4 steps to become a legendary trader!

While reading Gurcharan Das's masterpiece

"The Difficulty of Being Good" (Penguin Books)

I have been reminded of a beautiful life philosophy we read in school only to forget on reaching the college!

This may sound old-fashioned

but is a fine life-technology

written by a great mind,

sage Manu

in 100AD

in his immortal treatise, Manu-Smriti.

As prescribed by the great sage, the human life span is divided into four stages known as ‘ashrams’ (shelter).

The Vedas define a specific purpose for each ashram and offer specific instructions to be followed in each ashram.

I. The first ashram, Brahmacharya, is the student phase of life when the person is supposed to immerse himself or herself to learn the art of life and that of making a living.

II. The second ashram, Grahasta (meaning householder) ashram is the stage of family life. It constitutes raising a family, earning a living through the skills acquired during Brahmacharya ashram. It encourages the enjoyment of material life.

III. The third ashram, Vanaprastha (Retreat to Forest) indicates living in a withdrawn manner. People in this ashram play the role of mentors.

IV. The final stage is Sanyasa or renunciation. The person wthdraws from society to spend the remaining part of his or her life in meditation and solitude.

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I found it interesting as well as scary!

Scary because of seeming impossible implementation of ashrams in today's social setup.

Interestingly, i found it very useful for anyone who wants to prepare for trading.

Stage I:

Brahmacharya = Student phase to learn trading and technical analyses, refraining from trading!

True to expectations - this "Brahmacharya" is impossible for the debonair traders!

Stage II:

Grahasta = Making-a-living-by-trading phase

True to anticipation, ill-trained traders (who skipped the first ashram) fail in this stage except 'enjoying the material life' at the expense of the principal amount!

Stage III:

Vanaprastha = Retreat to forest (of investing)

This stage never comes! One can't be a good mentor if he hasn't been a good student!

Stage IV:

Sanyasa = True to the Inevitability, the dejected and rejected non-trader gets ejected from the market to spend his or her remaining life in meditation and solitude.

Strangely, this lost trader takes up the Brahmacharya (student phase) after the pain and humiliation of the Sanyasa!

In this second innings, Grahasta phase (making a living and enjoying the worldly pleasures) comes but with the spirit of Vanaprastha, courtesy the bitter experience of the first innings!

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