Skill vs Talent

The Separation between talent and skill is one of the greatest misunderstood concepts. Talent you have naturally. Skill is only developed by hours and hours and hours of beating on your craft. I don’t really view myself as particularly talented. Where I excel is ridiculous, sickening work ethic. While the other guys are sleeping, I am working. While the other guys are eating, I am working.

When you set out to build a wall, you don’t say – I am gonna build the biggest, baddest wall that’s ever been build. You don’t start there. You say – I’m gonna lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid. And you do that every single day, and soon you have a wall.

Will Smith

Those quotes apply to all areas of life, but only partially in trading/investing and this is what makes the latter so difficult.

Yes, you still need to put the hours (years) to understand how the market works and learn to recognize profitable patterns, disregarding if you are a fundamental or technical type.

You still need to look away from the scoring board and focus on the process. No one enters the year by saying I am going to make 100% this year. You just go and give your best today.

Preparation is vital and part of preparation is proper eating, sleeping and exercising. Healthy eating and sleeping are absolutely needed to establish the right frame of mind. Trading/investing is a mental game – the toughest one there is.

The information in this blog post represents my own opinions and does not contain a recommendation for any particular security or investment. I or my affiliates may hold positions or other interests in securities mentioned in the Blog, please see my Disclaimer page for my full disclaimer.

blog comments powered by Disqus
Ivan Hoff Blog