Where’s the Path?

Jan. 15, 2020

Over the years, I’ve found that, if you research hard enough, there’s a clear path to success in almost everything.

A step-by-step manual that can be followed to guaranteed success.

At first, it sounds too good to be true. Then you realize it’s just common sense.

For example, there’s a clear path to tennis excellence.

Here are the elements:

1. Care about hitting the ball in. This has a lot of layers, but it works just thinking about it on the surface. Commit to hitting the ball in. That commitment makes the rest work.
2. Learn spin. Nothing complicated, just don’t bump the ball off the strings. Create some easy spin.
3. Show up every day. For top players, this means show up to practice 5-7 times per week. For club players, it means show up every time your tennis is scheduled (maybe 1-3 times per week). Don’t miss a class.
4. Play tournaments.
5. Review wins and losses with your coach.

Does this path work? The worst failure I saw in my program saw his ranking IMPROVE by 86 spots. That was the worst case.

For another example, there’s a clear path to getting straight A’s in school.

Here are the elements:

1. Sit in the front of class. Sit in front and you listen. Sit in the back and you daydream. It’s not a trick. It increases concentration exponentially.
2. Ask questions. As soon as you don’t know something, raise your hand. If you can’t raise your hand, make an appointment. Don’t wait. Do it now. Every time you have a question.
3. Do the assignments when they are assigned every time. If the teacher says to read a chapter today, read it today. If there is homework, it’s done the same day. No exceptions. It is WAY easier to do than it sounds. It’s embarrassingly easy, actually.
4. Show up every day. No skipping class.
5. Ask questions, if they exist, after tests.

Does this path work? Once I embraced this path, I never got lower than an A in any college class the last two years of college and had the highest grade in my class for 5 different classes in a row. (I once didn’t miss a single point in an upper-level English course. I didn’t do anything special except what’s above.)

There are paths to working out, dieting, and many other things.

So, here’s the big question.

What’s the path in trading?

What are the steps we all can take that will guarantee success?

Sure, we can’t guarantee an exact return percentage, but we should be able to know we’re going to make money.

Or, is trading different?

Is trading the one thing in the entire world that has no path to success? Is trading the one thing that defies the laws of the universe?

This has been on my mind for a long, long time. And for a long time, I think I’ve been incredibly stupid.

I think I’ve missed some obvious clues. What I’ve found lately is that there might be a path after all.

We’ll talk about that in this week’s emails.

Talk to you soon.

To get on the email list, go here.

To see my weekly YouTube video, go here.

Disclaimer:
It should not be assumed that the methods, techniques, or indicators presented in these products will be profitable or that they will not result in losses. Past results are not necessarily indicative of future results. Examples presented on these sites are for educational purposes only. These set-ups are not solicitations of any order to buy or sell. The authors, the publisher, and all affiliates assume no responsibility for your trading results. There is a high degree of risk in trading.

HYPOTHETICAL OR SIMULATED PERFORMANCE RESULTS HAVE CERTAIN INHERENT LIMITATIONS. UNLIKE AN ACTUAL PERFORMANCE RECORD, SIMULATED RESULTS DO NOT REPRESENT ACTUAL TRADING. ALSO, SINCE THE TRADES HAVE NOT ACTUALLY BEEN EXECUTED, THE RESULTS MAY HAVE UNDER- OR OVER-COMPENSATED FOR THE IMPACT, IF ANY, OF CERTAIN MARKET FACTORS, SUCH AS LACK OF LIQUIDITY. SIMULATED TRADING PROGRAMS IN GENERAL ARE ALSO SUBJECT TO THE FACT THAT THEY ARE DESIGNED WITH THE BENEFIT OF HINDSIGHT. NO REPRESENTATION IS BEING MADE THAT ANY ACCOUNT WILL OR IS LIKELY TO ACHIEVE PROFITS OR LOSSES SIMILAR TO THOSE SHOWN.