She tells me that when she adds the yeast to the flour mixture, that the yeast begins to feed off the natural carbohydrates (sugars) in the flour. This produces carbon dioxide and alcohol. The carbon dioxide gives the rise – it forces the gluten structure (the flour mixture) to stretch and expand. The alcohol enhances the flavor.
Similarly, discipline is the great leavener of our lives. When added to our other natural attributes and our person ingredients, we stretch and expand.
Consider that every great accomplishment by our heroes depended on some human characteristic. Mother Theresa will forever be known for an overwhelming ability to love and care for others. Charles Lindberg will be known for his trans-Atlantic flight. Albert Einstein for the Theory of Relativity. Tiger Woods for his unrivaled talent as a golfer. Shakespeare.
These are all examples that we’re familiar with. None of these individuals were known, per se, for their discipline. They were known for other qualities or for their extraordinary accomplishments.
What allowed these people to expand on their natural talents and abilities to the point of becoming immortal examples of perfection in their chosen profession? What fueled the personal growth required to follow their dreams?
If we believed that these great people, including our personal heroes, were just born with the “natural” ability to succeed, we’d be missing 99% of what it took for him to do what he did.
Let’s take Leonardo da Vinci as an example. I’m not saying that God had nothing to do with his creative talents. I’m not saying that he wasn’t genetically wired for creativity, either. I’m not saying that the right side of his cerebral cortex wasn’t more fully developed than yours or mine. But what I am saying that his talents would have been completely irrelevant if he had never painted, sculpted, or written anything.
If Mother Theresa had never journeyed to distant lands to serve the poor, she would not have exemplified her natural charity for the less fortunate.
If Abraham Lincoln had never run for office (over and over) his picture wouldn’t be on the penny, the map of the U.S. might look a lot different today, and you would never had heard mention of the Gettysburg address.
1%, or maybe even less, of what these people did, had anything at all to do with natural talent. I think it would be dishonest to say that these people weren’t born with some degree of intrinsic ability. But it would also be a lie to say that you were born without any natural abilities. Whether you use and develop your abilities is the only relevant question.
Let me repeat that, because it bears repeating:
Whether we discipline ourselves to use our talents should be the focus of our energy. Not whether we were born with more of a talent than someone else, or with the talents that we really wanted, or with any noticeable talents at all.
Let’s talk about trading for a moment. It’s simply not relevant to ask whether you have any natural forex tading abilities. I can help you develop the ability to trade.
But, hey, once you throw yourself from the cliff and start trading on a live forex account, hopefully you’ve made a jump (safely) to the other side – not to the bottom. Hopefully, the strategy you took all that time to develop is going to be worth something. That’s what this book is about. I want to talk to you about how to jump safely to the other side, and to do it better than anyone else.
Discipline will expand on your trading abilities. It will stretch you.
Thomas Edison, who patented 1,093 inventions, said that “Genius is one percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” He failed thousands of times before succeeding at inventing the incandescent light bulb. Discipline drove him to succeed despite initial failures. His discipline – he often worked over 20 hours per day – stretched his natural abilities. I suppose there were many inventors as inspired or intelligent as Edison. History proves that few were as disciplined.
My first important job came during college when I interviewed to become a supervisor of Italian language instruction at my university. I needed the money. I had recently become engaged to be married, and I had no idea how I could go to school and support my family unless I received an increase in pay. When the supervisor’s job opened, I knew I had to get it.
I already spoke Italian. I had been a good Italian instructor. But I didn’t have the “natural” ability to supervise. I certainly didn’t have the natural ability to interview for the supervisor’s job. So what did I do? First I made a list of everything I needed to succeed in this interview. Here’s the list I made:
Meet boss. Find out what he looks for. Practice what he looks for until it feels natural. Play the game to win.
For the week leading to the interview, I talked to every other language supervisor I could find. I talked to everyone. I talked to the individual whom I was meant to replace. Having gathered as much information as I could, I started practicing the interview. Every night, I would grab anyone I could find and I would practice the answers to my interview questions. Some of these people had no idea what I was saying in Italian. But I must have practiced at least 20 times before the day of the interview. By that time, I was ready.
I took that list and I disciplined myself to check off every entry. One night, I practiced in front of the same (poor) person at least 15 times. As I completed these tasks, I realized that my natural abilities were stretched. My comfort zone was expanding: I realized that I could interview for this job. That I did have the abilities necessary.
I aced the interview.3 I got the job and I earned enough money to help support my small family.
Now let’s talk about trading.
Before I started trading on the foreign exchange, I was in a similar predicament: the company I had founded wasn’t doing well. My job was becoming unbearable at the same time that the company was headed into its 400th crisis. I had to make a decision on where to focus my efforts – I couldn’t run the company and do something else. But I needed income, and I needed it right then.
I knew that it I focused, if I disciplined myself, I would be successful. I knew that if I spread out my efforts, I would fail.
I dropped everything and learned everything I could about the foreign exchange. Imagine stepping off into the dark, into the unexplored regions of your life, without a net. Well, that’s what I did. A lot of people I was close to thought I was crazy. I knew that if I didn’t dedicate myself completely, I wouldn’t succeed. More on this later. For now, I want you to know that the first step in discipline is the following:
A disciplined person knows he must be willing to dedicate himself 100% to the success of a chosen venture. No matter what it takes, he’s willing to endure.
Think of a time when you succeeded. Think of a time when you were able to accomplish something difficult, or important. How did you feel back then? How did you prepare for, or make it through, that moment?
Then ask yourself: What are you working on right now? Are you on the hunt for a job? A promotion? A better relationship? Whatever it is, discipline can help you expand and stretch your natural abilities. Right now, write down everything you would need to be successful at this endeavor:
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Discipline will help you get all those things done. You might have to get up early, stay up late, or move out of your comfort zone. But as you do those things, you will realize that your talents are expanded.
If you make that list, and you dedicate yourself to doing everything it takes to accomplish your goal, your natural abilities will be stretched. And you’ll be ready for the challenge.
Read More : The Currency Trader's Handbook: Strategies For Forex Success
