2 months ago I took a break, but more due to a trip to Hongkong and Malaysia.
However, I find that a trip somehow is good for creativity and offers perspective on what one is doing. During the trip I did not have really new insights, however I thought up a new way how to organize data efficiently in excel, whereby better analysis is possible now.
Most of the time trading keeps dominating in your mind, one year ago we went to japan and I was awake at 04.00 am due to the timezone and went making mindmaps of the information on trading I took with me, my girlfriend thought I was
One of my worst enemies are my own false assumptions
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Speaking from experience -- since I went full-time trading around 7 years ago, I have many times got caught up in the "moment" with whatever project I'm currently working on, and worked tirelessly on it for days, weeks, months at a time without coming up for air.
But over the years, now with the benefit of some wisdom, I would highly recommend against this approach and instead recommend taking frequent breaks, even if only for a couple of days or one week, where you completely set aside your work and don't touch it.
Then after the time elapses, when you return, you'll realize how fresh everything seems and you'll benefit from thinking of new or creative ways to address problems you hadn't considered before because you were too close to the problem.
I have good ideas in the shower too, but my best work is when I am trying to sleep -- but instead laying awake at night.
In fact, this happens so often I want to buy the new Moto X phone so I can just yell "Hey, Moto!" from across the room without getting out of bed, "take note of <insert brilliant trade idea here>". It's a great little phone that lets you interact with it 100% hands free simply by voice.
This is my personal time philosophy. I've borrowed it from Strategic Coach where I was a client for a while.
The basic premise is this: When we work straight through, we become less and less effective until we are forced to take a break. However if we will work hard, then take pre planned periods of rest, we retain and improve our effectiveness and creativity.
Here is the graphic from the Coach. It's brilliant in its simplicity as most brilliant things are.
This cost me a unreal amount of money to obtain so please use wisely.
I have a few power point slides if anyone is interested in seeing them that speak to this issue in more depth. Either respond here in the thread or send me PM. They were part of my coaching gig I did for a while....you can get it for free if you like!
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication, Leonardo da Vinci
Most people chose unhappiness over uncertainty, Tim Ferris
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Honestly, @Big Mike do you have a list of poll ideas waiting to be released every once in a while, or do you just randomly update it whenever you get a new one you think is worthy enough to be posted? Each one is pretty good so I know you have some method to it.
R.I.P. Joseph Bach (Itchymoku), 1987-2018.
Please visit this thread for more information.
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