I am sure you’ve heard plenty of “This changed my life” stories.
But today as I turn 36, I thought I would share with you something that not only completely changed my life for the better but it could well change yours as well.
When I look back at the past 13 years, I can remember two events that were huge turning points in my life.
The first was when I read a superb book given to me by my friend Samuel who was an ex-Goldman Sachs trader (I’ll tell you about this book in the next few weeks).
The second was when I attended a speech in 2002 given by a man who later became my business mentor and also a close personal friend.
At the speech he uttered 10 words that I consider to have an extraordinary impact on my life. It changed everything that I do… and I owe my life to him.
But before I tell you what these 10 words were, allow me to give you some background:
Even though today I lead a happy, successful and confident life with my work, friends and family… it wasn’t like that eleven years ago.
I was a different person back then. In fact, I don’t even recognise myself anymore.
All through school and college I avoided conflict and tried to get out of fights with fellow classmates. At University, I was afraid to ask girls out on a date. I don’t have to tell you how many potential relationships I missed out on.
Yes, I was a coward.
This same fear translated itself into my choice of career. I used to work for a law firm – what I considered to be a “safe” job, hoping for a pay rise and promotion.
I have found that most people are not that different either.
Most people will stick at doing jobs they either hate or find boring and unsatisfying. A recent survey found that while 89% of people dislike their jobs, their biggest fear is getting fired from their jobs.
I ask you – what kind of a life is that?
Most people will stick through an unfulfilling relationship that is going nowhere. Others will delay seeing a doctor when they know their health is getting worse.
It is the fear of the unknown that paralyses people. It holds them from seeking something better from their life and achieving their goals and dreams.
The biggest threat to your success is NOT some “thing” or person out there.
The real danger is you listening to that nagging voice inside your head that says: “What if it doesn’t work?“.
Once you listen to that voice, its over and you become its slave.
The truth is… and I want you to remember this: Most of the things you worry about will NEVER come true. They will never happen.
As Will Smith’s character says in the movie After Earth: “Fear is a choice. It is a product of your imagination.”
But danger IS real. I am not saying do not assess the risks. But once you have learnt how to control the risks, fear should NOT hold you back.
My life changed when my mentor said these 10 words:
“Your success… depends on how much uncertainty YOU can handle“.
He continued:
“The more uncertainty you can handle in your life, the more successful you will be – in anything you do. Not just in wealth, but also in your health and relationships.”
Now I understood.
The problem is that we humans hate uncertainty.
Wars and battles have been fought, millions killed, for what? In order to impose control and certainty on people.
Look at the markets for example. Stocks crash and volatility increases when investors become worried and uncertain.
Most people fear uncertainty. Guess why 89% of people feel unsatisfied with their life!
A job is never “safe”. That B.S. about “job safety” has brainwashed people to make disastrous choices.
Unsurprisingly, people have still not learnt the lessons of the 2008 recession when millions of workers were made redundant.
But if you embrace uncertainty, you will see wealth and success beyond your imagination.
Don’t believe me?
Four years ago a very brave friend of mine who was a soldier in the US Army was badly wounded in Afghanistan. We all thought that was the end of his career.
Wrong. He got the medal of honour for bravery. He now works in undercover operations in the middle east and makes more money in a single day than any man could possibly dream of.
People who choose to let go of fear and face risks, like soldiers in battle, will be rewarded for their bravery.
It is the same reason why we trade. You and I know the risks we face every single day as traders. The uncertainties and challenges we face in the markets.
People who want certainty should NOT invest. Investing will always carry a degree of risk and uncertainty. And that uncertainty will reward you in the long term.
So let me ask you to do one thing today:
Embrace uncertainty! Let uncertainty be your friend.
Uncertainty is the price we pay for our freedom and the wealth we make.
People who choose the illusion of “safety” over uncertainty are destined for a life of mediocrity, frustration and unrealised dreams.
