Here’s the thing about the Pain Trade…

Everything hurts.

When the “pain” of The Pain Trade gets its mojo on, you truly learn a lot about yourself. And more importantly, you learn your weak spots. Your pain points.

That crick in your neck starts to hurt just a little bit more. That pain in your foot develops into a nag that causes you to limp. That recurring headache starts to become a bit more recurring. Your sleeping becomes less productive. You exercise less. You become more grouchy. Family and friends have less fun around you. The normally minor cold turns into a full-fledged, can’t-get-out-of-bed flu.

And so on, and so forth…

Not many can stay the course in the face of such obstacles. The will to end the pain (close your trade or deviate from your plan) supersedes your stoic resolution to stay the course. The urge to say fuck it! and start again from scratch becomes more and more appealing.

I’ve been there too many times to count, and have chosen the easy way out nearly every time. No more.

With SPX at all-time highs, the pain is real for me. But I’m of the mind that I’ll go down with my ship if I have to. No more abandoning my post. No more wimping out.

Trust.

Feel the pain. Acknowledge it. Understand from where it comes. The obstacle is the way through. On the other side, the rewards are that much sweeter.