My reaction to new knowledge

[walterw]

Hi doc... I have a question to make you, there is no hurry at all for your response, thanks for still being here even thought some criticism... (there still people that we feel very honored to have you here ).

Something happens to me ( a reaction ) when I finally understand something ( normally on the technicall area )...

When I dont know something I consider it dificult to me... once I understand it, it is the most easy and silly thing... so here comes my reaction : "What a stupid felllow, how couldnt you understand before (some years ago ) such an easy thing"

The fact is that it wasnt easy untill I understand it... but I tend to be very exigent with myself, and sometimes I feel guilty (could had done much more before), left brained and so on...

Its funny, but I consider myself actually succesfull, but sometimes guilty off not making this success happen before...

I would like to find a way to be more in peace with myself on this issue...



I expect your feedback doc.... cheers Walter.

[TinGull]

Hey Walter,

This happened to me today. SO much stuff all of the sudden became clear like it had never done so before. Instead of thinking backwards and saying...why didn't I know this sooner??? I look forwards and say...I can't wait to use this from now on!!

There's absolutely no point in looking backwards. What's happened has happened. It's tough to do at first...I struggle with it every day. But, is there a point in thinking about changing the past? Not one at all, so why waste the energy on it when you can think about the future?

The steps Im going through right now to do this are:

Waking up every morning telling myself what a wonderful day it is to be a trader.

I go downstairs, have breakfast and think...what will happen today? What will I learn to make me better?

I go to the garden and tend to my veggies and flowers, and think...I can't wait to get back to the markets and use some of my knowledge.

Notice...all this, I'm always looking forward. I try really hard not to think backwards on anything! Like...for instance, in my garden I've got some carrots that aren't coming up like I want them to. For me, I want to look back far enough to think...why is this happening? I figure I must have planted them too deep in the soil. Awesome! Learned something to use for next year. Will I go back to the garden every day until next year thinking...crap, why didnt I plant those carrots closer to the top of the soil? No, I'm gonna try my hardest not to. Im sure the thought will creep into my mind, but then I'll think...."but look at those tomatoes! I did that spot on!"

So, realize that you needed some time to learn something, but you've learned it! Thats the important piece to the puzzle. Don't look back, only look forward because you can't change the past, but can certainly make your future paths more enjoyable. We all want to enjoy life, right?

[thetradingdoctor]

Thanks for the great question and response. This is about learning and being patient with ourselves. There are many times when we have to spend hours, days or years until we actually learn something. We may have an idea about what it is. We may have no idea about what it is. The crux of this is that it takes time to learn certain things and certain other things we just "get" almost immediately. It has to do with the way that our brains are hardwired. Do not fight against this, rather try to accept it as a reality. Also, please do not be hard on yourself for not "getting" it sooner. The most important thing is that you are on a learning curve. Some stuff will come easy for you and other stuff will not. If you continue to be positive and apply yourself, learn and study a little more every day, things will fall into place for you. Some of the greatest discoveries in history have come from years of trial and error and then "appeared" in a dream or dream-like state. What was really going on was the the brain was processing all of those years of information and trying to make sense of them. When it finally did, it came in a dream!


There is a rhythm to life and to learning. It is wonderful when the "eureka" appears. What is to be gained by going back and feeling bad that you did not understand it more quickly? I think it is better to stand in the light of your new-found knowledge and be in gratitutude that you were given the time to discover it.

I hope this helps a little..

Thanks!

Janice

[Dogpile]

"I only had to make the same mistake about 100 times before I learned. I didn't learn from making the same mistakes just twice. It can take repeated bashing of the head for something to sink into the skull."

'Market Wizard' Linda Rashke
Active Trader Magazine
October 2006

[walterw]

Very encouraging words Tin and Doc... thanks really...

I think yes its no bussiness to look backwards... sometimes I am tempted to do this, now what I notice that it is very related to some stress I am going thru on my private life, not much related to trading...

And yes¡¡ I have to be happy for my achieved eurekas ¡¡... thanks again for your valuable inputs... on this isolated profession it is so nice to hear some encouraging words...

So Tin you do some gardening... I asume that might be relaxing, cheers Walter.

[TinGull]

Ah yes, I do garden. I've got a decent sized garden at my community garden spot where I've got enough veggies growing for me and my girlfriend to eat for the rest of summer and fall.

