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Cheetahs are the fastest land animal. They can run up to 100 kilometers per hour in short bursts when they are hunting. It would be fair to say these cats are born to run. But they don’t start their lives running. They grow gradually.

This progression is crucial to the development of any ability: art, sports, trading or any other life skill. As a runner I trained and completed a number of half marathons. It took a building up of skill, speed and endurance to get me to the finishing line. The mind on the other hand may yearn for instant results and may forget the rule, but the rule still applies. To get to that place where the body and mind align, the body and the mind must make a transition. Only by respecting this progression can the glorious outcome be achieved. If not, the would-be runner falls to the ground, disillusioned. 

In my role as a Seminar Facilitator, I''ve had the pleasure of working with thousands of traders. I have seen many that possess the same "cheetah" characteristics in their trading as athletes posses in their sporting endeavours. These "cheetahs" may need to pull back from hurting themselves when they seek to run before they can walk. It may be difficult for them to see this where they might be at the moment, but it''s very clear to an external observer.

You can only grow to the extent that you envision yourself. Unless your inner view of yourself grows as fast as your skill set, you will actually hold yourself back from lasting success. I know many people who reduce their weight with great enthusiasm only to revert to their old habits and weight. I also know people who have earned the money they dreamed of only to waste it away and go back to their former way of life.

Going from crawling to running potentially sets you up for a painful fall. It is like trying to build the roof before the basement or the ground floor. You don''t achieve true growth, and because you find yourself back where you started you may become distrustful and angry, often blaming anyone and anything but yourself.

If you want to grow, there is work to be done. Go back to basics. In any profession, those who make the big money are constantly practicing and improving their skills (including their basic skills) – golfers, artists, and traders alike. If a trader is making money consistently, it’s most likely because he or she consistently plans, trades, invests and re-educates themselves. 

If you want to improve or change, who you are needs to be big enough to support and sustain the new you. This is an inside job: working with your beliefs and thoughts. You need this so you can achieve your desired results consistently. 

Set yourself up to win with a training or re-training program, one that will protect you from your own self. Let this program train your mental muscles as well as your trading skills so you can first walk and then run with a purpose.

Note: this article was inspired by and adapted from an article by T. C. Cummings.

Believe, achieve

Sinan Koray
Trading Tutors 

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