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About Uday Nath

I'm motivated. I like to out-perform. I only strive for the best.

Where’s the Love?

Bro…

… it’s there…

… and it’s not.

You don’t find it, right?

You look and look.

You try everything.

Still not satisfied.

You think you’ve found it in something…

… or someone…

… is it there?

Possible… possible… possible…

… till it’s not.

It could’ve been there.

Then, it could’ve just gone.

Yeah, just like that.

Where does that leave you?

Are you to die without finding love?

Are you to find it beyond your current incarnation?

No point then, right?

Why not here?

Meaning right here, right now.

In the moment.

There is love in the moment.

It occupies a dimension.

You need to vibrate resonantly.

That’s when you start to mingle with its vibration.

You find it.

Your vibration warps.

You lose it.

Stay with it.

For a while.

The moment teaches you about the nature of what you look for.

Start to graduate.

Find it in ventures.

Some find it in finance.

Some become doctors.

Entrepreneurs.

Blah blah blah.

Post-grad to people.

Tough ball-game. We fail. Then we try again. We keep trying, till we kinda learn. Or not.

PhD in your life-partner.

Whoahhhhh, now you’re rolling.

Found it in your life-partner and stayed with it?

You’ve come a long way, bro!

Bully for you!

🙂

There’s Something There

When does one write about something?

Stimulus. 

Yes. That’s the catalyst. 

Something needs to cause words to overflow. 

One looks around for that something. 

Or, often, that something finds one. 

There’s a reaction. Churning. Out come words. 

The speed of all this happening is the speed of thought. It’s a speed that goes way beyond our wildest imagination. Let’s put it like this – its much, much faster than the speed of light. 

So, there’s an energy explosion inside one’s mind, caused by a catalyst. Out come words. 

In today’s fast track life, one looks around for stimulus. 

Ideally (yeah, only ideally), I wish to be writing one piece a day.

Why? One might ask. 

It’s a personal goal. 

Keeps me moving. 

Writing causes systematic learning. 

Stuff gets turned into DNA. 

Disorder inside oneself gets lessened. 

One gets richer, inside.

Others are benefited, or so I like to think. 

One moves energies with words. One moves worlds, with words. 

One becomes a part of the whole, with words. 

So, I write. 

Apart form all this, writing gives me a kick. I feel free. I feel a sense of achievement. And, remember this one, not everything in the world needs to be monetized. Some things are better left non-monetized. It takes tremendous courage and a sense of strong self-belief to pursue something that’s not monetized. One gets mocked. One doesn’t get taken seriously. However, my words are bigger than that. My words make me whole. 

Stimulus, stimulus where are you?

Sometimes, one looks too hard. That’s when one stops looking, and stimulus finds oneself. 

There’s a feeling of “there’s something there”. 

One stops…

…thinks…

…energy bomb explosion…

…out come words. 

Action Oblique Inaction Upon Field-Proof

You.

Field.

In.

No theorizing.

Just get into the field.

Act upon field-proof.

Or, don’t act…

… upon field-proof.

That’s just about it.

There’s a time for theory.

It’s to tune your mind.

Learn the ropes.

Baby-steps.

Away from the field.

So you’re yet safe.

Fine.

That stage gets over.

The onus is on you.

Real world is different.

It’s not like theory.

If it were, everyone following theory would be a billionaire.

Today’s professors don’t even put their own money on the line.

If you don’t get a feel for the LINE, your paper-knowledge has no value whatsoever.

On the field, LINE is big. Very big. You have to handle the line well. Otherwise, your money’s gone.

So, gauge the field.

What proof are you observing?

Is it compelling you to act?

Yes?

Act. Forgot about everything else.

Is it compelling you to sit still?

Yes?

Don’t act. Sit still. Forget about everything else.

Carve your own dazzling destiny.

🙂

How and Where to Look for Outperformance

Is it surprising, that the kind of outperformance we look for crops up in unexpected places?

Not really.

Yeah, it’s not surprising. 

