Trading and Zen

Don't worry. I am not a bleeding heart so no proselytising from me!


For newer readers, I am agnostic.

However, I do use Zen as my spiritual and philosophical anchor. It's the closest metaphysics I can find that's has the least conflict with Science.

I'm into verification that sort of thing...


This post is not about sharing how to apply Zen into your trading. For that, you can easily search under Google and many others (bloggers/traders) who have already done so.

I shall instead share how trading has helped me in my understanding of Zen, and in turn, myself.


Do we want too see the truth?

For some of us trading for some years, we can see this phenomenon quite often: 

Entering a good trade yet lost money; and winning money with a bad trade.

Yet there are traders who will never admit to it or are puzzled how can it be?

Seeing and admitting the truth takes courage.   

With trading, the feedback is a lot quicker since we practice mark-to-market every closing. 

In real life, we do have an "inkling" how the world works, where we fit into this pecking order, and how we are all different from one another. Yet we tell little lies and make up fantasies not only to ourselves, we tell them to our children and share it with other people!?

We do this as it feels comfortable when more people believe the same shit we do. 

That's why we have people eager to share with others how easy it is to make money without realising they were already a "victim" of a financial scam.... Or to recruit you into MLM, or cell group, or political party. 

By applying the trading process of constant reviews, re-evaluations, and reflections - it helps me see the world as it is; not what I wished it to be.  


How do we know we know?

In school, we do it through tests and exams. 

That was easy!


How do we know we can do it?

Professionals do it via articleships or housemanships and acceptance by professional bodies. You don't call yourself a practicing lawyer or registered accountant just by having a relevant degree do we?

There are quite a few engineers in our financial blogosphere. Many have engineering degrees, but how many are certified professional engineers? 


Outward manifestation of Zen

Mindfulness, living in the here and now, no mind - all wonderful concepts to show off and pretend I know.

But when I started trading... Shit! 

Knowing and doing are not the same!!!

That's where I go, "Jared, you are such a fraud!"

I don't make money with knowledge (unless I teach); I make money with execution.

In trading, it's all about execution - entries and exits. 


If I can't tell whether I've made a good trade or bad trade (what has profit or loss got to do with it?) what's the point with Zen again?