Personal Notes Series 016 : Ancient Wisdom

There was once a young man who was appointed to rule over a great nation. A nation surrounded by many enemies and has had a countless history of bloody civil wars. The king before him was a great ruler and had many times delivered this great nation into order.

Burdened by the responsibility that rests upon his shoulders, the young man thought to himself: "Who am I but a child?"

Then one night, the Creator of the universe appears to him in a dream and says: "Ask of anything and it shall be given to you."

The young man requests: "Wisdom to rule and the ability to discern good from evil."

The Creator was pleased.

“Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings."

Born in 848 BCE, Solomon dies at age 52 in 796 BCE, ruling as King for 40 years -- the best years in all of Israel's history. He is known as chacham mi'kol ha'adam, "wisest of all the men."

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All traders are kings. And if we allow it, the market lets us have a taste of the sweetness of riches, fame or power. These three are by no means evil - for they are mere enablers and magnifiers of their users. The problem lies when we see and pursue these three elements as the end result, rather than see them as the by-product of our character.

How many times have we heard of and from people who earned hundreds of thousands or even millions and in a few months or years, never heard of again?

The flow of money in the stock market is never consistent. An absolute result of a trade setup is an illusion. What can be consistent is our process -The rules we set and follow.

The stock market will tempt you in as many ways as it can. But as traders, we should fall in love with the process. Not the profits. 

*Ahem!* Is this person familiar to you?

If you wish to put a person's character to the test, give him Riches, Fame, or Power. A smart man will choose the greatest of them all. 

Wisdom.

Personal Notes Series 015 : Next Generation Seeds

If you try to plant corn seeds from a different environment, there would be a high probability that the seeds would produce weak corn, as opposed to planting corn seeds that are natives of the land. It is not because it is weak that it grows as such, but because of its parent's "data implant" on the seed. This includes information on the pests, the weather, the soil, and everything else that would ensure the plant's survival and proliferation. 

Without proper cultivation and protection, the corn from foreign origins could face severe attacks from nature and die. But if it survives and bears fruit, it then implants adaptive data onto the next seed so the next generation will become better and stronger. And after several generations, it becomes a native.

"The Next Generation will always be better than the last."

...and humans are no different. 

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But we do have issues when it comes to our culture and human nature. We, humans, have a tendency to be jealous and spiteful, instead of being happy for the talents and success of others - especially when it comes to the younger generation. 

"Masyado ka pang bata para jan!"

"Marami ka pang kakaining bigas boy!"

There have been many instances in my life where I was underestimated and ridiculed for my age even if I showed excellent results. And I'm sure everyone has their own version. But I had my bitter taste of this reality when one of the stock market personalities of my time who I looked up to, referred to me in a group chat [where I wasn't included] and said  :

"So young and yet so corrupt."

I always wondered why he said that - and why a lot of us wouldn't hesitate to do the same thing. Maybe because of the drive for significance and constant approval of others? Or the unpleasant feeling of becoming obsolete in today's society? Probably the inevitable realization that our golden time has passed and it is now another's?

I share this because of the success and achievements of my peers, my former students, and the new stars in the trading industry. I'm not getting any younger and it is inevitable that I be compared to others. That's just how society works.

"Sinong mas magaling?"

"Mas magaling na si ******** kesa kay Zee!"

I was born in a family of achievers. Both my parents, my brother, and sister, they all excelled in their chosen fields. I was the odd one. Growing up, I lived in their shadow - the expectation that I too, should be an achiever.

I hated it. 

I wanted to create my own path.

There will always be someone weaker and stronger than me. So I learned to move forward, accept and love who I am. And that I too am a master of my own talents - Striving to become the best version of myself in whatever I do. For we can never control how people see us, but we can control how we react and see ourselves.

Instead of spiting and competing with the next generation, why not admire and collaborate?

Instead of being jealous of others, why not be genuinely happy with their success?

Let us build the next generation. 

For they are not our enemy, but our legacy.