Franklin D. Roosevelt: “Comparison is the thief of joy.”
Socrates: “Envy is the ulcer of the soul.”
Ovid: “Envy, the meanest of vices, creeps on the ground like a serpent.”
Seneca: “The envious die not once, but as oft as the envied win applause.”
Aristotle: “Envy is pain at the good fortune of others.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “Hatred is active, and envy passive dislike; there is but one step from envy to hate.”
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: “The one who envies, does not really know what he wants.”
Alexander Solzhenitsyn: “Our envy of others devours us most of all.”
These quotes reflect various perspectives on the nature and impact of envy, from ancient philosophers to modern thinkers.
In the trading world, I don’t think the evils of envy get discussed enough. And in today’s globally connected social media world, it’s a bigger problem than ever.
I suffer from envy.
There, I said it.
I suffer with it in my trading, in my career, and in my personal life.
I want the big winning trade that @AnonymousBigShot just earned. I want the 25-year track record that Great Sharpe Ratio, LLC earned on their fund. I want the fully funded 401k on track to secure my retirement. I want the rewards that come with taking business risks. I want the house the neighbor down the street owns. I want to go on the vacations my friends go on. I want all of it. And I want it now.
As you might imagine, this can potentially wreak havoc on my long-term trading performance. I’m certain it has. Likely it happens to you as well.
Some are better at dealing with it than others. I have my periods where I’m able to successfully shut it out and live my best life. But sadly, I also have moments where I’m overcome by it and it breaks me.
One thing that helps get me back on track is to be reminded of two things: [Read more…]