So here’s to YOUR success, and the next 12 months…
Alessio
(Alessio Rastani is a stock market trader and founder of www.leadingtrader.com )
Excellent Article Alessio 🙂
Inspiring as I welcome a new day here, and giving the first steps of venturing in a change of life 🙂
thank you
What a fantastic mind-opening blog you got here! ‘Most people will stick at doing jobs they either hate or find boring and unsatisfying. A recent survey found that while 89% of people dislike their jobs, their biggest fear is getting fired from their jobs’. – what you say is so true. In my company current corporate job certainly more 89% of my colleagues are frustrated, hate it, but do not even send a single CV out to try and get a new job… or think about starting something, learning a new career, etc. Safety is often the route to unhappiness!
Thanks man. I needed that.
I am getting killed today, but have done reasonably well since the correction started. Scalping Vix products all the way down baby. My longs are getting pounded though! :p
Your life is a big inspiration, Alessio! Thank you for sharing your life and skills with us!
Very nice and inspiring article Alessio! Thanks for sharing!!
Great article as always. Happy Birthday Alessio!
Awesome Article
Happy Birthday!!!!! 🙂
I agree. And Happy BD! Definitely glad I found your system through my interest in investing as of late, which started with bitcoin. Then slowly progressed into real trading.
In any case this is good stuff and the money I’ve spent on your courses already paid off!
Just a couple of weeks ago i didnt know what shorting a stock meant.
And now I place trades daily, its such an AMAZING feeling. It tests everything you have and I love the feeling.
Thanks Again and Happy BD.
Thanks Allesio! I always find your material helpful. This one was particularly inspiring. Love the illustration of your friend.
I’ve just forwarded it to my my wife (who has absolutely no interest in the stock market – but I know will appreciate the principle!).
Now… my task is to tackle that need for certainty. That’s a big call…
Great words of encouragement to all those that are stuck in their rut of uncertainty.
Many times I have thought of where I would be if I didn’t take a chance and dive into the unknown but lately I have fallen off the uncertainty wagon and fell into the same rut I was in a while back. I guess now is as good a time as any to get back to getting into that uncomfortable zone that often times has led me to a little better than where I was.
Hi Alessio! Apart from wishing you a Happy Birthday again today, I’d like to say what a timely and great content article you put out today! My sentiments exactly 🙂
As you know I now live in Portugal (having been brought up in the UK) with my son who is home-schooled so we have that flexibility (although that’s not ‘why’ he is). Having been determined to be a full-time parent, my life changed enormously 14 years ago. Going from earning a very good salary as the PA to the CEO of a multi-national company, I then earnt nothing! Such was my determination. I gradually found ways to make money from home and taught myself Forex trading, through books, courses, the Internet etc. etc. The world is a different place in many ways now and I would not go back to a 9-5 even if you paid me, lol!
Making the decision to move to Portugal also took courage. I’ve certainly been through uncertainty and fear but managed to embrace those ‘worries’ and forge ahead (most of the time.. Well, I am human, lol.)
Those are excellent words: “Your success… depends on how much uncertainty YOU can handle“. Love it!
Keep up the great work Alessio… One of the reasons I follow you is that you genuinely want to help ‘normal’ people and you do business in a way Richard Branson would approve of… His recent book “Screw Business As Usual” is about how businesses of any size will be successful in the future. You give so much and you are much appreciated! 🙂
Love and hugs (yes, you are allowed to say such things in this new world of ours) 😉
Lesley x
Hi Lesley,
You and I have a few interesting things in common. My sister is called Lesley Mitchell and she too has a house in Portugal, as a holiday retreat not a permanent home though. Furthermore, my 5 children were all home educated, or ‘self educated’ as I prefer to call it as my ex-wife and I didn’t do much academic ‘teaching’ but we provided resources, environment and support when needed.
I have followed you on Twitter.
All the best,
Chris
Hi Chris, interesting indeed, lol… I’ll write more on FB 🙂
Excellent. Thanks Alessio and happy birthday!
I hope you make this your best birthday ever…..at least until next year!
Great article!
I agree with you. I would never realized of it. I’m looking forward to read that book as soon as possible!!
