Archive for May, 2004

Success– The Key And The Fire

Monday, May 31st, 2004

Self-discipline is a powerful tool that can help you accomplish about anything you can dream or imagine. Self-discipline is the act of controlling our emotions, actions, thoughts, words and personal direction. Some people seem to be naturally self-controlled and some seem to have no self-control at all. Others seem to constantly struggle with self-discipline.

Discipline is learning to say “no” to our primitive uncontrolled cravings and selfish destructive desires. We develop self-management when we begin to distinguish the difference between what is actually needed and what is truly unnecessary.

Because of the ease of modern society and our ability to get anything we want at a push of a button or the swipe of a card, it is far more difficult to exert self-control today than it has been in any other time in human history. Added to this is the brainwashing of advertising that tells us to crave things.

The first step to gaining self-control is to identify the areas where we are out of control. Work on self-denial in the areas you want to change. Deny your self a certain pleasure each day. Then begin to start small with little victories each day, like eating one less snack or watching one less television show.

A key to discipline is developing routines. People who have routines tend to be more disciplined and accomplish more. If you are one of those people who have trouble with routines, try adding just one at a time. Keep it simple. Work on the things that are most important first. Evaluate yourself regularly to see how you are doing. Reward yourself for keeping at it. Once it becomes a habit, it is much easier to maintain.

Of course, routines can be done to excess, so remember to give yourself a little healthy leeway in case the unexpected comes up.

The power behind some of the world’s greatest achievements is strong motivation and the ability to persist despite previous failures. Motivation is the fire that fuels our efforts toward success. There is no use in trying to master self-discipline if you have no motivation to have it. Motivation is a result of strong personal desire that directs a person’s actions and thoughts and helps create situations that move toward a specific accomplishment.

Motivation must come from within, not from an outside source. For example, if you diet because your spouse wants you to, it is poor motivation, and you will probably not do well at it. It is only when you truly desire to control your habits and behaviors that you will achieve self-discipline. Motivation brings about true change.

One way to increase motivation is through pressure. Tell your friends, co-workers and family about your commitment to change something in your life. Peer pressure can be a powerful motivator.

Motivation works hand in hand with self-discipline and organization. Lack in these areas can lead to a greater number of failures and failures lead to poor motivation. When you begin to structure your day and organize yourself, the motivation that moved you to change will continue to add fuel to the fire.

As you work toward change in your life, you will eventually experience failure. The only way to defeat failure is through persistence and perseverance. The most common reason people give up on achieving their goals is because they encountered failure once or twice and they become afraid to try again. Winston Churchill once said, “Success is going from failure to failure without a loss of enthusiasm.” Before you even begin, you must plan to deal with failure. Be ready to persevere. Vow to never give up, no matter what, no matter how long it takes!

Picture Perfect Frames

Monday, May 31st, 2004

A Framer is a carpenter who builds frames. However, there are a wide variety of frames that can be built. If you have ever seen a house go up, you know that the first step is putting the frame up. This ends up serving as a skeleton of sorts. It is the starting point.

While this is the type of frame that is usually thought of, there are many other types of frames. One is the picture frame. The picture frame is a relatively simple frame. However, the picture frame allows for a lot of creativity. A house allows for a lot of creativity also, but a different sort. Not many people are going to want a big cat carved into the side of their house. But on a picture frame there is free reign.

There are many creative artists who put their time into making beautiful picture frames to frame your memories and adorn your walls. You can go with a motif, making your frames go together throughout your house. Or you can mix and match for a wide array of colors and themes to go with your wide array of memories.

Most people simply buy their picture frames already put together. However, some people enjoy playing the artist for a change. If all you like to do is decorate the frame, you can buy plain frames ready to be painted, glued, stained, or carved. You can be the artist with only your own restraints to stop your imagination.

Some people like to jump into the making of their frames earlier in the process. There is really no limit to how far back in the process you can go. You can go chop or saw the kind of wood you wish to make your frame out of. Then, you can carve out the size and shape you want, glue any pieces you need to together, sand, stain, burn, and decorate.

