| In his book "Outliers," Malcolm Gladwell explores | | | | Donald Trump is an American business magnate, |
| why some people succeed, living remarkably | | | | socialite, television personality, and author. He is |
| productive and impactful lives, while so many | | | | the Chairman and CEO of the Trump |
| more never reach their potential. | | | | Organization, a US-based real-estate developer. |
| Challenging our cherished belief of the "self-made | | | | Trump is also the founder of Trump |
| man," he makes the democratic assertion that | | | | Entertainment Resorts, which operates numerous |
| superstars don't arise out of nowhere, propelled | | | | casinos and hotels across the world. Trump's |
| by genius and talent: "they are invariably the | | | | extravagant lifestyle and outspoken manner have |
| beneficiaries of hidden advantages and | | | | made him a celebrity for years, a status amplified |
| extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies | | | | by the success of his NBC reality show, The |
| that allow them to learn and work hard and make | | | | Apprentice (where he serves as host and |
| sense of the world in ways others cannot." | | | | executive producer). |
| A key point in his book is that Malcolm asserts | | | | A self-made BILLIONAIRE, he continually strives |
| the fact that "MASTERY" in any subject takes | | | | to create market space in his area of expertise. |
| about 10,000 hours to attain. | | | | So check it out. What do you see as the |
| As I ponder more on this question, I'm convinced | | | | COMMON THREAD among all four of them? Didn't |
| that MASTERY is modeled upon the evolutionary | | | | they pass through the phases of Learning, Earning |
| phases of Learning, Earning and Creating (L.E.C.). | | | | and Creating to attain mastery in their chosen |
| Mastery in any aspect of life hinges upon these 3 | | | | fields? |
| phases. | | | | 1) Ferran Adria LEARNED about being a great |
| Lets delve deeper on this subject and take a look | | | | chef, EARNED millions as a top head chef, and has |
| at 4 key areas that make up the "Circle of Life" | | | | CREATED amazing experiences in "molecular |
| itself, and 4 people that have attained mastery in | | | | gastronomy" and "culinary foams." |
| these areas: | | | | 2) Federer LEARNED about playing great tennis, |
| 1) Food | | | | EARNED millions from it, and has gone on to |
| 2) Sports | | | | CREATE consistent results on the ATP tour year |
| 3) Arts/Entertainment | | | | after year. |
| 4) Business | | | | 3) Michelangelo LEARNED about art, EARNED |
| Food | | | | millions from it, and CREATED countless |
| Famed legendary head chef of the El Bulli | | | | masterpieces thereafter in the areas of sculpture, |
| restaurant in Spain, Ferran Adria is considered one | | | | painting and even poetry. |
| of the best chefs in the world and tops the | | | | 4) Trump LEARNED about real estate from his |
| European Restaurant Ranking. | | | | father Fred, EARNED millions from it and currently |
| Under his leadership, El Bulli has attained 3 Michelin | | | | CREATES many business ventures that span |
| Stars and was voted the best restaurant in the | | | | across real estate, casinos, beauty pageants and |
| world in 2006, 2007 and 2008. El Bulli is famous | | | | TV shows. |
| for being the ultimate pilgrimage site for foodies, | | | | A Forex Trader is no different. He must pass |
| and a reservation that is nearly impossible to | | | | through the phases of Learning, Earning and |
| obtain. | | | | Creating to MASTER his financial destiny in the |
| Each year El Bulli is open for just six months, and | | | | markets. |
| receives more than 2 million requests for only | | | | In the Learning Phase, a trader understands |
| 8,000 seats. Renowned for his spectacular | | | | certain principles like Market Structure, Trading |
| ever-changing 30-course tasting menu, Adria's | | | | Concepts and Trading Platform. |
| pioneering culinary techniques have been | | | | In the Earning Phase, a trader understands the |
| applauded - and imitated - by top chefs around | | | | EXACT keys that will enable him to slice profits |
| the globe for the past decade, and he was | | | | off the market. When he should buy, when he |
| named one of Time magazine's 100 most | | | | should sell and when he should stay out. |
| influential people of our time. | | | | In the Creating Phase, a trader has identified the |
| Sports | | | | specific steps & rules he needs to NOT ONLY |
| Currently recognised as the World Number 1 | | | | create his trading system, but execute it faithfully |
| tennis player, Roger Federer has won 16 Grand | | | | so that he generates consistent returns. |
| Slam singles titles, more than any other male | | | | So that explains the Circle Of Life. |
| player in history. He is one of only six male | | | | LEC |
| players to have captured the career Grand Slam. | | | | Many traders make the FATAL MISTAKE of |
| Federer also holds the record of reaching 10 | | | | abandoning their trading system after a couple of |
| consecutive Grand Slam finals and has appeared in | | | | negative results. This is when the get "stuck" and |
| 18 of the last 19. As a result of his successes in | | | | don't push ahead to achieve consistent results. |
| tennis, Federer was named the Laureus World | | | | Listen. Losses are part of the game. No one wins |
| Sportsman of the Year for four consecutive | | | | every trade. |
| years (2005-2008). | | | | No one. |
| Arts/Entertainment | | | | In Forex, you can "win & be wrong" but you can |
| Michelangelo was the best-documented artist of | | | | also "lose and be right." |
| the 16th century. Two of his best-known works, | | | | Getting fixated with "ratio of winning trades to |
| the Pietà and David, were sculpted before he | | | | losing ones" is a loser's game. Don't go down that |
| turned thirty. Michelangelo also created two of the | | | | path. |
| most influential works in fresco in the history of | | | | Let's focus on "trading right first." Profits will |
| Western art: the scenes from Genesis on the | | | | almost always follow as an after-thought. |
| ceiling and The Last Judgment on the altar wall of | | | | The surest way for your account to grow is |
| the Sistine Chapel in Rome. | | | | when you achieve MASTERY. The steps, again, |
| In a demonstration of Michelangelo's unique | | | | are Learning, Earning and Creating. Creating is the |
| standing, he was the FIRST Western artist whose | | | | all-important phase. This is when habits have been |
| biography was published while he was alive. In his | | | | ingrained, and you are now repeating your actions |
| lifetime he was also often called Il Divino ("The | | | | on a consistent basis to generate significant |
| Divine One"). | | | | results. |
| One of the qualities most admired by his | | | | When you are at this stage, here's the BONUS |
| contemporaries was his terribilità , a sense of | | | | -you would have mastered yourself. |
| awe-inspiring grandeur, and it was the attempts | | | | This is when you are truly, an UNSTOPPABLE |
| of subsequent artists to imitate Michelangelo's | | | | human being. |
| impassioned and highly personal style that resulted | | | | "The epitome of success is mastery. The |
| in Mannerism, the next major movement in | | | | essence of mastery is creation." -Mario Singh |
| Western art after the High Renaissance. | | | | "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, |
| Business | | | | is not an act but a habit. |