What you will learn in this chapter

Few people enjoy great success in Investing. The kind which takes them to Financial Freedom-where all their goals are funded by the money they have already earned and invested. Most people don’t even think that this is possible for them. Do you?

 

Most people are simply terrible at investing. They do lots of things to win, but they don’t. Probably they get worse at it because they try so many things. The problem is that they have lost the battle even before they have begun. And they don’t know this. Because they don’t know where the battle is happening and who is the enemy. Do you? 

 

Once upon a time, there was a wise Zen Master. People traveled from far away to become his student and disciple with the hope of achieving enlightenment.

 

On this particular day, a scholar came to visit the Master. “I am searching for enlightenment and I know I need a master to guide me. I have already been with many renowned Zen Masters and spent years studying with them but I haven’t found enlightenment. I am disappointed and losing heart. I have heard you are a great master who can guide me to Nirvana and so have I have come to ask you to accept me as your disciple and teach me” the scholar said.

 

The Zen Master smiled and said, “I don’t know about that. I was about to have my tea. You have travelled a lot and seem thirsty; would you like some tea?” So, the master poured his guest a cup. The cup soon filled, yet he kept pouring until the cup overflowed onto the table, onto the floor, and finally onto the scholar’s robes. The scholar was annoyed and cried “Stop! Can’t you see that he cup is full already.?”

 

“Yes, I see it” the Zen Master replied with a smile. “Do you? You are like this cup — so full that nothing more will fit in. I can teach you nothing. Empty your cup and then come to me.”

 

The battleground of Investing is your mind. And you, your mind is the Enemy. Not because the mind is evil. But because the mind is full. Our mind is like a cup. You may pay a fancy price, aka as getting an education, for the material it is made of and the beautiful design on it. But it’s useful only when it is empty. But, is it empty?

 

Whether you are starting to invest or have been investing for years chances are that your cup is already full. But when you are not enjoying success and cannot financial freedom happening for you, you need to empty your cup. Of what? 

 

Of limiting beliefs and ideas about investing that are not working for you. And cannot work for you and hence must be discarded. To free up the space for a more productive way of approaching investing. One that prepares you for the journey to your financial freedom. But that come later. First, let’s empty our cup. 

 

But, hey who is going to be your Zen Master. Who is every investor’s Zen Master? 

 

The Zen Master in investing is called Mr. Market. And you thought that he was your enemy. Mr. Market practices ‘tough love’ just as all Masters do. He doesn’t suffer fools and arrogant people and make you pay for every mistake that you make. But if you approach him with humility and openness to learning, you will find the most wise and generous teacher in Mr. Market.