I mean, if we found a certain brand of outperformance in an expected place, well, everyone would make a beeline for it, and soon, it would be over-valued. 

There’s only one way we want to be in something that’s over-valued – when we’ve bought it under-valued. We’ll then keep it for as long as the ride continues. 

Otherwise, we don’t want to touch anything that’s over-valued, even though it might appear to be outperformance. 

Getting into outperformance at an undervalued level gives us a huge margin of safety. That’s exactly what we want. That’s our bread and butter. 

So let’s start outlining areas to look in. 

Task gets difficult. 

I mean, how will you define areas literally?

Button-clicks. 

Algorithms. 

No, you don’t need to know how to programme, to put together an algorithm. 

Just do it online. 

Put in it what you’re looking for. 

Hit and try. 

Ultimately, you’ll hit the right combo, Stay with it, as long as it’s working. 

What do you put in your algorithm?

Value. 

Good ability to allocate capital. 

Efficiency.

Frugality.

Humility.

Etc. etc.

You ask how?

Well, this is not a spoon-feeding session. 

You’ll need to use your imaginations a bit. 

It’s all possible, let me assure you. 

Meaning, it’s possible to incorporate traits like humility into your mother-algorithm. 

Do the math. 

Ok, so you’ve translated what you’re looking for into computer language without knowing how to programme. 

You run it. 

Where?

All over the place, online. Any finance site. Yahoo Finance, for that matter. 

You get some results. 

In these you look to confirm. 

Is the outperformance you were seeking there or not?

No?

Look further. 

Yes?

Has this outperformance been discovered by the general market?

Yes?

Look further. 

No.

Bingo. 

Look for an entry strategy, provided your other parameters, if any, are being met. 

Limits will keep you Safe

Safety is under-rated.

People scoff… at safety.

Ask someone to belt-up.

Or, ask xyz to take a backup.

Emergency fund, anyone?

Insurance?

Plan B?

Is anyone really interested?

Ok, don’t have a plan B. Fine.

Then, you need to watch your plan A like a hawk.

You need to install safety nets.

One such net is a limit.

Limit movement of funds.

Nowadays, this takes but a few online clicks. Setting fund-movement limits in your netbanking is not difficult at all.

What does a limit do?

It says ballyhoo to your emotions.

Greedy?

Too bad, fellow, funds more than your defined limits can’t leave your savings account, in case you wished these to depart for your trading account.

So, greed is in check. With force. Order of the day.

Limits will keep you safe.

Over-optimistic?

Same check.

Limits will keep you safe.

So on and so forth.

A little self-control is required though.

You’re not going to tamper with your limit, right?

Right.

What to do in the Age of Shocks?

Wait for a shock.

That’s it.

Then go in… a bit.

Sound simple?

Ain’t.

Why?

Firstly, patience.

Who has patience, today?

Few.

Secondly, psychology.

Shock brings pessimism.

You don’t want to go in, not even a bit.

That is the whole thing.

Punchline. Understand it, and you’ve won already.

Thirdly, funds.

Who has funds, when the shock arrives?

Few.

Why?

Barely anyone knows how to SIT on funds.

I didn’t either.

Self-taught.

Through mistakes and pain.

By putting money on the line… losing it.

Took eleven years.

Now I know.

So don’t tell me that one is only born with the ability to sit.

Don’t waste your funds. Save them. They are your soldiers.

Fourthly, energy reserves.

Who has energy reserves when the shock arrives?

Few.

Why?

We’re too busy doing this doing that, always, forever. We don’t know how to conserve energy and build up reserves. Those who do then use their reserves to carry forward their strategies upon the arrival of a shock.

Fifthly, focus.

The hallmark of a big winner is focus.

Who has focus?

Few.

We’re too busy diversifying. It’s safer. Investing in the wake of shocks requires pinpointed focus.

Sixthly, courage.

Who has courage?

Few.

Why?

We’ve been taught to avoid, and move on. Life’s too full of BS that needs to be avoided. However, coming out during shocks needs courage. Face the enemy, and fight.

