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Life and Trading Lessons from Hemingway

As I work on brushing up writing skills for a potential book on my journey as a caregiver to my wife for 30+ months, I happened across a collection of advice for writers Hemingway sprinkled through his correspondence with colleagues over the years. Wisdom for the ages?

Life lesson:

“Listen now. When people talk listen completely. Don’t be thinking what you are going to say. Most people never listen. Nor do they observe. You should be able to go in to a room and when you come out know everything that you saw there and not only that. If that room gave you any feeling you should know exactly what it was that gave you that feeling. Try that for practice. When you’re in town stand outside the theatre and see how the people differ in the way they get out of taxis or motor cars. There are a thousand ways to practice. And always think of other people.”

And for traders as well as writers:

“Dostoevsky was made by being sent to Siberia. Writers are forged in injustice as a sword is forged.”

It makes me think of all the injustices bestowed upon newer traders; complexity, bad prices, one’s own emotional state, the non-obvious inner circle game– the list is endless.

Universal Laws of Success

(1) Law of LOVE – It says in essence – “LOVE ALL PEOPLE AS YOURSELF”. All other rules are subordinate to this one Law – they must NOT conflict with it. It’s biblical. It applies to everything we do – as individuals – families – business teams – organizations – countries. It is Global in its reach.
(2) Law of CAUSE & EFFECT – This is an orderly universe. There are no accidents. Everything happens for a reason. For every effect there’s a cause or a set of causes.
(3) Law of MIND – Thoughts objectify themselves. We ‘become’ what we ‘think about’.
(4) Law of MENTAL EQUIVALENCY – To achieve success in any area, we must have a ‘clear image’ of that success in our mind a mental picture of our idea of success – a vision.
(5) Law of CORRESPONDENCE – Our outer life will mirror our ‘inner’ life. There is a ‘direct correspondence’ between our experiences and our thoughts and attitudes.
(6) Law of BELIEF – Whatever we believe – deeply – becomes our reality (including our belief that we “deserve” Success).
(7) Law of VALUES – What we truly value and believe in is reflected in our ‘actions’, even though our ‘words’ may say otherwise.
(8) Law of MOTIVATION – Everything we do is triggered by our inner desires, urges and instincts – many are subconscious.
(9) Law of SUBCONSCIOUS ACTIVITY – Our subconscious mind ‘alerts us to things around us’ – consistent with our dominant desires and concerns.
(10) Law of EXPECTATIONS – What we ‘expect with confidence’ tends to materialize.
(11) Law of CONCENTRATION – Whatever we concentrate on – and think about repeatedly – becomes more a part of our inner life.
(12) Law of HABIT – Virtually all that we do is automatic – the result of habit. Habits that move us ‘away’ from our goals must be ‘changed’. (more…)

Universal Laws of Success

Universal Laws of Success(1) Law of LOVE – It says in essence – “LOVE ALL PEOPLE AS YOURSELF”. All other rules are subordinate to this one Law – they must NOT conflict with it. It’s biblical. It applies to everything we do – as individuals – families – business teams – organizations – countries. It is Global in its reach.
(2) Law of CAUSE & EFFECT – This is an orderly universe. There are no accidents. Everything happens for a reason. For every effect there’s a cause or a set of causes.
(3) Law of MIND – Thoughts objectify themselves. We ‘become’ what we ‘think about’.
(4) Law of MENTAL EQUIVALENCY – To achieve success in any area, we must have a ‘clear image’ of that success in our mind a mental picture of our idea of success – a vision. (more…)