What separates the top 1 percent of investors from the average 99 percent, it’s their daily architecture. This top 1 percent are ruthless in removing external environment inputs, whereas the other 99 percent don’t even recognize them and don’t understand how damaging it is to investment returns.
Tony Robbins has a saying, ‘losers react winners anticipate.’
The 99 percent are constantly in this reactive position, their minds are like a pinball machine and their thoughts are constantly bouncing off the latest external environmental input. These external environmental inputs are email, the latest breaking news report, price signals flashing across multiple screens, their phone ringing or beeping, and other people distracting them.
These are the type people who value busyness over effectiveness, and who also are constantly looking for the next Hack, be it in their lifestyle or career, which will instantly help them achieve their goal.
No one can focus with clarity and produce anything of quality working in a chaotic environment, especially an investor. How can anyone seriously analyze an investment opportunity in a reactive position?
You can’t, investing is not a game you take lightly, the sharemarket is like a gladiator battle but instead of swords, axes and other weaponry, the successful victor uses knowledge, dedication and unique insights to win. The sharemarket, like the gladiator battle, is a zero-sum game for every winner, there is a loser.
Do you really want to put yourself in a position where you’re at a disadvantage?
If you have read this far I’d bet not. There are some very effective techniques we can implement into your daily architecture (think daily routine) that can help supercharge your thinking, but before we get to those techniques, we need to create some effective habits.
You want to structure your day so 95 percent of the time you are not affected by external environmental inputs (distractions) and here a few suggestions to get you started.
Treat email like snail mail, it shouldn’t be treated with urgency. A doctor doesn’t send an email to request that you attend the hospital immediately for surgery, she’ll call you. I’d recommend dedicating no more than an hour a day to reading and responding to email. I’ve set up an automatic response to be sent to every email received saying to the effect, ‘thank you for your email, I only read and respond to emails between 4pm – 5pm AEST. If the matter is urgent please call me’.
Computer Notifications
Turn them all off.
Block Out Time
Allocate two 4 hour periods per day, to just focus on one task. Be it reading annual reports, competitor analyses or valuation. Allocate one of those 4 hour periods during the time of day when you experience peak energy, to help you focus on a highly complex problem. Remember, ‘Focus flows where energy goes.’ Tony Robbins (?)
Winston Churchill once said, “You shape your houses and then they shape you.”
Watch Warren Buffett, Todd Combs, and Ted Weschler discuss how they structure their day.
To arm yourself to the teeth and put you in the best position to consistently win this gladiator battle called sharemarket investing, join other premium member combatants today. Click here
