A bit of inspiration
Success in any endeavor is similar. It takes a combination of dedication, discipline, resilience and luck.
On the weekend, Canelo Alvarez pulled off an incredible feat -- moving up 20 lbs in weight and knocking out Sergey Kovalev to win a light-heavyweight title.
It makes him a four-weight world champion and settles most arguments about who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Heading into the fight, he was plagued by doubters but his knockout in the 11th round answered all the critics.
What impresses me is his mindset. It's something that's consistent in champions and in life. it shows a deep confidence in himself that's almost universal among successful people.
He was asked about the naysayers after the fight:
"Maybe those people don't like me, and they'll never place me at No. 1. The only point here is: I felt No. 1 my entire life.
"That's why I have reached where I've reached. Ever since I started my profession, I felt No. 1. And I continue feeling the same way."
The phrase "that's why I have reached where I've reached" is telling. He's not saying that he was always the best. He's saying he became the best because he believed he was the best.
Trading is a lot like boxing. You have to take countless punches but if you can roll with them, defend and keep hitting back, you come out on top. Canelo was beaten by Floyd Mayweather six years ago but he was undaunted. The important thing is to keep your faith in yourself.
It's not always easy. One thing I do when it's not going well for me isn't necessarily to step away (although there's nothing wrong with a break). It's to trade on extremely small positions. Scoring small or even tiny victories is a great way to put defeat behind you and refocus on risk management.
