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The Beggar and The Trader

There is a story about a beggar several hundred years ago from a small village. He was orphaned at a young age, and with no education and family, he had to fend for himself. He was reasonably intelligent and able, despite his challenging start. Living in a small village his whole life, since the village was abundant, he was able to beg for food and receive what he needed to survive.

He tried several times to find menial work to give him some basic subsistence, but was unable to find any.

beggar and trader pot of gold 2ndskiesforex.com

Difficult Times
Later, some hard times fell upon the village, and many people were struggling. The beggar went around the village asking for food, but many were unable to offer him any. He went without food for some time, barely maintaining his energy living off what little he could find.
Eventually, after struggling for many months, unable to find any work, he decided to leave the village and go to another looking for food. Working his way up the mountain, unfortunately he was unable to find any food or work in the nearby villages after his repeated efforts.
Now days later, it was getting dark, he started to lose hope and realized the end may be near. He eventually found a cave which was empty to rest in, and spend his last moments. He was sad because he really felt he could do something in this world, but was unable to make things work.
Dark and barely able to see, he started to lie down on this rock, and noticed it was really warm. He thought to himself, ‘Oh wow, this rock is really warm. I am glad I was able to at least feel warmth while I rest here‘.
Shortly after closing his eyes and falling asleep – he died…
In the Very Same Cave
The next day, a group of explorers were looking for something on the mountain, and passed by the very same cave as the beggar just passed away in. As they entered the cave, they noticed a motionless person lying on a rock, and realized he had passed.
Out of respect, they decided to bury him, but when they moved his body, they noticed something that sparkled really bright. Under the man’s head where he was resting when he passed, was gold.
finding pot of gold forex trading beggar and the trader 2ndskiesforex.com
Akin to Beginning Traders
This story is very similar to many beginning traders who come to trade the forex market. They see the potential of what forex trading can offer, but stability, consistency and success seem just out of reach.
They often try a system for a short period of time, but then abandon it if it doesn’t make them a million dollars after a few months, let alone with the first few trades.
What many fail to realize, is that the actual gold they were looking for (a consistently profitable system), was right underneath them the entire time. They likely have been resting on something highly valuable, but because of doubt, limiting beliefs, and unrealistic expectations, are unable to see what is in front of them. When encountering obstacles, instead of working through them, they abandon their system, and look for the next best thing.
The Main Difference
I think the main difference between profitable and unsuccessful traders, is in how they approach the market.  Consistently profitable traders do not analyze or value their abilities based on their last win or loss. They are trading and thinking in probabilities.
What the consistently profitable traders are willing to do, was to work through their obstacles and challenges. They understood what they have available to them, and work at it until they are successful. They realize the pot of gold has been right underneath them the entire time, and all they had to do was dig – long, hard, and with the unfailing belief they will get to the gold underneath them.
digging long and hard gold underneath 2ndskiesforex.com
I know of no profession, sport or skill based endeavor you can enter, that within a few months, you are operating at a professional level. Yet many beginning traders quickly abandon something if it doesn’t create a 45+ degree equity curve and hit over 80% accuracy in the first month or two.
What has fascinated me, is how I could teach traders the exact same price action or ichimoku systems, yet get wildly different results, with some being highly profitable and consistent – while others not. Usually those who stick with it regardless of the results eventually find their ground, and start to trade consistently and successfully.
Imagine a World…
I cannot imagine a world where Benjamin Franklin gave up after his first few rejections and failures, or Einstein not pursuing science after failing to get accepted at the Swiss Polytechnic school, or Michael Jordan never playing basketball after failing to make the Varsity team in High School.
michael jordan success beggar and the trader 2ndskiesforex.com
The good thing is, whatever is separating you from being consistently profitable at this moment, is completely learnable. The mind has neuroplasticity to it, & without a doubt you can learn to trade successfully.
So keep digging for your pot of gold. Work with a trading mentor, continue to improve your systems edge, money management, and building your successful traders mindset. You might just be surprised what you’ll find if you keep digging.

14 thoughts on “The Beggar and The Trader”

  1. Luv that story about the beggar. How many of us traders have this same issue
    Much respect professor Chris
    You are a true forex mentor

  2. Hi Chris ,
    Your articles always inspire me, .. Iam very glad to find second skies forex website …

  3. Great post…..
    As a therapist, Qigong master and teacher, I find that ego is always the main obstacle in life, and ego is what holds us back, and in trading terms, what sabotages us. With my students, its always ego that prevents them from reaching their potential. The constant chatter, the constant stream, of thoughts that tell us we aren’t good enough, and we can’t achieve our dreams.
    I think its important to remember that we aren’t our thoughts. Our thoughts are constructs, just as the ego is a construct. We really can achieve anything, if we honestly believe it. WE are the limiting factor in all our endeavors, and we can all achieve the trading expertise of Chris, if we study and practice. I believe Chris is a Buddhist (apologies if I am wrong), and Buddhism is all about removing the ego, as much as we can, and seeing the reality of any situation, free of the voices in our head that prepare us for failure.
    Practice, learning and honesty with ourselves, and where we are going wrong is the key to success. And don’t ever listen to that little voice that tells you that you can’t do it. Its all in your mind !

  4. Yeah just keep diggin in no matter what obstacles come in our way..love and passion should be there

  5. HI Chris
    super 🙂 I loved it. it’s really about staying and fighting till the end . thank you, I’ll dig my own gold mine from now.I know I’m sleeping upon it. doubt and fear is enough;
    Kind regards
    Baback D.

  6. Thank you Chris, As always great article,never give up and never surrender i should put it on a T-shirt lol.!!!!!!!!!!!

  7. Trading aside, this article is incredibly inspiring to never give up in ANYTHING….. It’s comforting to see how Jordan, Einstein and Franklin had this in common. To see such men for more than their perceived brains. I read a quote lately from the late Steve Jobs of how in his opinion/experience…the most successful people were the ones who persevered as compared to others. How comforting this is… Sometimes we know things like this, yet we often need to hear it from others to remind us.

  8. Hi chris
    thanks for the advice. yes the gold is there under my feet. its just that i have a blunt shovel so it will take more time for me but i can see the glimmer and sure enough with the courses and constant ideas you and the forum supply i will dig it out .
    Thanks for being there and guiding us
    regards
    prem

  9. Carlos Macias

    WOW!! …..ive learned that im a self motivating person and that i can and have been a huge coach, supporter and motivator towards achieving that gold that i know is there but just gotta keep digging!!! point is that when i find videos or articles like this …. im telling you my drive,faith and motivation towards becoming that consistently profitable trader get put on steroids!!!! thanks Chris:)

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