Likewise, Tony Robbins preaches the importance of expanding your "threshold of control."
The idea is that you need to continuously push your limits and grow your tolerance of what is within your comfort zone.
Think about the problems and annoyances you had when you were 18, 13, or 8 … Chances are that they were much smaller than what you now face comfortably.
Expanding your thresholds of control, and facing your fears (and discomforts) is a big part of growth.
In my company, we call it "Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable."
The old way wasn't enough, and the tools and techniques that got you where you are, won't get you where you want to be.
So, into the unknown we go.
What do think will catapult you to that next level?
Last week, I took 4 team members to Infusionsoft'sICON - a small business automation conference.
You might wonder why I went, and why I took so many people …
One of my core values is the idea of "Learn and Grow."
Meaning, if you grow the people, you grow the company.
Even at an artificial intelligence company, people are an invaluable resource, and if you're not giving them opportunities to better themselves you're wasting that resource.
Technology replaces a lot of what humans do, and will continue to replace more and more … the beauty of that is that it frees up your team to think better thoughts, innovate, and create a better future.
I talked with Scott Harris, Founder of Millionaire Mentoring & Ultimate Coach (and emcee of the event) about his thoughts on the subject:
He echoed that investing in your own growth, and the growth of your people (emotionally, spiritually, psychologically, intellectually) is a major key to success.
And it can be hard to do that in the same space, with the same constraints, surrounded by the same people.
While you may think the best spot to create transformation is in a quiet secluded spot, uninterrupted by the world, you can learn more while surrounded by people in the same mindset as you, but with different perspectives.
Going to a conference, or a mastermind, is a great way to be in a "solution space" with other great people and find best next steps.
9 years in front of entertainment devices – another 10.5 years spent working. You get the idea.
If you have goals you want to accomplish, aspirational travel and lifestyle plans – this really puts the idea of finding and living your passion in perspective.
Here's another representation of the same data, using jelly beans. I think it's pretty powerful and worth watching.
In my TEDx talk, I talk about the Time Value of Life …
In finance, the "time value of money" refers to the principle that the purchasing power of money can vary over time (meaning, money today might have a different purchasing power than money later). In part, this is because the value of money at a future point in time might be calculated by accounting for other variables (like interest earned, or inflation accrued, etc.).
A similar calculation applies to life … or living.
Live Like You Only Have a Year Left.
During the last part of my Dad's life, I think he would have done almost anything for a little more time.
Things that used to be unimportant, or even mildly irritating, took on increased importance. For example, a dinner together became almost a sacred event; a kiss goodnight was truly heart-felt; and saying good-bye meant something … because it could be the last time.
Nevertheless, as a result of that focus, he took more life out of that time.
Shouldn't we do the same thing? Think about it … We are never going to be younger than we are, right now. We are never going to have more time to fix a big mistake. Isn't it likely that the time value of your life, is worth maximizing?
If you realize that the time you have now is worth more – what can you do differently to get the most out of it?
So, if an average person only gets 2,740 days to do with what they want, those days are precious.
Based on who's reading this, you may have half that time (or a fourth).
What are you going to focus on? Making the most money? Helping the most people? Spending the most time with your family? Relaxing?
There's never a better time than now, to live a life worth living … and only you can decide what that means!
I often talk about how robots are changing the workplace (For example here, and here) because it's a topic that hits close to home.
I remember, back in the late 90's, starting to trade based on my knowledge and my insights (and feeling like I had an edge). By 2003, most of my trading was automated. But, I wouldn't have believed how much of today's daily volume is now traded by computers.
Likewise, I remember the tech bubble and recognizing that more businesses were going online. But, I wouldn't have believed what the Internet did to retail, music, TV, banking (face it, to Business and the World in general).
Regardless of the veracity of the statement, it's evidence that we have a tendency to think emotionally, and aren't always great at rationally analyzing facts.
As proof that it's everyone, the week after the election, many Democrats believed the economy had already worsened.
Roddy Roediger is a leading expert in learning and memory, and he says there are 3 key principles that make false information believable:
Plausibility;
Suggestions and innuendo can be just as convincing as assertions; and
The more we engage with the lie, the more we misremember.
JP Spears is famous for his humor. However, before he found this "character," he made his money as a spiritual coach. One step under the surface, I believe there are a few consistent hidden messages in his humor.
The first hidden message is to let go of what served you that no longer serves you.This is also a key to profitable trading. The market doesn't care what your favorite trade looks like. Nor does it care whether you're comfortable, or how you made money in the past.
You have to be more committed to your results than you are attached to your process.
Many times, your favorite practice is more beneficial to you as a nightlight, which keeps you comfortable, rather than as an alpha-generating strategy, tactic, or technique.
The second hidden message in JP Sears' humor is to look for happiness where it is, not where it isn't. This also is a key to trading. It doesn't make sense to look for a good trade in a bad market. The key is to understand where your edge is, and to use it where and when it exists.
In the video, JP says that we should all stop using our "analytical minds" to trade, and instead use our third eye – and while I don't think my third eye is the answer, I do think our analytical minds can confuse us instead of help us.
Look at it this way: Less than 10% of active traders beat the S&P 500 any given year; and if they beat it one year, the chance is less than a coin flip, that they beat it again the following year.
Most traders understand that analysis and knowledge isn't enough anymore.
So what's the answer?
Well, if you watched the video, I'm leaning towards algorithms and artificial intelligence.
That doesn't mean looking for the "Holy Grail" – or a good set of three to five trading systems either. First, there's no Holy Grail, and it isn't realistic to believe a few systems can handle the chaos of modern markets.
There's always something working in the markets, but there isn't something that works all the time.
There's something to be said for knowing when to switch it up and try something new.
JP Sears was, and is, an emotional healing coach, and licensed "Holisitic Coach Advanced Practioner," but he found then when he posted a YouTube video he was excited when he got a couple hundred views (you can see his more serious origins in this video from four years ago).
He added the funny/satirical aspect as a complement to what he already knew, and it took him to the next level. He now gets millions.
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