#002 - The art of FOCUS, and how it can benefit your trading.
Intentional direction of your attention
Hi friends,
How are you doing? Hope everything is well! If you’re reading this already - Know that I appreciate that. Take a seat, relax and enjoy the second edition.
Direction of attention. As the dawn of technology becomes ever so prominent, being able to direct your attention intentionally is a rare skill these days. This goes hand in hand with the concepts of trading, saving time, and saving money.
Mastering the art of intentional attention can transform these challenges into opportunities. By recognizing the methods mainstream media and social platforms use to captivate us, we can begin to reclaim our focus and direct it toward productive, fulfilling endeavors
The Attention Economy and Its Impact
Mainstream news outlets thrive on fear, social media platforms lure us with relatable memes, and sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook utilize precise algorithms to keep us engaged. This constant distraction diverts our attention from meaningful activities, impacting our mental, physical, and financial health. Instead of falling prey to these distractions, we can choose to invest our focus in a more intentional manner.
For mental health, people tend to concentrate on their thoughts rather than the underlying causes.
For physical health, people prioritize immediate gratification over sustained energy.
For financial health, people chase quick riches instead of fostering long-term business growth.
The Importance of Focused Work
Focused work is the antidote to the pervasive distractions of the attention economy. It involves dedicating uninterrupted time to tasks that add value and bring long-term rewards. According to numerous psychological performance experts, even a few hours of concentrated effort can surpass the productivity of a full day filled with distractions.
Focus is like currency—you need to spend it wisely. While the attention economy can be overwhelming for consumers, it presents endless opportunities for those who create. To capitalize on these opportunities, you must focus on building something with low risk but high potential reward—these are known as asymmetric bets.
Asymmetric Bets: Opportunities in the Modern World
Asymmetric bets are opportunities where a small initial investment can yield significant returns. Examples from the past 5-10 years include:
Cryptocurrency
Building a social media following
Offering specialized freelance services
Starting a marketing agency
Selling your expertise online
Launching a podcast or blog
Now in today’s letter we will create the bridge between Asymmetric bets, the steps you need to take and how you can do this in the space of trading and finance. There is a simple formula for success with trading.
The formula - In trading
Initial effort + consistency + continuous improvement = significant results.
With trading it is not different, my success however large/small it is, was predominately built upon one major cornerstone - focused work. It acted as the vessel of my success. Dedication, consistency and determination with active intention can go light-years.
This is not to say that the goal is to look at graphs the whole day and call that focused work, we need an active source where we can add improvement. Whether that is collecting data and testing, there is a huge difference in letting time pass by and utilising it with proper focus on the charts.
The Truth
Many psychological performance coaches, emphasise that focused work can dramatically reduce the time needed to accomplish tasks. Four hours of concentrated effort can often be more productive than eight hours of distracted work. Even just one hour of focused work can yield significant results, especially for those with limited time.
Getting Started - Trading
To begin with your asymmetric bet, whether that’s trading or anything else with high potential, you must have interests or curiosities to explore. Without active learning, it’s hard to find opportunities. Once you’ve learned, you need to apply that knowledge in real-world scenarios.
Bottom line - that spark needs to be there, general interest to persistently chip away at your passion. The true important aspect is passion, find what energises you when starting.
3 Steps to Focused Work:
Brain Dump:
Clear your mind by writing down all your thoughts and tasks, from work projects to personal chores. This helps eliminate internal distractions and clarifies what needs to be done.
- Let your thoughts flow freely—jot down everything that comes to mind, not just work-related tasks. Include everything from household chores to your weekly shopping list, along with any work tasks you need to tackle.
Categorize & Prioritise:
Group tasks into categories like household, social growth, client work, etc. Prioritize these tasks using tools like the Eisenhower Matrix. If unsure about a task’s priority, flip a coin—if it’s not clear, it’s probably not a priority.
→ https://www.techtello.com/eisenhower-productivity-matrix/
- You should come away with 2-5 tasks in each category that you have to work on within the next few days.
Time Blocking & Scheduling:
Schedule your tasks into specific time blocks. This prepares your brain for action. Use the Pomodoro method—50 minutes of focused work followed by 10 minutes of active rest. Start small and build up your workload as you develop the habit. Scheduling should take no more than 15 minutes per week.
Emergency Tips
Increase Clarity:
Reduce uncertainty by continually refining your tasks and goals.
Remove Distractions:
Put your phone on Do-Not-Disturb, close unnecessary tabs, and change your environment if needed.
Use Music:
Instrumental music or soundtracks without lyrics can help maintain focus.
Take Care of Yourself:
Prioritise exercise, healthy eating, quality sleep, and recovery to sustain mental performance.
Commitment
If you’re reading this, you likely have the ambition to improve your life, whether financially, mentally, or physically. This is the starting point. Commit to an asymmetric bet and focus your efforts on making it succeed.
In Trading
By following the tips mentioned earlier, such as brain dumping to clear your mind and categorising your tasks, you can create a structured approach to your trading. This involves dedicating specific time blocks to backtesting strategies, studying market trends, and analyzing your trades. Instead of mindlessly repeating the same technical methods, you'll be able to focus on refining your skills and adapting your strategies based on real-world data.
Consistency and continuous improvement are key to success in trading. By committing to a routine of focused study and iteration, you'll move beyond simply applying the same techniques over and over. Instead, you'll develop a deeper understanding of the markets, allowing you to make informed decisions and adapt your strategies as needed. This disciplined approach will help you achieve exponential growth in your trading performance, turning focused work into tangible financial rewards.
Commit to trading.
Yours truly,
- A