Most people don’t like to go quite that far back in the process, however. That is why there are plenty of retailers who are happy to sell you anything you need to make your framing experience a good one. You can buy the wood, glue, decorations, glass, and anything else you may need online or in a hobby or craft store.

If you want to design and decorate your own frames, but don’t really like the wood look, there are options for you too. Many places also sell the supplies you need for metal frames. These frames are often used to create a sleek, elegant look. They can come in many colors and feels. They can be bare metal, or a color of your choosing, with smooth or coarse finishes.

Many people like to be able to add a personal touch to their frames. This is often done through the simple inscription of a word or name on the frame. With wooden frames, this can be done through carving or wood burning. Metal frames are generally done through inscription. Whatever your personal preferences, you can find or make a frame to fit your personal taste.

Baby Steps Toward a Better Kitchen

Monday, May 31st, 2004

There’s no doubt that the kitchen was once the center of family life. While that isn’t usually the case in today’s hectic world, many people spend more time in the kitchen than they’d like. Making the room practical, functional and attractive can minimize the time you have to spend working in the kitchen and maximize your enjoyment of that time. Take a look at some of baby steps toward a better kitchen.

Removing the clutter – Clutter is the bane of many rooms and the kitchen is no exception. If you limit the amount of clutter piled up around your kitchen, you’ll also be limiting the amount of time it takes to perform tasks, including clean up time. Start by throwing away (or at least putting away) all that useless “stuff.” If the bread machine has been sitting unused on the countertop for more than a couple of months, find somewhere to put it away. And if you’re just never going to bake bread, this would be a good time to donate that monster to a local charity or put it in a garage sale.

Maximizing the space – You may be overlooking some important chances to make the most of your space. If you have a corner cabinet, consider adding a Lazy Susan (a circular shelf that rotates). Those are nifty little gadgets that let you use the entire space without losing everything that falls to the back corner of the cabinet.

If you have cabinets with tall shelves (or no shelves at all), add some. You’ll likely find what you need at a local hardware store or lumber supply. You’ll likely find shelves that will fit right into your cabinet and many have holes already drilled for shelf supports. If you’re using raw lumber, you can even ask someone at the hardware store to cut the boards to the size you need.

Add a touch of something – Whether it’s “pretty,” “elegance” or “class,” adding some special touches will bring warmth to your kitchen. Curtains, rugs and even some new dishtowels will perk up your room.

Change something – It may be time for a makeover. New cabinets, sink, faucets, countertops and appliances may be in order. On the other hand, if everything is still working well, you may find that changing some of the smaller points of the room will help. One relatively inexpensive way to change the look of your kitchen is with new handles for your cabinets. Choose something bright or pick a finish to match your faucet. An antique look may be better suited for your kitchen. Whatever you select, a small detail like new handles can jazz up the entire room.

Add some light – Light can change the entire look of a room. Consider a new ceiling fan/light combo or even a fancy new shade for your existing light. Just because it’s a kitchen doesn’t mean that lamps aren’t possible, and you can even use light to create a focal point – on that new wine rack, for example.

What’s the Difference Between Blogs And Websites?

Monday, May 31st, 2004

Online journals, better known as blogs, are becoming more and more popular. When the Internet was first getting started, users rushed to build personal web sites. Web sites are still very popular among web users, but many are now turning to blogs. What’s the difference? This article will examine the main similarities and differences between a Weblog and a website.

While blogs and website are intended to be different, there are a couple of similarities in blogs and sites. Mainly, they are both found on the Internet using a URL or a web address. Both also must have some sort of host to keep the information online. Another similarity of the two is that they both can be maintained by virtually anyone from individuals to companies. Both Weblog and websites can also contain information, pictures, link and keywords, as well. These two types of sites will target readers.