Seventhly, and perhaps this should have been on the top of the list, common-sense.

Who has common-sense?

Almost no one.

Why?

We’re too busy being complicated and sophisticated. We want to portray falsehood. We miss the forest for the trees. However, shocks are tackled with common-sense. Simplicity in thinking is paramount. The simplest ideas making the most sense are also the most successful ones.

Eighthly, long-term vision.

Who has vision?

Handful of people.

Why?

We’re too near-sighted. We want instant gratification. However, a shock presents excellent ground to root yourself in for the long-term. Understand this, and you’ll have understood a lot.

I could go on.

That’s quite enough though.

Above are eight points to think about,  to be seen as eight weapons that need sharpening, to come out fighting in the age of shocks.

Be patient, optimistic, fund-heavy, energy-heavy, focused and brave. Use your common-sense. Have long-term vision. BASICS.

Wishing you successful investing, in an age riddled with shocks.

🙂

Endgaming?

What’re we up to, in this world?

We’re endgaming.

Am I crazy?

No.

Why am I saying so?

Look at our policies.

It’s not just finance.

Everything.

We’re endgaming everything.

Good or bad?

Whether good or bad, we’re in it.

Where does that leave you?

You’re part of we.

You’re in it too.

How should you react?

Build a strategy for an endgame.

Live like there’s a tomorrow.

Your system needs to incorporate endgame parameters.

Distance yourself from those who live like there’s no tomorrow.

Save.

Build structures.

Spread your frugality.

Help.

Teach.

Donate some of your surplus. Spread hope, and goodness.

Create positivity. Let its protective bubble go big. So big, that it protects in a radius of kilometers.

Play like you’re playing for your life.

Everything’s at stake.

Give it all you’ve got… and then some.

Ignore your aches and pains.

Lend vital support to those tumbling around you.

This is it.

There’ll only be a tomorrow if there are more like you.

Pain is Pain

Pain is pain.

Can you see it?

I know you can see yours.

Thanks for reconfirming.

Can you see the pain of others, by the way?

Does it register?

Do you walk by?

Who are you… or… what are you?

Decide which question applies to you.

For example, do you see the pain of that earthworm writhing in the sun?

It rains. Coupla earthworms come out, only to be met by scorching sun. They writhe. Do you pick them up with a twig and install them in a wet muddy patch? Do you ignore them? Do you even notice them?

Finance is not too different.

It rains on your plans.

You writhe.

If your overall strategy has not been adequate, you can even perish due to your predicament.

Do you expect help?

Well, who doesn’t?

Only, you are that earthworm now. You are in pain.

Pain is pain.

The earthworm feels it, and so do you.

However, the earthworm is not able to do much. It will probably perish.

You, however, are human capital.

Stop writhing.

Prove you prowess as being superior in performance when compared to an earthworm, or perhaps to a donkey.

Stand up.

Clear your head.

Analyze the situation.

Pain dulls.

You’ve got to push through, and come out of it.

Once you’re up, and through, as in out of your predicament, well, don’t make the same mistake again. You’ll make other ones, sure, we all make other ones, but let’s not repeat the same one.

Safe investing.

🙂

Constant Activity doesn’t necessarily mean Progress

Beware…

…of the urge to…

…constantly remain active.

The times preach it.

Maybe it was valid for different times.

Today, sitting still is an asset.

Many things happen while one sits still.

Systems cleanse.

Systems rest.

Space is created.

Recuperation is paramount.

Strength is built up, to come out firing on all cylinders another day.

Lack of activity thus becomes a secret weapon.

Weapons are double-edged.

If you’re not careful, they cut your skin from their other side.

We guard…

…against unnecessary food…

… and drink…

…laziness, sloth, mental over-zealousness, gossip and / or any kind of evil…

… while we’re inactive.

If we let such cracks seep in, it’ll have been all for a waste.

We’re not going to be inactive and be called a waste, because that’s a double-whammy.

