Hey there, it's Allen from Option Genius and I wanted to share a thought with you that has really made a huge difference in my life. I can't take credit from this, I learned this from the guy who, well, he didn't even create it, but he's making it famous. And he wrote a book on it called the gap and the gain. So if you want to, if you want to learn more about this concept, that's the name of the book, the gap and the gaing and basically what it is, it's a simple way to change how you think about yourself, and your accomplishments and your future. And so, you know, for me, and I'm getting little personal here, I always thought growing up that I was a big deal, you know, little bit arrogant.
And I always thought, hey, I'm special, I'm above average, I'm really smart, I can do things, I have huge potential, I have an amazing potential, I can be whatever I want, I can accomplish anything I want. And it was true. And I think it's true for a lot of people now, you know, I mean, especially if you have all the advantages of growing up in the West, and, you know, there's unlimited opportunity. So if you're watching this, and if you're a trader, then you know, my God, you know we don't have too many things to complain about. Right? We could, but we shouldn't be because there's people way worse than us.
So anyway, the my thinking was that, you know, I made all these huge goals for myself first, it was, you know, by the time I graduate high school, I'm going to be a millionaire. That didn't happen. So then I was like, alright, well, I'm gonna graduate college, I would have been a millionaire. That didn't happen. Oh, by the time I turn 30, I would have been a millionaire - that didn't have any there. Okay, and then later on, you know, things out better and things have settled, but then I realized that, okay, you know, it's like, Man, I don't want to make these such big goals anymore. You know, because I started, I started getting beaten up a little bit, you know, it's taking so long my goals aren't, I'm not achieving my goals. And so I started lowering my expectations. And I remember one time I was in a mastermind group, and the idea was, you know, what's, what's your number? How much? How much do your net worth you want to be. And my goal was 2 million. I was like, you know, if I can have a $2 million net worth, and I know that I can easily make 10% on that every year, and I can live off $200,000. So that was it. That was my goal at the time. And then when I got there, the goal changed. And it got bigger, right? So then it was, you know, like 5 million. Then when I got there, I was like, Okay, now my net worth goal is even bigger, and even bigger, keeps growing. It's like a never ending thing where you get your goal. But then you always want more, because well, we're human. And that's normal. Right? I remember when, when I was first starting out trading, my goal was I want to have $100,000 trading account. When I got that, then it was oh, now I need a $250,000 trading account. Then it was like, oh my god, wouldn't it be awesome if I had a $500,000 trading account, and then a million dollar trading accoun? And I think it just keeps getting bigger and bigger. As soon as you hit your goal, you're now your your thinking is expanded, and you're like, oh, man, I want more, I want more.
And the thing is that, that goal keeps moving. Right? That end desire, that end thing that we want, it just keeps moving, moving, moving, like kinda like the horizon, like when you're walking, you know, you see, oh, I want to go there to the horizon. But then you keep walking, walking, walking in that goal, the horizon just keeps moving further and further, it is a the more you go, the further further it goes. So you never get to the horizon. And for a lot of people, especially like me and others, it can cause a lot of disappointment, and self doubt and pain, being "Oh, man, I never get my goal", you know, and then you start comparing yourself to other people. It's like, "Oh, man, he got to the goal so much faster than me. And he's stupid. And I'm smart, and how come he got it? And I didn't?", you know, all kinds of self doubt self talk about, you know, what was wrong with me and why I can't do it and all this kind of stuff. And so, you know, I've suffered from this for a long time, cause depression cause serious doubt. And it really hurt my trading. It hurt my business, it hurt. My relationships hurt a lot of different things in life. And we don't we don't even realize how much our thoughts of ourselves are limiting us. Right? And so I read this book, and in the book he talks about, well, you know, this is very common. It's very common for people who are aggressive and highly motivated, and they want to achieve things they want to grow, they want to accomplish things, for them to make these big goals and then keep looking at themselves, comparing themselves to the end result from where they are now. Right? So if I look at myself where I'm at now, compared to where I want to be, it's like, oh, man, I'm not there yet. It's so far, man. I just got so far to go man. It's how long is it gonna take to get there? Why is it taking so long? Oh, man, I'm not smart enough. Look at that other guy. He got there so much faster. All kinds of these self doubts and criticisms creep up and you start hurting yourself.
