Wednesday, August 31, 2011

To SEE the Big Picture

In trading, we have a "% winners" number. This is the percentage of profitable positions you have in your book/portfolio during a specified time frame. Now a 60% winners is VERY good given how some of us hold positions in over a thousand names. This usually leads to a very good year and a very happy trader. 


Now outside of trading, why do we focus so much on the other 40%, or even a much smaller number like 10%, 5%, or even 1% that's considered negative? 


I am and have always been my own harshest critic and always try to hold myself up to a very high standard. Some have called me a perfectionist and some have called me an elitist but to be honest, all it really means is that I stress myself out way too much trying to bring that 40% down to 0%. I've lived this way for a while now and probably won't change but what I really am trying to change is holding other people up to the same standard. Instead of focusing on the things people aren't doing, I want to focus more on the big picture. If someone makes you happy 9 times out of 10, is there a need to focus so much on that 1 time when you're not perfect yourself? When someone is a positive influence in your life 95% of the time, why dwell and stress about the other 5% when there's no guarantee that anyone in this world can make you happier?


Looking back at my past relationships, I was incredibly selfish and immature... I apologize to everyone and I'm grateful for all the lessons I've learned. I also apologize in advance if my selfishness and immaturity surfaces from time to time. I'm trying. 


한 장 잎사귀에 사로잡이면, 나무를 볼수 없고, 한 그루 나무에 사로잡이면 숲을 볼수 없다. 어디에도 마음을 두지않고, 돌아볼지도 말고, 전체를 보아라. 그 것이 아마도 '본다' 는 것이겠지. 


(For my friends who said my blog is racially discriminatory due to all the Korean, here's a rough translation. "If you focus on one leaf, you can't see the tree. If you focus on one tree, you can't see the forest. Don't focus anywhere, don't turn around, and see the whole. That is probably what it means to 'see'")

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