We’re going to be pinpointedly inactive, and still be more productive than the 24×7 active ones.

We’re going to lead a good, full life with activity amidst productive periods of inactivity.

Yeah.

Meet the BenchWarmers

Yeah, one too many real-estate agents (REAs) have popped up over the last decade.

Any Tom, Dick or Harry (TD/H) who has nothing to do becomes an REA.

Small little office, empty chairs, one TD/H reading a newspaper or watching TV… familiar?

Meet the bench-warmers.

Real-estate is in the dumps.

Sure.

Real-estate bill is in the offing. Might come out soon, might come out later.

Circle-rates are trying to bring the black-money component down.

Government A-B-C categorization is all warped.

Meanwhile, deals have dried. Volumes are zilch.

Is this the bottom?

Who says yes?

I’m afraid not too many have that conviction.

I don’t either.

You see, at bottoms, there’s blood on the streets.

Do you see any blood?

Nope.

Is black-money receding?

Slightly, maybe. Some say significantly. Some say insignificantly. Wishy-washy answers at best. Let’s put this under the “not-sure” category.

Are the bench-warmers packing up their benches?

Nope.

Are more bench-warmers springing up, in anticipation of volume-spikes?

Yeah.

Is this going to make their situation only worse?

Yeah, probably.

When will things start moving finally?

No one knows for certain.

Under the circumstances, how can one call this a bottom?

We’re still way above 2005 levels.

It’s not a bottom, or so I think. Maybe I’m mistaken. However, that’s my opinion.

All right, if it’s not a bottom, what is it then?

Time to wait and watch?

Yeah.

Time to pick up (a property) already?

Probably not.

Time to nibble at a real-estate stock?

Maybe. Just make sure the fundamentals are good and debt-component is negligible. And nibble. That’s all.

What about the bench-warmers? How should they act?

Use their office to generate income. Any which legal way, through any vocation. If not, rent it out with fool-proof lease deed. That’ll generate income too.

Bench-warming degenerates our faculties. It shouldn’t be practised over a prolonged period of time.

Core-System Maintenance

First up, one needs to discover one’s core-system.

That’s a big chunk.

We’ve spoken about it. Again and again.

Why?

Meaning, why was it required to speak about this again and again?

We have problems putting our core-system together, that’s why.

Why do we have these problems?

We fail to sort properly. What belongs in? What needs to be kicked out? We’re not able to answer these questions properly.

People, what is working? While this thing is working, are we comfortable? Yes? Lastly, is this thing looking lucrative? Yes? Keep it.

Is something not working? Kick it out.

Look for the next thing that works.

Find three or four things things that work.

Intertwine them into a core-system.

That’s it.

It’s that simple.

Maintain your core-system. Tweak it upon requirement. If something stops working, replace it.

Yeah, even maintenance is that simple.

When will we acknowledge that…

… the best things in life are not complicated or sophisticated, but…

… simple?

The CC

Done it again.

Introducing…

…the…

…Constitutional Comparative (CC). 

It’s in our constitutions…to compare. 

We exhibit the constitutional comparative by default…

…and we need to expunge this trait from our DNA…

…which takes time…

…but can be done, with determination and practice. 

Each one of us is unique, and we’ve come to do unique things. 

Some blossom early. 

Some blossom late. 

Some don’t blossom at all, or so it seems. Turns out later, their sole purpose in life was to provide stabilizing energy to their environment. They became activated from the womb, and they deactivated upon death. There was no question of blossoming at a certain time. You could also say, that they blossomed their whole life long. 

SEE?

Don’t compare. 

You can’t see the wheels within wheels just like that. 

Seeing wheels within wheels takes insight, penance and an appropriate state of mind. Therefore, if you really must compare, at least graduate to that state of mind first, where you possess the capability to see wheels within wheels in action. 

Or, if graduating to this state of mind is not worth your while, well, fine, no probs, but…

…DON’T COMPARE then…please. 

Live your life. 

Do what you’ve come to do. 

