted. Becoming consistently profitable in trading has been the first real challenge I think I’ve ever faced. It is something to conquer, which is an obstacle I have lacked in the past.
Trading is the Perfect job for me. It is fun, challenging, and engages me whenever I want to be engaged.