I don’t have any tattoos, and as I’m approaching 40, I had been thinking that I might as well keep my skin unmarked. Lately, though, I’ve been having a change of heart. When I turn 40, I might get one of the tattoo ideas I’ve had planned for myself. Kind of like the movie Memento, I’d like to have these spiritual lessons inked on me to serve as a reminder. Amongst my top choices for a tattoo that I’d like as a constant life reminder is: Run Into The Fire.
Unpacking this line, it simply means to push whole-heartedly towards the challenge. Go towards that which will bring you pain. No pain, no gain…right? Run into the unknown, run into those obstacles. This is something I constantly need to remind myself of as I journey through life. Like most people, I find that I have to constantly force myself outside my comfort zone. It’s something that I need to consciously work on.
What doesn’t kill us, makes us stronger. With the pain of failure, embarrassment, or perceived shame, you get thicker and thicker skin. More resilience for the upcoming challenges and deeper confidence in yourself. Outside noise and opinions from well-meaning friends and family matter less. You know you survived it in the past, and you will surely figure out how to survive and thrive once again.
When I’m at my best in life, the happiest times are when I’m coming off a seemingly insurmountable challenge that, at one point, I thought would get the best of me. I’m at my lowest when I’m not challenged, when I’m complacent and just drifting through a dead-end job or career. I’m not saying you should be reckless and quit your job today, but I am saying that you need to listen to yourself and keep reaching for those goals. If you’re not happy and aren’t being challenged frequently in your life, perhaps that’s something you need to address.
The obstacles and facing those scary unknowns are what forge our character. As traders, we face this almost every day. The unknowns, the randomness of the markets, and the constant change can make some uneasy. To thrive in the world of the markets, you must be at peace with the unknowns. You must be at peace with adapting and change. As traders, the faster you can totally accept this, the better. Look at this as a constant opportunity presenting itself to you to make yourself stronger, smarter, wiser, and more resilient.
If I find myself complaining about all the unease or challenges that I had set up for myself, I take a step back and try to be thankful instead. Thankful for the chance to become better. That’s really the only positive mindset to take, the path of growth. What else are you going to do? Complain and moan about the market being unfair and difficult? To this, I say no! I will take these beatings from life or the market with a smile and say unto them, “you can’t beat me unless I quit. I won’t quit until I’m dead!”
Write this on your computer’s desktop background, post a sticky note on your desk, put the saying up on your wall: Run Into The Fire. Fight your instincts to quit, to run away, to make excuses for yourself. Attack the fear. Know that it will be for the best in the long run. This is how the trajectory of your life can permanently change for the better. Do this enough and make it a habit, and as a trader, you will be unstoppable. No amount of obstacles or perceived temporary setbacks will detour you. A win is a win and a loss is a win; as long as we are growing, becoming smarter and building resilience.
