When I created this blog, I was hesitant to show a photo of the Grand Canyon and discuss my journey through that marvelous creation. The reality though, that fifty mile run had many parallels to trading.
I often reflect on that November day. The sense of accomplishment was huge. Most rewarding to me was achieving something others said could not be done. Proving the doubters wrong is a wonderful part of life. Most recently though, I have been thinking about the final few hours of that nineteen hour day.
Approaching the ascent to the South Rim which is about a 4,500 foot climb you see the lights at the top. Granted it is far away but still, it is comforting to finally see the goal at hand. The physical site of your goal offsets the fatigue.
As the summit grows closer though, the lights disappear as the climb grows more vertical. This is when doubt creeps in. You don't know how much longer you can run. It's cold and dark and you are tired and hungry. The only guide you have is the burning desire to achieve your goal. You are constantly presented with decisions as the switchback trail reverses direction every few hundred feet. One side of the trail is safe, while the other has a hundred foot fall awaiting. This changes with each switchback.
You hope you are close to the finish but have no knowledge of where it lies. You are not sure how much longer you can endure as the journey has already been long. Still you move forward. You trust in your training and the decisions that have led you to where you are at that moment. Then out of no where, you turn the corner and like Christmas morning to a little child, you see the parking lot. You've achieved your goal and the joy is beyond words.
- I had a goal
- I had no one to help me
- I was confronted with many decisions along the way
- I had periods of jubilation
- I had periods of doubt
- I was risking a lot (many have died in the canyon)
I often reflect on that November day. The sense of accomplishment was huge. Most rewarding to me was achieving something others said could not be done. Proving the doubters wrong is a wonderful part of life. Most recently though, I have been thinking about the final few hours of that nineteen hour day.
Approaching the ascent to the South Rim which is about a 4,500 foot climb you see the lights at the top. Granted it is far away but still, it is comforting to finally see the goal at hand. The physical site of your goal offsets the fatigue.
As the summit grows closer though, the lights disappear as the climb grows more vertical. This is when doubt creeps in. You don't know how much longer you can run. It's cold and dark and you are tired and hungry. The only guide you have is the burning desire to achieve your goal. You are constantly presented with decisions as the switchback trail reverses direction every few hundred feet. One side of the trail is safe, while the other has a hundred foot fall awaiting. This changes with each switchback.
You hope you are close to the finish but have no knowledge of where it lies. You are not sure how much longer you can endure as the journey has already been long. Still you move forward. You trust in your training and the decisions that have led you to where you are at that moment. Then out of no where, you turn the corner and like Christmas morning to a little child, you see the parking lot. You've achieved your goal and the joy is beyond words.
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