Alessio,
You seem to be a smart well intentioned person, and I generally agree with you philosophically. However, their is one thing that keeps bothering me about your technical analysis of these markets. That is, my sincere belief that all the financial markets are crooked, and rigged by the criminals in the Federal Reserve, and major banks! This includes the precious metals markets, pretty much admitted by the people inside the system, including Paul Volcker. What they do not tell you, is that by secretly manipulating the markets, they are destroying all price discovery, as well as stealing investers money, who are not in on the game – that would be most of us! Let’s face it, when you can print all the money you want, and not tell anybody; you can get the markets to do anything you want as well. So, how can your technical analysis be meaningful, when it is based mostly on historical information, and formula’s that were developed when the system was fairly honest – not too shure if it ever was; but, certainly no longer apply to the current extremely rigged system?
I would appreciate your thoughts on this. Sincerely, Hank Lenox
Excellent comments Hank, to which I look forward to lessio`s comments on.
Alessio, I like your attitude, which is why I have followed you (as well as your accurate calls of the ,market,and WANT to believe that the unseen energy is where all is actually created in our lives… and also through the heart. HOWEVER, evidence indicates that the forces that actually control what happens are NOT interested in anything but magnifying and expanding the wealth and power of the `Cabal` created on Jekyll Island in 1913. Lets face it, the sociopaths running large banks and organizations have and would walk over millions of us `lesser`beings to get to profits that at the level they live at, make no difference to the quality of living they enjoy anymore. On a positive note, it is consciousness of the masses that can make a difference. NOT a conscience of those who actually have power (I have lived long enough to know that will never happen). We must stay awake, stand firm and face the truth of what is happening in our world. D
You’re awesome Alessio! Love you man 🙂 I’m glad you were born.
Happy Birthday Alessio, and thank you for the post. Very poignant – I enjoyed reading it, and I hope you continue to send these out periodically. Enjoy your day!
Justin
I personally think this is a bunch of sanctimonious drivel. As to claim a superior mindset is the cause of success. I’m calling this out as bullshit.
People fear uncertainty because they fear the consequences of financial distress. Linking this to such an intangible concept as love and relationships is just wreckless. It is in no way linked to the concepts of wealth.
Capitalism is the known cause of all stress. To force people to choose between a lifetime of slavery for this so called ‘certainty.’ Nothing is certain, not even your fucking fiat cash that you claim is the absolute barometer of a successful life. I bet you’re accumulating plenty of gold however, you’re one of the harbingers of deceit for his own personal gain. I’ve watched you claim that investors love recession (depression), so don’t try to act like you’re not happy about the state of the world.
And don’t get me started on what appears to be advocacy for imperialist war. A soldier is successful? In what? Killing the enemies of his government for a paycheck? So that, that government can subsequently invest in the resulting oil grab and make millions from dividends while the rest of the world starves in relative poverty?
You’re a disgrace to humanity to keep peddling the lies of the stock market and derivative markets. The only semblance of happiness you possess is that you’re not stuck in with the rest of us mere peasants, who you seem so quickly to forget now that you’re so ‘successful’.
Happy success you coward.
An interesting view – I don’t know about capitalism being the cause of all stres, in my experence its just life! Still you seem a happy soul, so keep smiling.
You don’t seem to be a very happy soul Internet Serfer.
If you think that embracing socialism, which you appear to, do you feel that you will avoid stress? I would have thought the opposite was true. The countries that support extreme socialist activities are the ones that engage in slavery of the peasants and restrict their lives in most respects. There are shades of grey of course and nothing is perfect, but I know which I prefer. China is dragging itself quite successfully out of its third world status by capitalist principles now and its population is benefiting. Do you condemn the Shanghai stock exchange for instance ? However, maybe I misunderstand you.
It is a big statement but it is true. “Billionaires do not care what the adds are. They follow their vision, no matter how crazy or idiotic other people think it is.” D.J.T.
10 equally good words you said yourself in the article:
“It is the fear of the unknown that paralyses people.”
You’re an interesting guy, Alessio.
Have a great birthday!
Chris
Great and inspiring article, Alessio! You are really a person I am honored to know. I look forward to the book you hinted..