If you don’t know what you’ve come to do, well, FIND OUT. 

HOW?

Go within. 

Talk to yourself. Yeah, it’s not crazy to talk to yourself. 

In solitude come phenomenal solutions. 

You realise who you are…

…and what you’ve come to do. 

In a crowd, such finer points get lost, in the noise. 

And, why all this on a blog which has to do with finance?

Well, you can only invest properly if you’ve found yourself first. 

If you know who you are, you’ll also invest like who you are, as per your risk profile. 

A portfolio put together with the knowledge of your own risk profile will last you long, and will give you good returns for life. 

🙂

 

 

WoC

I think I found something. 

It’s very possible someone chanced upon my discovery before me. 

Doesn’t bother me. 

Reason?

I’m happy that I found something…myself. 

Struggle in finding…taught…me. 

I’m richer in implementational knowledge. 

Oh, I forgot to mention that I’m sharing the essence of my discovery…with you. 

Why?

I like to share. 

I won’t be spoon-feeding you…believe me. 

However, I won’t fall short of inserting the seed in your mind. 

Spare me the BS. 

I’ve heard it a million times before.

I have enough, and beyond that, I’m not commercially minded. 

In sharing are the riches. Hoarding leads to blockage…which leads to disease.

Sharing is flow. 

Flow leads to health…and happiness. 

Anyways, I’ve just established the WoC. 

Stands for Window of Confidence. 

You make it. 

How?

With your System. 

How?

Any which way you can mould your System to make it. 

Why do you make it?

It’s your basket…, your fishing net, actually. 

What do you catch in it?

That, which you wish to investigate further…for the purpose of investment. 

Whatever you delve into needs to meet certain standards, right?

There, you have it. 

Oh, one last thing…

…you ONLY look in your WoC…

…for that which needs to be investigated. 

You don’t look anywhere else.

Period. 

Happy Investing!

🙂

System Addict

System. 

Make. 

Now. 

Life in the markets requires a plan.

No plan…no life…in the markets. 

Many don’t know this. 

Some are finding out…the hard way. 

Others are looking for free lunches…and not finding any. 

Few…have found out. 

They’re perfecting their plan…chiseling away. 

When they have something substantial…it’s called a system. 

Have system…will move. 

It’s as simple as that. 

That’s another master-word. 

What?

Simple. 

The most powerful systems in the world…are simple. 

They consist of a few basic elements, woven into a mother element. 

They have an on-off switch which even a donkey can operate. 

But that’s about it. The donkey can operate the on-off switch. Only the maker can operate his or her system properly.

Why?

Because the maker knows the nitty-gritty. 

Nitty-grittiness shows itself while making. 

No one else knows it. 

Only you do, as a system-maker. 

Also, no one else needs to be bothered about your system, because your system only applies to you, and to no one else. Unfortunately, it ain’t so in real life. Many don’t want the hard work involved in developing a system. They just want the system. That’s dangerous. 

Why?

You see, those who have a system falling into their lap, well, they don’t know its pitfalls. They can’t know. They haven’t had that alone time, when the system showed its limitations. That’s why, they’re in for a big surprise if things get ugly. They risk losing everything. 

Don’t bother about anyone else’s system. 

Develop your own. Know how to work it. Know when to work it. Know when to stop. Know when to find remedies. Know when to pull the plug and develop a new system. 

This game is about you. Not about the markets. Not about the money. Not about anyone else. Not about anything else. 

It’s about you. 

Realise that. Now. Please.

The Age of Shocks

We are in it. 

Bang in the middle. 

There’s some shock almost everyday. 

Even Yellen’s words have shock effects. 

Had anyone even heard of Yellen a few years ago?

Natural disasters, terrorism, scams, frauds, upheaval…

…well, you have no choice…

…but to incorporate them into your market strategy. 

If you don’t, well, God bless you and God help you. 

So, where do we stand. 

Definitely towards value. 

Growth – hmmm, we’ll take growth after we take value, in a stock picked up for value. 

