Life, Business and Determination.

"I found every single successful person I've ever spoken to had a turning point. The turning point was when they made a clear,specific unequivocal decision that they were not going to live like this anymore;they were going to achieve success.Some people make that decision at 15 and some people make it at 50,and most people never make it all"
- Brian Tracey

Repeat. There IS a unequivocal point in every millionaire's life where you decide that you do not want to live like this anymore. As I build my fortune, several things become clear and only time can make them clear. Over the past year I have transformed my life from a unorganized mess of a blind-sighted trader, to a strict fully (some-what) functional business. When you look at what someone has accomplished, and you realize that you should be in the same place as them and you begin to ask why am I not there. One must build on their strengths to further their goals. As I am about to partake on my first of several goals, I am reflecting on the struggle to get this far.

I should start off by saying I have in the past, just been here for the ride. This view was simply that good things come to myself naturally, and that hard work and determination isn't needed, just abstract thinking. This lead to my first major loss (or tuition payment) in the Markets. One cannot simply study strategy, one must learn that the world is constantly creating paradigms that you need to be prepared for. Always anticipating what would happen next, my stint into FOREX didn't go as I had planned. Ignorance caused this. I was constantly told "market never does the same thing twice" and now I finally understand. Ironically, all this came to be at a craps game. Go with what the market is doing. One man cannot move the market, you must do what the market is doing, and you can make a lot of money (+$360 to be precise). When the dice are rolling outside numbers, bet on the outside, collect the profits. I (while in FOREX) was too busy trying to predict the future and bend the market to myself to pay attention to what is happening now. This caused me to close my first FOREX account with a 30% loss from being nickle and dimed to near death (of the account, and my patience). A great man once said:

"If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle"
-Sun Tzu

This is where things become interesting. The first time at post secondary education, I didn't know what I wanted to get into, so I managed to wander aimlessly through Business Admin/Business Marketing, not receiving the best marks. I then became highly interested in trading, started reading everything I could (my book collection is now close to or over $2000.00) and began trading instead of paying attention in class. Now, after accomplishing many tasks (being published in Ottawa Business Journal, blowing up an Equity account, and amassing a few thousand of student debt) I began to put myself back on track. Started my blog, The Trader's Journal, where I state my thoughts as I climb the ladder to my Financial Freedom, using it as a written place where I could consult myself when I stray too far from the path.

I have used the blog to break down what I have done wrong in the past, reflect upon it, and rectify it. I have since paid off all student debts, as well as current tuition (paid it off in 2 weeks :) ). The new paradigm that I need to face is the adjustment/balancing between achieving good grades (as I am considered a "special student" at Carleton due to not having pre-req. classes done) to receive full time status, providing for myself (while keeping within my means) and progressing on my trading. This means 60-70 hour weeks, demands that I begin to focus on both mental, physical, and financial well-being. Whatever it throws at me I will be ready.

"Victory is sweetest if you've known defeat"
-Malcolm S. Forbes