With a blog, information that is entered on the site is generally updated very frequently depending on the writer. Sometimes blog writers even update several times a day. Usually with a website, information is not updated regularly. Websites generally contain information about something that does not change often. When a website is updated, usually the entire page is altered. With a blog, just one entry at a time is updated. After a website has been changed, that information is gone and cannot be seen again by the reader. On a blog, new entries are added, but the old ones are not deleted from the site. Instead, they are stamped with the date and time that they were created, given a title and indexed on that blog page. It makes it easy for a blog reader to go to a certain blog page and read past entries without having to search.

Another main difference between and blog and a website is that a website is generally a little harder to maintain and oftentimes requires a solid understanding of the way the Internet works. With a blog, almost anyone can easily and quickly update a blog. It does not require any special working knowledge of the Internet. In addition, there are many sites that offer blog features and most of the time these can be used for free.

Blogs also encourage people to communicate with each other much more so than with a website. A websites primary function is to provide some sort of information to a reader. While there may be a place to leave a comment or an email address for writing that is not why that site was created. Blogs are used for communication. Writers may choose to make their site private, but most choose to publish their blogs making them public to any one who wishes to read. Most blog hosting sites offer options to add to the site so readers and the writer can leave comments to each other on the site. In addition, there are entire web communities built just for blogs. Blogs encourage those who have similar thoughts, interests or even businesses to share their blog site so readers can find them easily. Blogs offer guest tracking, keyword tracking, hit counters, comment areas, and even tag boards for both the reader and the writer to use.

Blogging is extremely popular right now. As more people begin sharing their thoughts with others, there are more blogs created each day. Blogging gives writers, journalists, professionals, moms, dads and even teenagers an instant way to publish their thoughts on a regular basis. For those who enjoy writing, blogs give a unique opportunity to practice writing skills and experiment with what others want to read. Businesses use blogs to show off their expertise and knowledge in their fields, whereas websites do not always get this type of message out to the readers.

Blogging and websites do have some similarities. They are both found on the Internet and contain information. However, blogs give a writer the unique opportunity to communicate with their reader and update their entries on a frequent basis. Anyone who tries blogging will love the instant gratification of getting their opinions and thoughts out on the Internet right away and getting instant feedback from readers that visit their site.

The Acai Berry: An Antioxidant Superfood That Has Everything

Monday, May 31st, 2004

The acai berry is one of the world’s most interesting and unique foods. It may also be one of its healthiest. Chock-full of antioxidants, amino acids, AND essential fatty acids, the tiny little acai berry packs a nutritional wallop rarely seen in the natural world. In fact, some experts consider it to be the world’s most “complete” natural food.

Acai berries come from the acai (pronounced ah-SIGH-ee) palm tree of South America. The native peoples of Brazil have eaten the berry for centuries and there are, in fact, many local legends about acai’s incredible healing and sustaining powers. It remains a popular “health and energy” food in that country today. Fortunately for North Americans and Europeans, in the last few years acai berry products have made their way to foreign shores. Now just about anyone can (and should) try this incredibly healthy food for themselves.

To give you an idea of just how powerful this fruit really is, consider the nutritional profile of acai berry pulp:

- 10-30 times the anthocyanins (strong antioxidants) of red wine
- an almost perfect essential amino acid complex (the “building blocks” of protein)
- 60% Oleic acid, an omega-9 monounsaturated essential fatty acid
- 12% Linoleic acid, an omega-6 polyunsaturated essential fatty acid
- a full array of vitamins, minerals, and trace elements
- large amounts of plant sterols (phytochemicals with numerous health benefits)
- significant amounts of natural dietary fiber
- natural calcium!

As you can see, there aren’t many things that the acai berry doesn’t have! But the good news doesn’t end there. Acai has a vibrant taste that most people find very, very pleasing. Though difficult to describe, some people compare the flavor of acai to tart, chocolate-covered cherries or blueberry ice cream with a hint of chocolate. Not bad for something so healthy!

