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  1. A Winding Path of Progress/

Don't let the tail wag the dog

·2 mins·
Challenge
Table of Contents
Me in the forest

Hi 🙂,
this week I was pondering this quote:

Don’t let the tail wag the dog.

An example of this would be copying a trading method just because it is profitable, regardless of what it might entail. It chooses profit over your priorities and personality. You don’t want to make yourself fit the method. Make the method fit you.

A related saying is to “put the cart in front of the horse.” They are slightly different, but both are about mistaking the means for the end.

Commitments #

My ongoing commitments are:

  • To become profitable at trading
  • Focus challenge1 on trading, until Dec19
  • Don’t buy sweets and such, until the end of the year
  • Generate 10 ideas every day
  • Publishing this newsletter every Sunday (4x streak😎)

What I’m working on #

For context, see /now.

My focus challenge1 is coming to it’s end. With Christmas coming up and the markets slowing, I will mostly turn my focus elsewhere until new years.

I will keep practice trading and do some writing over the holidays.

Challenges #

Applying a specific learning or philosophy for a week (see project.)

Last one #

While unannounced, last weeks challenge was: Note down nothing

It came as a logical conclusion of being more present. Don’t write down what I’m thinking. Instead of engaging with thought (and thus giving it more room), just let the thought go. Most of it is nonsense anyway.

There were no adverse outcomes. Just more presence and less notes to process in my weekly review.

All the best,
Jonathan


PS: Please let me know if you have any comments, feedback or criticism.

  1. What is a focus challenge?
    I commit to work on a topic (a subject) for a period of time. The leading principle is: Stay on-topic at all times. That means any task, project, action, media shall pertain pertain to the selected topic. Anything off-topic is to be noted for later without receiving much attention.

    Exceptions apply for established habits, outside work, chores, FFF, etc.

    Some applications of this principle:

    • I hid all my off-topic projects.
    • I only listed to on-topic audiobooks and podcasts.
    • I only read on-topic books.
    • I only listened to instrumental music.
    • I did not process any off-topic notes in my note-taking system.
    • I did not make any online purchases.
     ↩︎ ↩︎