Contributors Say

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Common Language - Video

Wednesday, March 24, 2010
 

Guts

Seeing is do away with it. And doing away with it is to let go, which requires guts. And guts require practice. And practicing guts requires breaking the rules, especially the ones of your own making.

By the way: the guts required for practicing guts can be found in YOUR heart (one of the kindest I know).

Monday, March 22, 2010
 

Goals and Course Adjustments

Thank You Ed:

Just a note to thank you for the book and the site. I read you interview about 15 years ago, it sounded great but I only put the ideas in practice recently, at least for trading.

I just read an essay drafted by Nassim Taleb, and to paraphrase, he referred to all the "talk" and the "noise" that is created by people who consume massive amounts of bagels and cream cheese in downtown NYC at the banks and firms, about difference between that which can be tested, in the scientific realm, and whatever comes from consensus and people who speak as experts.

His essay was funny and entertaining. I used to help make the noise and avoid it now (aside from this note being sent to you), but I still like to eat bagels and cream cheese (with lox).

In turn, this essay reminded me about a book I am reading, written by a founder of a software firm called 37 Signals, that discounted the value of long term business plans for small businesses.

Long-term plans with forecasts were described as long-term business guesses. Among its many nice ideas, 37Signals embraced the idea of making lots of small decisions that were correctable, shunning "Big" plans and decisions that sometimes inspired people to not make changes (e.g. to take a loss) because big decisions somehow implied the "rightness" of some path taken.

They cited ego as a reason for this situation, but maybe it's also about sunk cost and loss aversion. I have no problem with committing to "big" decisions, and from my vantage, rightly or wrongly, I would say family and kids aren't sunk costs AND are so worth sticking with, but hey, maybe business decisions or trades have plenty of room for adjustment or abandonment.

That book in turn, was inspired by another essay from this same firm, sent a couple of weeks ago by a friend who has been helping me write mechanical signals software for trend following. (My software was done, bit by bit, over the last few years. It's not wall street fancy but it's great and less time is spent crunching numbers for signals to buy or sell, and more on risk management. Every morning a box runs a few scripts and tells me what is moving up, what is moving down, etc. I look at my equity, figure out some preplanned costs per decision and make some decisions based upon my account's "budget" and make sure stop-losses tag along with each trade made.) I read the essay, also presented by 37Signals.

This essay in turn reminded me about a lecture by a fundamental value investor (don't laugh), who quoted from a friend, a Buddhist monk, that "The best way of preparing for the future is to take good care of the present, because we know that if the present is made up of the past, then the future will be made up of the present.

Monday, March 22, 2010

You and Me

Dear Ed,

I notice that you rarely if ever put the words YOU and ME in one sentence. Are YOU afraid of intimacy with people (like ME)?

Note: I put the ( ) in, in order to lessen the impact.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Striving

Monday, March 22, 2010

Messing Up and Feeling Worthless

Dear Tribe;

I have been writing this over the past three weeks- because Ed said that it would take three weeks for this to become settled in my system. So this is how it went.

Last night hot seat. I am glad to be finally getting this out of my system. I am grateful for the support of the Tribe.

I receive several new tools to work with my feeling of worthlessness, lack of value. Quick and efficient. I am grateful for the support and advice I received.

Last night, I thought I did okay- but now in the morning- I feel terrible. I didn't sleep well and I just can't get over the feeling that everything I do is wrong, and somehow I screwed it up.

I resolved not to the judge the feeling and just stay with it. Later in the day I realize I am sick. I have serious cold for a week. It gives me time to think and reflect.

I am trying embrace and look for the positive in all the feelings . I think a lot of my personal discomfort is part of the cold. My discomfort adds to the value of my welcoming uncomfortable feelings.

I am working to recognize these feelings, convert them into allies and learn their positive intentions

I stay sick for the week and gradually feel a lot better about everything.

The second week, I am noticing that I concentrate better and am better organized. I am pleased to notice these changes.