Well said Allesio. Looks like you’re not only a trader. Hearing and reading about life’s attitude from some other trader I would probably never came back to their websites/videos/etc. But what you say is quite authentic, sincer and – I must admit – even motivating. It seems you’re not only chasing for money 🙂
One more thing, by this occasion: some time ago you appeared in tv, as I remember Uk1tv, that sunday night show, where some stupid, prejudiced guests found you a kind of greedy bastard or whatever they said. Anyway it seems finally they were wrong. I’m wondering what they think of you now…
Please keep doing what you do.
Best wishes and happy birthday
Alessio- first of all – HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Second- thank you for saying this as clear as possible- that every successful trader soon enough gets changed, for better of course, but the point is that if you want yo succeed you need to become brave, good person. Thank you for the inspiring article! Have a great time on your Birthday party! :):):) Bye 🙂 !
Alessio, thank you so much for this article I have to admit everytime I see,read or listen something from you I always learn something new. Thank you for being who your are. Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday Alessio
I turned 47 yesterday
you got 11 years on me, live them fully!
hope you had a good day trading!
After years of working in various jobs I didn’t much like circumstances forced me into self employment, which initially I did not want precisely because it all seemed too uncertain and with a large family to support, doubly so. Best decision ever. After all the upheavals of the last few years there is a growing realisation in society that just getting a job is no longer the way and that uncertainty is the future.
Have a great birthday.
Wishing you a happy birthday and many more to come.
All the best!
Alessio,
I throughly enjoy reading your in-depth analysis and comments. Congratulations and Many Happy Returns of the Day.
Best Regards,
Arif
I did know I shared June 20 with so many people. The message was great!!! Thank you for your insperational message.
Bruce
A lot of wisdom. Thx for sharing and Happy Birthday!
Hi, how can one access the weekly webinar?
Who was your mentor Alessio? 🙂
Daniel, just sign up for his newsletter (which are mostly in video format) on his site (on the right) just here: http://www.leadingtrader.com/
All the best,
Lesley
Alessio, Happy Birthday!!!
Touching article, touching story, just the motivation I needed. Reminds me of this quote someone once told me, “the night is darkest just before dawn”. I guess its true what they say, you really have to go through the rough to appreciate the other side. You do some great work for all of us who have been looking for a way out. If not trading, the advice alone you provide is motivation to find something for yourself-something that you are good at, something you will love! I hope people take the time out to thank you for all that you do. I know I certainly appreciate your every single video, email, and inteview. You are a GENUINE guy – be proud of that!!
HAVE AN AWESOME BIRTHDAY!!
UNCERTENTY IS HOW I LOST 90% OF MY NET WORTH. MORE WORTHLESS DRIBBLE FROM THE INTERNET.
Thank you for this challenging article Alessio. I really appreciate your help with the shares. You’ve been a good teacher. I have a lot of respect for the things you say, especially with shares etc.
Sure we don’t know the future. I would also add a comment I heard from some wise person. “You can trust an unknown future to a known God.” So, I understand that if we get to know Him personally, we can commit our future to Him He will guide us.
Also in the Bible Proverbs 3:5&6 says “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”
I would also add that I agree life is risky, and if we step out strongly, having looked at the facts and indicators, we minimise the risk, but we still need to step out of the boat. However if our hand is in God’s and we are trusting and following His lead, we’ll be ok and have eventual success.
this is a good article, thanks for sharing this with us, I remembered John Allen Paulos said: Uncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.
Nice article Alessio! Happy Birthday. no risk, no reward. Just an fyi learnt should be learned. Otherwise nice writing. Ignore the haters. of course when you trade boldly you can lose as fast as you can gain. However if you use fear as your guide you will not win or lose because you have to be in it to win it. You will never succeed if you fear losing. All failure is, is one step closer to success.
As one reader below says,is an excellent article, inspiring and well prepared, you deserve to be congratulated for that Alessio, nevertheless for some people, slavery is to live believing that the purpose of our existence is to make money.
Let me congratulate your birthday with the title of a book by Shirley MacLaine,
Sage-ing while Age-ing.