A few of the more common benefits reported by people who consume acai berries on a regular basis include:

- Greater energy and vitality
- Increased stamina
- Improved circulation
- Improved digestion
- Better sleep
- Improved sexual function
- Healthier, better-looking skin
- Increased sense of overall “well-being”

By now you’re probably aching to try this super-fruit for yourself. Fortunately it’s becoming more and more widely available throughout the United States, Europe, and Australia. Look for acai smoothies and acai berry juices at your local health foods shops. There are also several health supplements on the market which contain dried acai berry powder… but it would be a shame to miss out on the delicious and unique taste of this amazing berry!

Critical Mistakes Made By Most College Freshman

Monday, May 31st, 2004

Freshman year at college is a very exciting but nerve-wracking experience. For many it’s one of the best years of their life. Students with a solid academic background in high school often think they will transition to college with no problem. Many are taken by surprise once they get there.

Why do some college freshman do so much better than others? I’ve discovered seven key mistakes most freshman make (and in doing so, limit the success they spent high school preparing for):

1. They don’t take advantage of campus resources.

The biggest mistake most freshman make is they don’t use the resources and people already in place to help them. In college, to be successful, you must use the resources your tuition has already paid for. These include Resident Assistants, Major Advisors, Student Advisors, tutors, professors, peers, and older students. Make sure you know what resources are available on campus, and how you can get to know them.

2. They don’t implement a study system.

Doing well in college, though possible for many, requires a different approach to studying and managing your time. Different from high school, you do not have the same structure or accountability in place. Put procedures in place – for studying especially – that will help you maintain the discipline necessary to do well.

3. They don’t answer the question of why they’re really in school.

Some are in college for their parents, some because it’s the next step in life, some to make great friends, some to party, some to discover their career. You have a purpose for being in school. What is it? Until you answer this question, it will be more difficult to know how to use your time.

4. They try to do everything freshman year.

Many students get absorbed in all the opportunities available to them but don’t really do anything well their first year. This includes campus activities, dorm life, cafeteria food, and parties. As a result, they never fully commit to their real purposes in college and are still floundering come sophomore year. This is a very bad mistake to make, especially when it is so easily preventable, which is really the easiest to improve – prevent problems in the first place.

5. They are not proactive in their pursuits.

It would be nice if teachers checked up on you and a note went home to your parents if you weren’t in class (or maybe not). Unlike high school, initiative is required to do well in college. You have to do it yourself. After you’ve attended the first week of class, you have to connect with other students and professors who you can learn from and connect with throughout the year. You should do this continually.

6. They don’t take pride in how they’re different from others.

When you write a paper or take a test, professors aren’t looking for you to regurgitate what they covered in class. They want to know that you’ve taken time to think for yourself and have come up with your own conclusions. Of course, in math or science courses, the conclusions are a little more objective than in the liberal arts. Same for career preparation. Not all lawyers were political science majors, not all doctors were once physiology majors. If you have an idea of what career you want to pursue, there are many ways to get there. And on a personal level, if you don’t find a group that you can feel comfortable in, form one yourself.

7. They do things that they won’t be proud of later on.

Many students do more their freshman year that they will regret in the future than at any other time in their life. Before you go to that party or decide to bail on a week of classes, take some time to think about the results of your actions weeks and months down the road.

So, there you have it – the seven big mistakes to avoid. Remember, the opportunities to succeed are plentiful – and available – for any student who want to start out college on the right foot. Simply use common sense, follow my advice, and let your academic and college experience flourish!

Turn the Internet into a Profit-Making MACHINE with a Newsletter

Monday, May 31st, 2004

Turning the Internet into a profit-making machine is as simple as two things. First, avoid affiliate programs at all costs. They don’t work. They are to the Internet in the new millennium what door to door sales were to the 1950s and telemarketing was to the 1980s and the 1990s.

