I read your book, Street Freak. I ignored what you said in that book as thought I was smarter, I guess, or could control my emotions. Remember when you said, put 100 people in a windowless room, a computer hooked up to a futures trading account, 1 will get rich, 9 will break even, 90 will go broke. I thought about that and I did it anyway. Long story short, I had a huge "drawdown" in May. If it wasn't for that comment you made in the book, I'd have gone broke. But I shut it all down, and at least prevented the ultimate disaster. So I must say thank you. Then this commentary today. It gave something back to me. I made a mistake, lots of people make mistakes, not just me. I still got One day at a time, and that's what I'm doing now. Thanks again.
The late Scott Adams used to say "systems are better than goals." By that he meant that goals are demoralizing for the very reasons you described. What you want is a system, a set of habits, that over time push you in the direction you want to go. Forget the goal. Forget the timeline. As you said, one cannot control all events. Instead, do the thing today and every day that should get you closer to what you wanted.
A couple of years ago, I was playing with dates and such, and realized that my wife and I, who had just celebrated our 41st anniversary, 24 days later reached another significant anniversary - 15,000 days married. Talk about one day at a time. I don't mean that in an endurance sense, but rather that this is how life is lived - one day at a time. Some days have been better than others, but we are happy and stable and looking forward to the future.
“One day at a time” and “This too shall pass” are my 2 favorite quotes. I like to make plans and to have an idea for the road ahead, but I think it’s important to keep the mental flexibility to adjust day by day, event by event. And while we always strive to do better, we also need to have the strength to accept reality for what it is.
This is it. These two quotes could make a life philosophy class. This too shall pass has been a mantra for me, but I still struggle with one day at a time. Jared says there’s no magic to it, but I wonder if there’s a mindset change that escapes me.
I'm reminded of Anne Lamott's fine book Bird By Bird. Everything you want to accomplish can only be done by doing the next small thing. I was near my yearly investment goal in June and now am definitely not. Your timely essay helps me refocus on the next step instead of thinking what an idiot I was to not stop trading then. Thanks as always for putting yourself out into the world with these thoughts
Good post. I’ve watched you on The Macro Dirt Podcast and recently had been a little worried. To me you seemed depressed. I’m glad that you’re firmly on the One Day At A Time train.
Synchronicity! You just wrote about something I have been wrestling with all morning and you gave me some new perspectives. As a small token of my appreciation, I am preordering "The Awesome Portfolio" right now. Thanks, Jared!
I enjoy the heck out of your writing and many times I find your perspective both entertaining and useful. But this really hits home. As a committed precious metals investor, over the first six months of this year my decision making has been staggeringly incompetent, and this has scuttled many "plans". One has to move on and resist the temptation to try and reverse the failure quickly. I'm in the middle of this process and this line struck me like a mantra: "All you can do is the next right thing."
On the subject of Valium. all benzodiazepines are really bad for people with certain genetics. I get withdrawal after a single dose and it is an overwhelming anxiety. It is probably because I am a fs metabolizer. It took the the second time and watching someone go off a benzo addiction to realize what was happening. It goes away within about 10 hours or so for me and if I know what is happening, it is easier to tolerate, but before using these, people should be made aware. I am waiting for custom genetic medicine so we don't find this out through trial and error.
Both times I had them for surgeries and in the US we make people high before we work on them. Outside the US this is considered too dangerous.
Well said Jared, hang in there buddy. Life is full of ups and downs... Like you said, "Man Plans, God Laughs." One properly placed step, after another...
I read your book, Street Freak. I ignored what you said in that book as thought I was smarter, I guess, or could control my emotions. Remember when you said, put 100 people in a windowless room, a computer hooked up to a futures trading account, 1 will get rich, 9 will break even, 90 will go broke. I thought about that and I did it anyway. Long story short, I had a huge "drawdown" in May. If it wasn't for that comment you made in the book, I'd have gone broke. But I shut it all down, and at least prevented the ultimate disaster. So I must say thank you. Then this commentary today. It gave something back to me. I made a mistake, lots of people make mistakes, not just me. I still got One day at a time, and that's what I'm doing now. Thanks again.
The late Scott Adams used to say "systems are better than goals." By that he meant that goals are demoralizing for the very reasons you described. What you want is a system, a set of habits, that over time push you in the direction you want to go. Forget the goal. Forget the timeline. As you said, one cannot control all events. Instead, do the thing today and every day that should get you closer to what you wanted.
A couple of years ago, I was playing with dates and such, and realized that my wife and I, who had just celebrated our 41st anniversary, 24 days later reached another significant anniversary - 15,000 days married. Talk about one day at a time. I don't mean that in an endurance sense, but rather that this is how life is lived - one day at a time. Some days have been better than others, but we are happy and stable and looking forward to the future.
“One day at a time” and “This too shall pass” are my 2 favorite quotes. I like to make plans and to have an idea for the road ahead, but I think it’s important to keep the mental flexibility to adjust day by day, event by event. And while we always strive to do better, we also need to have the strength to accept reality for what it is.
This is it. These two quotes could make a life philosophy class. This too shall pass has been a mantra for me, but I still struggle with one day at a time. Jared says there’s no magic to it, but I wonder if there’s a mindset change that escapes me.
I'm reminded of Anne Lamott's fine book Bird By Bird. Everything you want to accomplish can only be done by doing the next small thing. I was near my yearly investment goal in June and now am definitely not. Your timely essay helps me refocus on the next step instead of thinking what an idiot I was to not stop trading then. Thanks as always for putting yourself out into the world with these thoughts
Well done. I kind of needed to read this today.
Good post. I’ve watched you on The Macro Dirt Podcast and recently had been a little worried. To me you seemed depressed. I’m glad that you’re firmly on the One Day At A Time train.
Synchronicity! You just wrote about something I have been wrestling with all morning and you gave me some new perspectives. As a small token of my appreciation, I am preordering "The Awesome Portfolio" right now. Thanks, Jared!
Mann Tracht, Un Gott Lacht” is an old Yiddish adage meaning, “Man Plans, and God Laughs.”
I enjoy the heck out of your writing and many times I find your perspective both entertaining and useful. But this really hits home. As a committed precious metals investor, over the first six months of this year my decision making has been staggeringly incompetent, and this has scuttled many "plans". One has to move on and resist the temptation to try and reverse the failure quickly. I'm in the middle of this process and this line struck me like a mantra: "All you can do is the next right thing."
Don't bleed before you're cut.
Alvy Singer in Annie Hall…when questioned about planning two weeks in advance, “I don't think I can plan that far ahead."
On the subject of Valium. all benzodiazepines are really bad for people with certain genetics. I get withdrawal after a single dose and it is an overwhelming anxiety. It is probably because I am a fs metabolizer. It took the the second time and watching someone go off a benzo addiction to realize what was happening. It goes away within about 10 hours or so for me and if I know what is happening, it is easier to tolerate, but before using these, people should be made aware. I am waiting for custom genetic medicine so we don't find this out through trial and error.
Both times I had them for surgeries and in the US we make people high before we work on them. Outside the US this is considered too dangerous.
"You can choose a ready guide in some celestial voice
If you choose not to decide you still have made a choice
You can choose from phantom fears or kindness that can kill
I will choose a path that's clear, I will choose free will"
lyrics by Neil Peart, chorus to Free Will, from Rush, Permanent Waves 1980
Well said Jared, hang in there buddy. Life is full of ups and downs... Like you said, "Man Plans, God Laughs." One properly placed step, after another...
Nice Article, man!! The struggle is real. I get it. Have a great rest of your weekend. Thank you.