I am consciously aware of my feelings -and aware of my new tools.

I am calling my brokerage phone and enjoying getting all sorts of useful help questions answered.

I am unfolding and unpacking the feelings in a holistic manner. The changes I notice are not dramatic, more a deliberate progress of feeling discomfort and waiting with it until it explains itself. I am patient with my feelings and allow them to speak to me, knowing that they will reveal positive intention if I give them room to do it.

Some good things I am noticing. My desk is cleaner. My account is up 3% and 40% in cash- which is what I planned to have it do. I feel as though perhaps I am also making some beneficial shifts on a subconscious level.

Thank you for sharing your process.

I wonder what happens if you mess up the act of messing up.

If You Mess Up Messing Up

you win.

Clip: http://irondancer.com/letchworth

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Sunday, March 21, 2010 6:33 PM

From Control to Intimacy

Hi Ed,

Well, for almost two years of reading FAQ, I decide to join the local Tribe. I wonder if the drama in my life occurs if I join the tribe earlier. I think about how much less controlling, jealous and selfish I could be if I simply decide to commit to Tribe work earlier. What am I waiting for!?

I think about the drama I create in my relationship with my girlfriend. She recently tells me I that she wants some time off. After realizing I am making similar mistakes before our first break-up, I finally decide to join the local Tribe. I see my controlling behavior, invalidation of her feelings and lack of acceptance of who she is. I wonder how I can love her and act this way.

Do I actually NOT love her? I scream, "No way!! I love her more than anything!" So, I wonder what my problem is. I think about prior relationships. I replay our fights, moods, events leading up to the break-up and the break-up itself. I laugh as I see the same pattern with each girl. What is the only constant? Me.

This gives me tremendous insight. I think about other intimate couples I know of and see images of them together. I develop a snapshot of what I want with my girlfriend.

I see me standing on top of the cliff (see attached pic) awaiting her arrival up the long steps. She gasps in total surprise and then asks me, "What are you doing here!?" I say, "I have come her to ask you to marry me." I do not include her answer in this snapshot. I feel that is a form of control and way of predicting the future.

I intend to write progress reports every Thursday (day following Tribe meetings).

Thank you for sharing your process.

If the guy decides to change the dance,

say from control to intimacy,

the girl might follow him

or she might leave him

and find another partner

who still likes the control dance.

Clip: http://www.liverpoolchamberblog.org/

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Sunday, March 21, 2010

NV to TX 

Saturday, March 20, 2010
 

Agitator
 

Dear Ed,

FAQ isn't in the now. Ed doesn't practice as he preaches, but tries to heal. I am honest and you can't bare it because you can't let go of the mind.
 

Thank you for sharing your process.

One Positive Intention of an Agitator

is to clean things up.

Clip: http://www.applianceaid.com/

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Into the Now

Dear Ed,

It took me a while to get to my final report – and to my goodbye to you. I wish to thank you all for the great support you provided, not the least Mr. Ed Seykota. I bow in deep respect.

I am moving into the now, as we speak. And I mean deeply in the now. In fact, just in order to get the hang of it again, I make plans to live with a people that still lives in the now (still in the now…. ha!) There are not many left. I was lucky to find a far-out village, deep in the bush and deeply in the now (taking a long break can be good sometimes). In fact, you can’t call it a village. Tribe would be a better word, for their place of birth has no name as such. I am not speaking metaphorically here, but literally.

Money I let go of a while ago, disappointed and all. Drinking from the well of wealth will never quench my thirst. I find it salty. Don't you, Ed?

Going for Now is another kind of letting go. A bit scary, yes, but only just a bit. And TTP was my signpost to the now. Tribe meetings are a great way of now . FAQ however is definitely a means to an end, a way to the future, a show away from the Now-show. He who FAQs about the now is like that priest who preaches about sex. I guess some people like to live in the now, while others love to talk about it forever. And yet others see it as a great way to build a legacy.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Wants to Visit Tahoe

Dear Ed,