The Internet is a great way to turn a profit. The way to do it, however, is to follow a second simple rule: register your own domain name for your business. When you register your own domain and build a website to represent the services and products that you have to offer, you legitimize your business, whether you own a brick and mortar store or are opening a home business and your store everything in a corner of your garage.

Once you have your domain set up and you’re ready to go, you need a way to reach out to the customers who have purchased from you in the past. It is a 90% more efficient use of your marketing funds (and energy!) to keep a customer you already have than to create a new one. The way to hold onto these customers and turn them into regulars is to keep in touch with them. Don’t let them forget about you. Offer them incentives to return, such as a discount on certain products or on a certain volume of certain services bought or if they send a new client your way.

How do you keep each one of your customers up to date with all your new offers, especially when you have a new product you’re excited about? You start a newsletter! With a newsletter that is as classy as your business, created with a logo and design that is reminiscent of your website, you can reach out to your mailing list and even contact other email addresses that you’ve culled through your website via emailed questions or email capturing software.

A few things to remember:

* Keep it short and sweet. No one wants to read a novel when they open an email. Say what you have to say in as few words as possible with minimal graphics and vivid words that capture the imagination.
* For all offers, add a time clock. This means that when you tell them that you’re offering them a buy one, get one deal, let them know that they have only a certain amount of time to cash in on the deal or else it will be gone!
* Always offer a way out. At the bottom of every newsletter that you send, give instructions on how they can stop receiving the newsletters if they’d like to be taken off the mailing list. Be respectful of these requests and fulfill them post haste.
* In the same vein, don’t send out newsletters too often. A newsletter every week for most businesses is too often. Once a month is just about right. Some even choose bi-monthly depending on the type of service or product you offer. If you offer products that are perishable or renewable in a short amount of time, then you may choose to up your newsletter offers a little bit. Customers will be looking to purchase more of your product. If you offer a service or a product that has an indefinite shelf life, then most likely a customer who purchased from you the week before won’t be interested in hearing from you just yet.

Whether you send out a newsletter once a month or once a year, making sure that you keep in touch with those who express interest in your domain and what your business has to offer is key to turning the Internet into a profit-making machine.

Holden, Greg. Starting an Online Business for Dummies, 2nd Edition. IDG Worldwide Books, Inc. Foster City, CA: 2000. p.231-34.

How to Eliminate the Most Common Teenage Health Problem

Monday, May 31st, 2004

Teenage acne is an inevitable experience for most teenagers. It’s a universal enemy of most young adults and ironically a result of growing from child to adult. While it’s not entirely avoidable, there are ways to reduce one’s acne.

Acne is Common for Many Teenagers

Dermatologists worldwide have been battling acne for years – most of them are consulted after the acne has started. And what they contribute is great expertise, medications, tips on good hygiene, and emotional support that confirms that some acne is a normal part of life. None of this helps the self-esteem or confidence of the teenager who consistently deals with a face in the mirror they don’t like.

Tips for Limiting and Removing Your Acne

So consider some additional ways to limit the affect of acne in your life. Primarily, take care of your body. What type of food are you eating? How much sleep do you get? Do you wash with a hypoallergenic soap? These considerations are important ones. Food, for example, plays a big part in acne. Consult your dermatologist or online guide for more tips but be aware that fruits and vegetables are great for more than just healthy bones and teeth – they also lead to healthy skin. Similarly, watch your intake of sugar and manufactured products with heavy oil or fat.

Products are Available to Help with Acne

Another preventative measure is to review and sample Proactiv, Clearasil, and other acne prevention or removal products and see if any of them work for you. Depending on your skin type, the type of acne you have, or how your body responds to different forms of medication, these products may have a selective benefit for you.

Take care of your inner self as well

Finally, take care of your insides. No matter what effect acne has on your outside appearance during your teen years, only you can determine how you feel about your appearance and your looks. I’m not trying to minimize the emotional affect of acne, especially if some of the scars are permanent, but appearance alone is still only one factor that contributes to one’s confidence and ultimately their enjoyment of and success in life. If you can regularly look in the mirror and say “I like myself” or “I like who I’m becoming”, acne will never determine your sense of self. Do your best to prevent or reduce acne’s affect on your physical appearance, and don’t forget to take care of your inner self as well.

