Off the Field

In sports we find that the very best are always working harder off the field than even on the field. Be it Jerry Rice or Micheal Jordan, these players took it to the max and were always looking for the next edge.

 

This is a forum to discuss what we as traders do off the "field". Its therefore very open to just about anything you do where you feel it helps you in your trading.

 

this can be how many hours you look at charts, balance sheets, your religious practices, the energy drink you have every day, competitions, board games...it real can be just about anything that applies.

 

Clearly i wont use everything that you do, and most of the things i do no one else will. The hope is that someone will mention even just one thing that we can add to our own routines throughout the day to better prepare us for trading.

sooz -

this one definately expresses how i feel when people say im "smart" and "know things" about the market

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=woOu_4l3lio&feature=related

sooz -

that was my favorite commercial from MJ. i always enjoyed his outlook on failure, even back when i was in grade school. i used to have these Jordan videos that they would put out back then, and he talked a lot about his parents views on it, about being cut from the HS varsity team was the failure that put him on the path to being what he became.

simply one moment of viewing failure as a positive thing, as a message to work harder, turned an above average athletic kid (which are a dime a dozen) into the greatest player a game has ever seen. fascinating stuff.

another thing ive been doing as of late is picked up long distance running. no matter if we are long term traders or short term, the culmination of all our trades is a long term goal of wealth building. I find the running not only helps me decompress the emotions of the trading day but also re-enforces a long term goal as well as fighting through pain.

in trading you have to be able to play from behind, to push when its the toughest to push.

[steiny]

Ryan, I run 5 days a week, 4 to 5 miles each run and lift upper body twice a week. It is as much a mental cleansing as a physical release. If I have to problem solve I am able to think more clearly during the run. If I am hearing too much "chatter" I am able to get clarity. I can't imagine living without running.

To get the discussion going ill start with that i listen to the same songs every morning of every day. Research shows that our emotions are very strongly swayed by music ( i suppose common sense shows it too). therefore, i always start my day with a playlist of "you can do it" type of songs. Things that put me in a relaxed and positive mood. ive found this to be very helpful for focusing my mind and giving routine and consistancy to what exactly that focus is.