We’re not following any growth strategies. 

Let growth happen as a matter of course. 

We’re not entering something which is in the middle of growth. 

We’re entering it before its growth potential is apparent to everyone. 

Why?

Stocks, whose growth is apparent to everyone, are very susceptible indeed, should they show even one bad quarter. They can be cut down to half their size even if one ruddy quarter goes out of line. That’s the problem in the age of shocks. 

What about stocks with growth potential which are in the doldrums?

Well, bad quarters are the norm for them, temporarily. One more bad quarter is not going to make much of a difference. It will make a small but digestible difference. Nowhere near the effect the bad quarter will have on a growth stock. 

Yes, the way to go is contrarian. 

We’re going contrarian with our eyes open. 

We’re not picking the dogs of the Dow, or the rats of the Sensex.

We’re picking gems people are throwing into the dustbin. 

What’s this dustbin?

We’ve made this dustbin. 

In cyber-space. 

It scans what people throw away. 

It couples 4-7 algorithms, makes them into a mother-algorithm, and scans. 

Today, one doesn’t need to know how to programme to achieve this. 

One just puts the algorithms together on any leading equity website. 

One concocts one’s dustbin. 

One looks in the dustbin everyday. 

What have people thrown away?

Anything that looks valuable?

No?

Let’s move on. 

Yes?

Lovely. Lets take a closer look. Let’s take this stock that’s looking valuable, and let’s put it through the works. 

Let’s fully analyze the stock. 

We do our analysis. 

Takes us a day or two. 

It’s yes or no time. 

No?

Move on. 

Yes?

Look at the charts. Pick up accordingly, in the next day or two. 

Quantum?

Small. 

So on and so forth. 

 

Playing Ball

Everyone plays some kind of ball. 

Friendly play. 

Bread and butter play. 

Big play.

Small play.

Whatever. 

We play. 

When we play, we need to make sure…

…that we play. 

Meaning that it’s one thing to play ball, and its a wholly another thing to avoid ball. 

Make yourself play…take a few swings…try to strike…do something…that moves and shakes other things…OR…

…when your leave, you’ll be kinda feeling empty…at not having amounted to much in your sojourn. 

Make a difference. Play hard. If nothing, then just…play. 

How does one do that?

Meaning, how does one put oneself in a situation, that one just has to take a swing, if nothing else?

Hmmmm, that’s an important question, but I’m sure you’ve already realised that.

Took me a long time to find the answer. A long, long time. 

When I did, I was surprised at the simplicity of the solution. 

Don’t do many things. 

Do one or two things, that is. 

In other words, play a coupla games, that’s all. 

That way, the ones you do play will ask you to address them, again and again and again, till you do address them. That’s your play. You’ll have played. 

Too many games?

You don’t get around to addressing most to the extent of obscurity and irrelevance. 

Not worth it. 

Games that are complicated?

Cost energy. 

Activation barrier is large. 

Many times, you don’t overcome this activation barrier. You let things go. Again, to the extent of obscurity and irrelevance. Amounts to nothing. 

Play an A-game. 

Play a B-game. 

I also have a C-game. That’s it. No more. 

I try and address A, B and C everyday. 

A gets the most time. I keep trying to convince myself that B should get more time than C, but sometimes C gets more time than B. You see, C is recreational and pro-bono, whereas B is supposed to yield secondary income. Anyways, I need to show some professionalism and give B more time than C. We’ll see about that. 

You get my point. 

What are your A, B and Cs? 

Define them.

Then play them. 

Excelling in Non-Conducive Environments

People are born to excel in conducive environments. 

It’s no great shakes. 

With an appropriate environment around you, you move and shake…

…the world. 

Fine. 

Where’s the growth?

You’re doing something that comes naturally to you, something you’re good at. 

Frankly, there’s not much growth here. 

Sure, your environment grows. 

Whether you grow in the process or not…that’s the question. 

You definitely grow more in a scenario, where you’re thrown into a non-conducive environment. 

