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In Memory of My Beloved Grandmother

Before I start this new five-part series of articles about trading lessons, I would like to ask you, my readers, to allow me to devote this little space to say a few words to my beloved Grandmother.

“Granny, rest in peace and may you enjoy your new life in a better place!”

My Grandmother passed away peacefully at Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Hong Kong, with most of her sons and daughters around her on 17 October 2008. She was 90 years old. Please understand that under my family rule, I will have to keep a low profile and refrain from visiting anyone, even close friends, until after her funeral, which will take place on 5 December 2008. In the meantime, I would like to share with you what I learnt from my Grandmother and how you, as a trader, can do the same in your trading business. In the first part of this series, I would like to discuss my Grandmother''s “never give up” attitude.

My Grandmother began to fall ill at the beginning of this year and was admitted to the hospital many times, especially during the last few months of her journey. When I was in Hong Kong doing the Optionetics Preview in mid-October, I realized that many of my family members would have preferred that she leave in peace. Why? Their belief is that given today’s medical knowledge, there was unlikely any chance for her to recover. And there is this Chinese saying: leave in peace rather than continue to suffer. Guess what?  While many people around her had given up, thinking it was impossible for a turn-around, my Grandmother did not give up herself. With a view toward continuing to live in this world, she took control of her life and asked her doctor to operate on her. In hindsight, my family members and I were so proud of her “never give up” attitude and her strong determination to take charge of her life, rather than letting others control it.   

So, the very first and yet immediate lesson I learnt from my Grandmother is “never give up.” Yes, you know as much as I do that our lives are full of challenges, aren''t they? This fact means that we are able to have a say about how to deal with it, isn’t it? Do you simply say you to yourself that you can’t do it and give up? Or do you say to yourself that you are not afraid to lose and will face the challenges?

Everyone will agree that the life of a trader can be tricky. Why? It’s because of uncertainty. As a trader, the question you should ask yourself is, what must I do?  If you''re new to the trading business, you might find all the available information difficult to absorb. You might not know how to set up your accounts, or you won''t be able to decide between Platinum and Profitsource as trading tools. Paper trading could prove to be a challenge. But are you going to just give up like that? You will realize that some people do, and blame everyone except themselves.

The fact that you wish to succeed in trading means that you are willing to develop a positive and steadfast attitude, one that refuses to surrender to challenge. This is what I learnt from my Grandmother, and I respectfully pass on these lessons to you in her memory.

To access previous articles written by Jack Wong, please click here.

Jack Wong 
Staff Writer and Instructor
Optionetics.com ~ Your Options Education Site 

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Recent Articles by Jack Wong, Optionetics.com

• December 1, 2008
  Lessons from My Grandmother, Part V: The Choice Is Yours
• November 24, 2008
  Lessons from My Grandmother, Part IV: Respect Yourself and Others
• November 17, 2008
  Lessons from My Grandmother, Part III: Taking Charge of Your Life
• November 10, 2008
  Lessons from My Grandmother, Part II: Dealing With Loss
• November 5, 2008
  Lessons from My Grandmother, Part I: Never Give Up