Do You Need HDTV Now, Or Should You Wait?

Monday, May 31st, 2004

As with so many questions in life the answer to whether you neeed to buy a HDTV now or wait longer, is that it depends. It depends on your own viewing habits and how much television you like to watch. It also depends on how much you can afford to spend.

Currently, you can view pretty much all television programming with analog TV sets, but the FCC has made it necessary for all television broadcasting companies to switch over to being able to send their TV signals in HDTV format by 2007, and that is not very far away. The problem is that analog TVs cannot receive and display HDTV or digital TV signals. So when the time arrives that all programming is being sent in digital format, what is going to happen to your old, reliable analog TV?

Well, there are conversion boxes that can be bought for between $50 – $100 that will convert the digital signal to a format that an analog TV can display. Of course, the picture and sound will not be anywhere near the quality of even normal digital TV, much less HDTV. But at least you will still be able to view TV as you always have on your analog televison set.

So back to the question at hand, should you go ahead and buy a new HDTV soon, or just go along with your old analog one for a while? Well, keep in mind that a new HDTV will cost several hundred to a few thousand dollars to buy. If you simply can’t afford that expense at this point, then maybe keeping your current TV and getting the digital to analog converter is your best bet. Or maybe you just aren’t that much of a TV viewer anyway, so when you do watch, having enhanced picture and sound is just not all that important to you. Then once again, maybe you should just get the converter box and stay with what you have.

On the other hand, there is no good reason to keep waiting much longer to buy HDTV as the prices have already fallen quite a bit. They undoubtedly will fall further, but not all that much. And there is no advanced technology available after HDTV that is on the horizon that you should be holding out for either. So for those folks who can afford buying a new HDTV television, there is no time like the present.

Stock Option Trading Millionaire Principles

Monday, May 31st, 2004

INTRODUCTION

Having been trading stocks and options in the capital markets professionally over the years, I have seen many ups and downs.

I have seen paupers become millionaires overnight…

And

I have seen millionaires become paupers overnight…

One story told to me by my mentor is still etched in my mind:

“Once, there were two Wall Street stock market multi-millionaires. Both were extremely successful and decided to share their insights with others by selling their stock market forecasts in newsletters. Each charged US$10,000 for their opinions. One trader was so curious to know their views that he spent all of his $20,000 savings to buy both their opinions. His friends were naturally excited about what the two masters had to say about the stock market’s direction. When they asked their friend, he was fuming mad. Confused, they asked their friend about his anger. He said, ‘One said BULLISH and the other said BEARISH!’”

The point of this illustration is that it was the trader who was wrong. In today’s stock and option market, people can have different opinions of future market direction and still profit. The differences lay in the stock picking or options strategy and in the mental attitude and discipline one uses in implementing that strategy.

I share here the basic stock and option trading principles I follow. By holding these principles firmly in your mind, they will guide you consistently to profitability. These principles will help you decrease your risk and allow you to assess both what you are doing right and what you may be doing wrong.

You may have read ideas similar to these before. I and others use them because they work. And if you memorize and reflect on these principles, your mind can use them to guide you in your stock and options trading.

PRINCIPLE 1

SIMPLICITY IS MASTERY

When you feel that the stock and options trading method that you are following is too complex even for simple understanding, it is probably not the best.

In all aspects of successful stock and options trading, the simplest approaches often emerge victorious. In the heat of a trade, it is easy for our brains to become emotionally overloaded. If we have a complex strategy, we cannot keep up with the action. Simpler is better.

PRINCIPLE 2

NOBODY IS OBJECTIVE ENOUGH

If you feel that you have absolute control over your emotions and can be objective in the heat of a stock or options trade, you are either a dangerous species or you are an inexperienced trader.

