As I am sitting here bored on Friday night I decided to look through some YouTube videos.  If you have read my bio you know that I was enlisted in the Marine Corps (2000-20004) and I am still proud to say that to this day.  I loved everything about the Marines, from the disciplined regimen to the friends that I made and the goofy shit that we have done.  If anyone has been in the military regardless of branch I am willing to bet that some of the best memories of your life can be traced back to those times in the military.

Anyway I was bored and was looking through some old videos from recruit training to drill to silent drill and I came across one that will forever be in-bedded to my brain.  It goes back to when you arrive at the depot, Parris Island or San Diego, and when you first meet your drill instructors after your 1-2 week reception.  Anyway you are sitting there as a platoon wondering what is coming next and then these guys come through that look extremely sharp and are not wiling to play any games with you.

From what I remember the introduction to your drill instructors for the next 13 weeks has not changed much.   They come through as some of the most disciplined men you have ever seen and continue that stature throughout your time at the recruit depot.  The video below displays a good example of when you receive your drill instructors that will will be assigned to you until you graduate as a Marine.  The beginning offers an introduction, but to skip to some yelling fast forward to the 4:00min mark.

So why do I share this video?  I believe a lot of this pertains to traders.  Like these Marines, you have to want to be there.  I personally have found trading to be the hardest challenge to success that I have encountered.  Just when you have encountered multiple losses you have to have that willingness to come back, study failures, and attack.  Trading is purely a mental game in my opinion and you have to find a way to overcome that psychological aspect of taking a loss and studying it and learning.

I always told other people that Marine Corps  boot camp was not so much physically demanding as often portrayed, but it is mentally demanding.  I hated getting dressed while the Drill Instructor is counting down only to find out that someone didn’t make the time limit.  Then we get all undressed and redressed again by the numbers…it was a fucking game.  But then I realized that this was just a test to see if you could keep your head in the game.  Personally it paid as I believed the Marine Corps made me the person that I am today.  I have that mental fortitude to bounce back after a devastation and we as traders need that.  I personally have blown out 3 accounts before becoming consistently profitable, despite some hiccups.  But my advice is to stay in the game, learn from mistakes, and keep going forward despite what is demanded of you.  Never forget your goals or your motivation despite a heavy loss.

***Also if you plan on commenting about the Marines or any branch of service with an aggravated response be advised I don’t play those lure games and your time is wasted as I won’t respond and I believe you to be an idiotic internet troll and nothing else.***

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