I sent your message to my son, who is about your age. He has that 8 to 6 job,dissatisfied,and is about to decide to move to an activity he enjoys.
I hope your message gives him the light to go ahead with what he wants.
Happy Birthday,many more.
I like your deep thoughts of life and how you compare them with market.
Happy B…
Cheers!
I wish you happy birthday, longlasting health and success in all your plans in life. You gave us wonderful message, very inspiring and liberating thoughts. I do highly appreciate your support and help, your sacrifices and commitments to great service that you are delivering to us. Keep on doing that Alessio, for all of us. You can change lifes of many for better.
Best regards,
Bojan
Very nice and inspiring article Alessio! A good lesson for everyone. Happy Birthday and all the best in your life!
Hello Alessio,
Happy birthday and many more to you. Wonderful article and very insightful. In these times it is downright visionary. Thank you.
P.S. haters will keep on hatin’ regardless because it is easier to scapegoat and blame than take responsibility, be accountable, and be empowered. Which is what you are all about, Alessio.
Kindest regards,
Rico
Happy Birthday Mr. Alessio
a follower from Morocco
Love it Alessio! Happy Birthday 🙂
There are no guarantees in life right? Once we truly understand that, we can get on with it instead of fearing it. 🙂
Happy birthday and thanks for your sharing. All the best. Alex
Great stuff! I totally agree on it and it happens to be on of the issues i face right now in my current point in life.
And that’s about 11 years ago for you where i am now.
first of all wish u big bash on your birthday buddy… live strong live long … and as always as we all say, you are doing a fantastic work and this article is adding more delicacy to it. Many Thanks bro
Inspiring article Alessio! Happy Birthday, have a good one!
Happy birthday Alessio.
Very hope lifting history Alessio. Especially for me that I am just trying to learn this trade and hoping I can survive it.
I would like to ask you iff it is possible to get your video trainning you offer last Friday, I really like to get it and unfortunately
I wasn’t able to do it that day.
I am at that point at my life that you mention on your history. Thank you for all that knowlege you have been passing to me so far.
By the way the field I am trying to get into is currency trading at latinoamerica currencies’. I will be waiting for any piece of information you can provide.
Thank you again an enjoy your birthday party.
Polo Rubio.
Profound
Each of our lives is a great story if we choose to read it for oursleves Alessio, or “defender of mankind” as you could be otherwise known by birth. To see how our egos run ahead of us and check them is the toughest thing to do and to prevent passion becoming frustration is difficult too, despite what our ego tells us most of the time. To manage our egos is the only option because we should never rid ourselves of it, that would make us weak so balance should be the precedent. Ego is responsible for our responsibility and in turn the responsibility lies with our ego to keep it in check, not an easy thing to do especially if you have fire in your soul. Alessio you are a kind, smart and good man who has found his way through a maze of disgusting practices and behaviour. Well done, I know that is not easy and to find personal wealth and financial wealth in balance is the greatest achievement. Have a great day.
Happy Birthday Alessio.
A perfectly timed message for the current period.
Incidently if I remember correctly, in law school, you were not that bad with the ladies.
Hello Alessio! I wish you a happy birthday!
Thank you for your words! Perfect timing!
Happy belated birthday, you are almost a decade younger then me but the maturity and the manner in which you conduct yourself is exemplary!
Secondly your trading insights and weekly emails I look forward to with great earnest just to understand your analytical mindset. Only in the view for me to learn something new.
I hope we all have a very successful trading year.
With Best Wishes
Salil
Happy Birthday Alessio!
Great article! I agree that brave people get rewarded.
Laying on a death-bed people regret things that they HAVE NOT DONE rather than things that they have done.
Fantastic article – thank you Alessio x
Happy Birthday Alessio! Your articles and videos are always an inspiration and highly informative. This is a very enjoyable editorial. You have such a great ability to connect and communicate with people. Cheers!
you are the Man ! Alessio
Many Many More .
Happy birthday and thank you for this knowledge Alessio. hope you all have an uncertian day 🙂
Happy belated birthday Alessio !
Great article, very inspirational and thanks for sharing all the best,