No trader can be absolutely objective, especially when market action is unusual or wildly erratic. Just like the perfect storm can still shake the nerves of the most seasoned sailors, the perfect stock market storm can still unnerve and sink a trader very quickly. Therefore, one must endeavor to automate as many critical aspects of your strategy as possible, especially your profit-taking and stop-loss points.

PRINCIPLE 3

HOLD ON TO YOUR GAINS AND CUT YOUR LOSSES

This is the most important principle.

Most stock and options traders do the opposite…

They hold on to their losses way too long and watch their equity sink and sink and sink, or they get out of their gains too soon only to see the price go up and up and up. Over time, their gains never cover their losses.

This principle takes time to master properly. Reflect upon this principle and review your past stock and options trades. If you have been undisciplined, you will see its truth.

PRINCIPLE 4

BE AFRAID TO LOSE MONEY

Are you like most beginners who can’t wait to jump right into the stock and options market with your money hoping to trade as soon as possible?

On this point, I have found that most unprincipled traders are more afraid of missing out on “the next big trade” than they are afraid of losing money! The key here is STICK TO YOUR STRATEGY! Take stock and options trades when your strategy signals to do so and avoid taking trades when the conditions are not met. Exit trades when your strategy says to do so and leave them alone when the exit conditions are not in place.

The point here is to be afraid to throw away your money because you traded needlessly and without following your stock and options strategy.

PRINCIPLE 5

YOUR NEXT TRADE COULD BE A LOSING TRADE

Do you absolutely believe that your next stock or options trade is going to be such a big winner that you break your own money management rules and put in everything you have? Do you remember what usually happens after that? It isn’t pretty, is it?

No matter how confident you may be when entering a trade, the stock and options market has a way of doing the unexpected. Therefore, always stick to your portfolio management system. Do not compound your anticipated wins because you may end up compounding your very real losses.

PRINCIPLE 6

GAUGE YOUR EMOTIONAL CAPACITY BEFORE INCREASING CAPITAL OUTLAY

You know by now how different paper trading and real stock and options trading is, don’t you?

In the very same way, after you get used to trading real money consistently, you find it extremely different when you increase your capital by ten fold, don’t you?

What, then, is the difference? The difference is in the emotional burden that comes with the possibility of losing more and more real money. This happens when you cross from paper trading to real trading and also when you increase your capital after some successes.

After a while, most traders realize their maximum capacity in both dollars and emotion. Are you comfortable trading up to a few thousand or tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands? Know your capacity before committing the funds.

PRINCIPLE 7

YOU ARE A NOVICE AT EVERY TRADE

Ever felt like an expert after a few wins and then lose a lot on the next stock or options trade?

Overconfidence and the false sense of invincibility based on past wins is a recipe for disaster. All professionals respect their next trade and go through all the proper steps of their stock or options strategy before entry. Treat every trade as the first trade you have ever made in your life. Never deviate from your stock or options strategy. Never.

PRINCIPLE 8

YOU ARE YOUR FORMULA TO SUCCESS OR FAILURE

Ever followed a successful stock or options strategy only to fail badly?

You are the one who determines whether a strategy succeeds or fails. Your personality and your discipline make or break the strategy that you use not vice versa. Like Robert Kiyosaki says, “The investor is the asset or the liability, not the investment.”

Understanding yourself first will lead to eventual success.

PRINCIPLE 9

CONSISTENCY

Have you ever changed your mind about how to implement a strategy? When you make changes day after day, you end up catching nothing but the wind.

Stock market fluctuations have more variables than can be mathematically formulated. By following a proven strategy, we are assured that someone successful has stacked the odds in our favour. When you review both winning and losing trades, determine whether the entry, management, and exit met every criteria in the strategy and whether you have followed it precisely before changing anything.

In conclusion…

I hope these simple guidelines that have led my ship out of the harshest of seas and into the best harvests of my life will guide you too. Good Luck.