Try excelling there. 

Ha!

See!

Let’s see you excel there, let’s see if you’ve got what it takes.

Why’s is this important?

Toughen up, people. 

Lose your comfort-zones. Come out into the open. Do something extraordinary. Excel in non-conducive environments. 

Where’s the fun? That’s what you’re asking, right? Fine. Good question. 

You can always have your fun. 

It takes nothing for you to walk into a conducive environment and start excelling. 

You can always do this. 

For example, if you’re a born teacher, you can always hook up with an institution and commence some classes. Or, if you like languages, you can just enrol with some institute and start learning a foreign language. 

That’s always there. Your backup. For when you’re down. But, right now, what are you doing right now? When you’re world’s A1, how are you then reacting to your good fortune? Are you toughening up? Are you looking around for non-conducive environments to excel in?

It’s difficult to lift yourself up and motivate yourself when you’re looking like a fool and feeling out of place. That’s just it. The act of lifting and motivating yourself – the sheer strength of body, mind and character required – will make you grow immensely. 

Why growth?

What’s so important about growth?

It’s your strength backup account. You can draw on it. It works in a non-linear and metaphysical fashion. It can lend you energy by sheer thought transfer, just by remembering something strong and gutsy you might have done before, in a difficult situation, in a non-conducive environment. 

Build up this account in your spare time. This is one account you’ll actually take with you when you leave the body. This account is real wealth. Its remnants get stamped onto your soul. Build it. Build it more than you build up your physical wealth account. That’s the one you’ll be leaving behind, for your kin to blow, if you’ve not sorted your affairs out properly. 

What are typical examples of non-conducive environments?

Being trapped in a difficult marriage, and having a child or children from the marriage. Leaving the environment is heavy on the kids. Some battle it out for the sake of the kids. They try to make the best of a non-conducive environment for the sake of someone they love, someone who looks up to them. 

Working in an environment for which one is not cut out. Happens. It’s a destiny-play. One glides into it without being able to help it. One can walk out, sure, but not without affecting the lives of many, adversely. Many remain. They battle it out in a non-conducive environment. They grow from within. 

Being trapped in a difficult friendship. Walking out could hurt the other irreparably. Some remain, for as long as it takes. They take some hits in the bargain, but they also grow. 

Being a second-rate citizen in a foreigner-unfriendly country. Tough. Has some advantages, though. Career, wealth-building, systems, language, good education and prospects for children, internal growth…amidst humiliation, sometimes back-breaking work, lack of recognition etc. Many battle it out, keeping the larger picture in mind. Many have no other choice. All grow. 

These are just some examples. 

I’m sure you can add to this list by looking at your own life. 

Don’t be sad. 

It’s ok. 

It’s ok to grow. 

Even if the environment is non-conducive. 

Take it in your stride. 

Conducive breathers will come. 

Moment Enhancement

How do you enhance your situation at any given moment?

What are we talking about?

You.

Time.

Activity.

Betterment of your situation.

As compared to previous moment. 

What kind of betterment?

Any.

What kind of situation?

Any.

How?

You tell me. 

Yeah, it’s a bit of a personal sphere. 

Everybody’s idea of betterment is different. 

I write, for example. 

Clears my mind. 

I organize. 

My stuff. 

Gears me up to approach the next moment, more organized. 

I clear useless stuff. As in give it away. Frees up more space. 

Are you getting my drift?

What do you do?

To make your next moment more enhanced?

I plan my next three activities – what are they going to be?

I ask my one main question. 

What is the next step?

Yeah people, brick by brick. 

What for?

Yeah, exactly?

Why would one do this?

To lead a fuller and more meaningful life. 

To give of oneself fully. 

To make more of one’s existence. 

Again, reasons are personal, and will differ. 

What would your reasons be, to enhance your next moment?

This is a baby-step strategy. You’re living in the moment with it. You’re not looking far ahead, only actually till your next defined moment. 

Big targets are approachable one baby step at a time. 

One enhances moment upon moment, and suddenly, one hits a big target. 