[BlowFish]

I cant help wondering if it is difficult to learn things because of limiting beliefs. I am looking forward to reading the Carol Dwek book. A friend recommended it before I saw it reviewed here. From what I understand here main premise is that fixed mindsets (akin to limiting beliefs I guess) is what holds us back and that ...err...I think she calls them 'growth mindsets' allow great things. Forgive me I haven't read it yet.

Anyway look forward to the next Ahha moment and enjoy working towards that :-)

It would be interesting to know if something did change in your thinking that allowed you to 'get it'?

[Soultrader]

I think our minds initial reaction to knowledge that conflicts with our belief system is to deny it. An elderly person once told me "that no matter how boring a conversation, there is a chance that out of 1,000 lines you might find one that can change your life for the better. So always listen."

For me, many new insights have come from trigger words from converstations with different people. Certain phrases or concepts spark an instant interest in my mind. I then get creative with the idea.

I think as much as we constantly like to expand our knowledge and view of the world, we are limited to what we know. Which is why I enjoy talking about business and trading frequently with my friends. Whether its positive feedback or concrete critiscm, I view it all as a positive experience.

[Jakew]

Excellent quatation from Linda Raschke experience, Dogpile. It dwarfs the classic saying about not repeating the same mistake twice. Certainly there are areas in life when one mistake teaches the whole lesson, but trading is not one of them. If only, because this is a probabilistic field where nothing works all the time, and therefore ... nothing fails all the time either. One needs a decent sample of his - suspected - mistakes to draw a conculsion

[namstrader]

Hey Walter,

Like Tin and his gardening, I write some silliness to feel closer to something in my loneliness of trading and life for that matter. I want to share something I have written while despaired and I am not looking for any kind of appreciation, just want to throw it out there in the Universe so you can view and cast away, or perhaps it strikes you like a comet. haha

Find and seek the FLOW. This is moving toward the imprints upon your heart. What if there seems to be no imprints? It is all part of the Learning Curve in life, swerving from guardrail to guardrail. Embrace what is attracted to you.

Everything is a datapoint and motion that can be Doc'ed and intel for a Solution Focused Mindset. The Abstract, Facing the Black, the Unknown, is the space and convass for us all. How I embrace what is before me, will determine how the brush will move upon the convass and co-create the unique masterpiece we all are given. Be open to it all. Take what is given and give back with forward motion. The takeaways from the present and past will serve one in the journey going forward. Takeaways are the lessons we must have. To become more complete, there must be many broken pieces to form the unbrokenness and strong buildout foundation of Being.

The buildout is in how we structure ourselves from the Abstract. It is built in each one of us, our uniqueness. The mind is the Viewfinder. The view of the horizon is yours to share. It is shared through our projections and interpretations of it. We are all running around placing meaning to it all. There is nothing to know, except that it is so. This is knowing nothing, for this is what we are limited to. The mind is a limitation, as well as the body and our senses.

The frog on a log, can know all to himself only. He can not explain reality to a sparrow. It is all different. All things Being so, jut find the Flow.

Below the Bottom Line, of profit and earnings of each one's buildout, is the Bottom Light of the Universe; found in the Flow of the imprints on our hearts. The Bottom Light is found from the broken pieces and takeaways from the experiences of all the Viewfinders. The limited Bottom line of each one's profits and earnings can be shared, for others to learn from.

The Bottom Light shines on all, and the solution focused Mindset will find answers here, not in the upper, one time earnings period, but in the
Recurring and Extraordinary Items found further down in the unreported earnings of the Bottom Light. The Bottom Light offers the truth in reported earnings, or our brokenness, that brings it all together, without the help of our viewfinders that are limited.

Net profit is in the Flow of imprints upon the heart that lead to be understood later. Once the brush upon the canvass, has been watered and allowed many different colors of broken pieces, it can now co-create a masterpiece, and the Bottom Light can illuminate for all of us to learn from other viewfinders. Learning from other viewfinders can be instructive, however, the Truth is found where the Bottom light exists beyond the net profits and common shares.

So just follow the flow of imprints upon the heart and for the Mind Aware, the rate of return will grow abundantly, from below the neck, rather than from the viewfinder. We all can be in "Awe of our Flaws" and brokenness because we trust it will all be put together wonderfully once the brush is put down.

Maybe I should take up gardening instead. Oh well, Be Peaceful and Powerful.