So in the book, they tell you that's very common, that's very normal. But that's not the most productive and best way to do it. So instead of comparing yourself where you are now, to where you want to be in the future, what you should do is you can definitely make goals, you should always be making goals and striving for nothing things. But that's not what you compare yourself to, what you compare yourself to, is, instead of looking forward, you turn around, and you'll look back. So you see where you were before and then you compare it to where you are now. And that shows you your real progress. If you're trying to look at how much progress you're making, you know, don't compare it to where you want to be, compare it to where you were before, and where you are now. And you look at that big, you know, over whatever the things you've overcome, and that will make a total shift in your mind.
So for example, I remember in the beginning, when I first saw the ThinkOrSwim platform, you know, I mean, at that time, Thinkorswim was a separate company, and you know, they were a broker, but they came up with this really fancy platform, and it had all these bells and whistles and charts and colors and, and I was totally, totally overwhelmed. And I still remember what it felt like, you know, like, what button do I push? What screen Do I go to? And what tab another nine? What are all these different things here and bells and whistles and doodads and and it's still pretty overwhelming. And I, you know, I still don't use most of it. But I don't have to because I figured out what are the areas? What are the screens? What are the tools that I want to use in my trading, that helped me get the maximum out of that software? And so now I can think back and be like, wow, you know, I was I was so scared of this software. Like, I didn't know how I was gonna use it. And I was intimidated by it. But now I can go in there and two seconds and I know what I'm doing and I can make my trades and analyze trades and, and do my results and everything. And now other people when they see me doing it, they're like, they get our coaching programs, you know, the students are Oh, Allen, what did you do? Oh, can you do that again? And have to remember that oh, yeah, I need to slow down. And I need to do it slowly so they can follow along? Because they are at that starting point where I used to be right? And so we learned it together.
But that is you know, looking at that, like, wow, you know, and before when I before I started getting trading, I was really scared. I was learning all these strategies. I didn't know much. I didn't know that much about the markets. Compared to now -- Wow. I've come a long, long way. And I feel so good about myself like man, I didn't give up. I kept trying even when it was hard. Even when there were losses. There were bad years bear markets, crazy markets, a financial crisis, you know, the worst financial thing in the history of the United States, where the whole economic system almost came crashing down. I traded my way through that. Wow and I've come a long way. You know, when you look at, like, I look at my net worth right now how much money I have right now. And it's not where I want to be. It's not at my goal. So I was like, I could be disappointed. Man, you know, I still, man, I saw this guy on TV nd he's making so much money. And he's so much worth and, you know, Bezos look at Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk. And, you know, they're worth billions, I'm never gonna be a billionaire. You know? I don't know. If that's my goal, then. That's fine as a goal. But if I keep comparing myself to where I want to be, I'm gonna feel bad.
So instead, I turned around, and I looked at, like, where was I about 20 years ago? 20 years ago, you know, I'm 45. Now. So when I was 25, I was broke. More than broke. I was sleeping on the floor, an apartment with a negative $100,000 net worth, meaning I owned nothing. And I owed $100,000, on credit cards and loans and everything. So I had a negative net worth of $100,000. So compare that to where I am today - Wow, that's a huge Mungus crazy, crazy difference. Yeah, it did take 20 years. Maybe I could have done it faster. But so what I did it, that's the thing, and that makes me feel good. That makes me feel good about myself. That makes me feel good about the future gives me confidence, it gives me energy to keep moving and keep going. Because the other way, you know, if you never get your goals, you eventually you just give up, right? Like in the beginning, when I told you that I made all these big goals, I never got them. So I shrunk my goals and I shrunk what I thought I could accomplish. Now, if I had stayed at 2 million net worth, I mean, you know, Option Genius would not be here. I wouldn't be able to I wouldn't be making this video, right? But I extended my goal because I got more confidence in myself because I felt better about myself. So that's that's the message I want to impart. The book is called the gap in the game but I kind of explained basically what it is, right? Instead of comparing yourself to where you want to be in the future. Take a look at where you were in the past. And compare that to where you are now and then feel good about yourself. If you're motivated, feel happy. Look at everything you've accomplished. Pat yourself on the back and then turn around and then head into the future and accomplish everything you want. All right. Take care of trade with the odds in your favor. We'll see you next time.
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