Via Uno
WHY I believe women can be great traders has been revealed , but I’ve been asked, HOW do I do it? With a young family and 3 kids under 6, plus an IT job, a friend of mine once said — if she was doing half of what I do — she’d be dead… I cracked “you think I’m still alive?” 🙂 You bet, it is the Spirit that is willing, and taking bold steps in high heels. 🙂
My good friend, Lucille, recently had her 3rd baby. We worked in a Telecoms company ages ago, I did the business continuity testing for IT in a mega-million dollar network rollout where she was the Project Manager. She’s definitely one of the Fierce Kind. Now she’s in a multinational telecoms company. She’s on maternity leave and she said one of her goals when she goes back to work is to study, for her personal growth. She said with her career, young family and laundry service businesses, she’s just wondering how to do it and thought of me with my studying / Trading, writing, IT job and home life minus the househelp and family support that she enjoys. (When I went for holiday, I met her family in a shopping center with an entourage of 2 nannies and a driver – ahhhh take me back in your arms, Manila! ). So time to answer the million dollar question : HOW TO DO IT?
BLOOM… BLOOM… BLOOM…
I think one of the keys is Motivation, keep yourself motivated and committed to what you are doing. I believe ultimately, what we are doing should help us to be happy, otherwise, why do it? Money can be earned any which way, I realized, I had more energy and enthusiasm for the “work” needed to be done, because it helps me to be happy. “Happiness comes as a result of being in our natural state of growth and living up to our fullest potential”. Got that little gem from the Secrets of the Millionaire Mind by T. Harv Ekel. I think I can use all my womanly qualities, my well-honed Shopping skills and love for Shoes in ” Trading for a living”, if you think the same, bloom bloom bloom!
Photo by Fr. Noi Azupardo - Orchid Blooms
STUDY TIME – EVERYTIME
When I was in college, I had a roommate, Mitzi. Come exams, funny, we meet each other in the hallway half-awake – she burns the night oil and study before she sleeps while I doze off and wake up early to hit the books. I do the same today. I have what I call “Deep Thinking” hours and “Light Thinking” hours — this is up to you really.
For “Deep thinking” I prefer waking up early in the morning to have that extra 1 hour of peace and quiet — I focus on what I need to study/prepare for a trade. When the baby still woke up whenever she wants for milk, I just sneak into the PC and study. Then when I feel sleepy, I crawl back to bed, I usually limit to 1 hour so I’m not sleep-deprived (and cranky HAHAHA). I adjusted this when baby had a more predictable sleeping pattern, I just set the alarm clock.
Then during the day, is when “Light thinking” mode is on — when there are distractions, I just check up stock prices, gather news updates, scribble notes or file documents, listen to educational audios during quiet time with the baby. I also make use of “waiting time” throughout the day, I have multiple copies of things I study in my bag, car, office, and bring it out when waiting (at the bank, park, doctor’s clinic, etc) and I carry around a pen and small notebook where I write notes — “aha” ideas, questions or strategy, risks or next steps. I think this is important because this is the result of your own thought process, something you boiled down in your head, you actually learned, not just read. I think it is important to write notes and Trade plan down, you not just reinforce your learning / task, you actually have a backup plan as gadgets get into trouble sometimes.
We live in amazing times and we can do more things / studying on the move, just look at the smartphones, e-Readers in the market, audio via MP3s. I will be creating resources to make studying easier – sign up here!
A TIME FOR EVERYTHING
I give time for the children for most of the day when I’m home, we do some Trading activities together (check prices etc., tell you more later) and I mostly do the chores when I have another adult in the house. For the week, I allocate days as follows:
- 3 days at the office, do some paperwork for the house – Mon-Wed
- personal growth at Toastmasters – Wednesday evenings 2x a month
- housekeeping / shopping / errands – Thursdays
- volunteering at playgroup – Friday morning
- pampering – Friday afternoon
- fun and recreation -Saturdays
- worship day, rest day -Sunday
When I first got interested and did my Trading, I thought devoting endless hours on the computer reading and watching the market will help me succeed. But no! Learned the hard way that performance and psychological condition is affected by all the other things that I am and need to do, so slowwwwwlllyyyy, I had to change my lifestyle — all those non-Trading activities actually still help me to Trade — I am at peace knowing that I take care of my children, household responsibilities, manage stress through fun and relaxation, nurtured spiritually and keep myself motivated.
WHAT TO AIM FOR
Things can easily go wrong in the house, little accidents, frankly, my human powers also take a break. If I wake up late or any of the children is sick, I just need to be aware that I SHOULD NOT trade a new position that day, as I might just get worried and cloud judgment. If the other adult in my household does not do their share in the housework, I just let it slide, I do it myself if it urgently needs to be done. In all these things, I aim to maintain a relaxed mood, or what Ken Long calls “Zero State” for Trading – that I am neither angry or excited, just “clear” to see risks and opportunity. I picture myself in an island … like the one down here… ahhhhh isn’t that relaxing … beautiful……beautiful ….. beautiful….
Photo by Fr. Noi Azupardo - Boracay Island, Philippines