Not too bad. Was well worth it. 

Try it out. 🙂

Patience and Nerves Anyone?

As someone I look up to put it recently – “It’s a game of patience and nerves!”

What is?

The stock-market. 

For whom?

The long-term investor. 

Do you have any?

What?

Patience, or nerves, or both?

You do?

Well, then you’ll do well in the markets, over the long-term. 

We look for complication. Meanwhile, we forget the basics. 

These are basics. 

If you’re not patient, you’ll for example jump into a stock at the wrong time, or you’ll jump out of it too early, or what have you. 

If you don’t have patience, well, develop it. 

If you can’t, do something else instead. Trade. Don’t long-term-invest then. 

If you cannot develop patience, you are not cut out to be a long-term holder. 

One method to cause the tree of patience to grow in you is to create the correct environment. 

Just don’t do anything that will make you jump. 

Invest your sur-sur-plus, money that is then pickled away, money that you won’t miss, yearn for or require over the very long-term. 

Go in with margin of safety. 

Stay in a stock you’ve singled out and entered until there’s a glaring reason to exit. Try to exit upon a high. This is the market. Highs are its nature. So are lows. That means that highs come. Wait for them to come, to exit from anything you need to exit from. 

Nervers, well, they come into play if you’ve not invested with margin of safety. 

I do remember two instances though, where everyone’s nerves were tested. October 2008, and March 2009. At these times, stocks sold for a song. Good ones and bad ones alike. Fear did the rounds, extreme fear. That’s what fear does. It creates once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Take them. Maintain a clear head. Your nerves of steel will do that for you. Create an environment for your nerves to become strong. Or, perhaps expressed another way, create an environment where any weakness in your nerves is not required to show itself, and gets subdued into extinction. 

How?

Again, just go in with your sur-sur-plus. You’re not going to miss this money even if the sky is falling upon your head. And you’ve gone in with margin of safety. Your nerves will stay intact. 

Ensure your basics. Allow them to shine. 

The rest will take care of itself. 

Good investing. 🙂

Do You Know What the Most Underrated Activity is?

C’mon, try guessing at least… 🙂

Yeah…

… doing nothing is the answer, in my opinion. 

We want to move. Be active. Do this. Do that. We’re a “doodat” society. 

For us, activity has become synonymous with achievement. 

How wrong is that?

Completely. 

One can be active…

…and be achieving zilch. Nix. Nadda.

The moment we realize this, the value of doing nothing dawns upon us. 

What are we achieving by doing nothing?

A lot. 

Believe me. 

A lot a lot a lot. 

For starters, we are not taxing our eyes with media. That’s one of the greatest side-effects of doing nothing. Our eyes take a hit in today’s media-packed world. Doing nothing gives them a very valuable break. 

Furthermore, while doing nothing, we are perhaps watching our thoughts and not reacting to them. Or, we are listening to our breathing pattern. These two activities fall under the category of “meditation while doing nothing”. 

So now, doing nothing is a form of meditation…wow! Already we are moving in higher circles. 

While doing nothing, we are refraining from most or all activities, and these include all negative activities, so we’ve got our Karma-usage pretty much on hold. That’s already very big. 

Meanwhile, our thoughts drain. We are getting empty. Positive energy flows in to fill the vacuum. We are getting healthy by doing nothing, and are filling ourselves up with goodness by default. 

Our focus turns to our breath. Wow, we breathe. We are a wonder. There’s metabolism happening. We realise that our existence is already something big. All this while doing nothing. 

We rest. Our senses get a break. Our heart needs to beat less. Poor heart, it never gets a full break, until the very end. In the interim, it has to make do with beating less per unit time. It is grateful for such small mercies. 

Resting makes us gear up for forthcoming activity. Our bodies and minds refresh themselves for new endeavours…by doing nothing. 

Try it out. 

Do nothing. 

Perhaps it was lacking in your repertoire. 

It won’t be lacking now. 

Use it like a secret weapon!