A.A.'s "MAIN TAPROOT"
October 19
The principle that we shall find no enduring strength until we first admit complete defeat is the main taproot from which our whole Society has sprung and flowered.

TWELVE STEPS AND TWELVE TRADITIONS, pp. 21-22

Defeated, and knowing it, I arrived at the doors of A.A., alone and afraid of the unknown. A power outside of myself had picked me up off my bed, guided me to the phone book, then to the bus stop, and through the doors of Alcoholics Anonymous. Once inside A.A. I experienced a sense of being loved and accepted, something I had not felt since early childhood. May I never lose the sense of wonder I experienced on that first evening with A.A., the greatest event of my entire life.

It's easy to forget my lowest low as time passes but I must remember. It's only after hitting rock bottom most times a trader can see the light and return to a path of profitability. I have experienced many rock bottoms in my life. Hopefully not any more. With the help from the experience strength and hope of my fellow traders, I feel loved and accepted even when the market causes me fear and greed.

A DAILY TUNE-UP
October 17
Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of God's will into all of our activities.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 85

How do I maintain my spiritual condition? For me it's quite simple: on a daily basis I ask my Higher Power to grant me the gift of sobriety for that day! I have talked to many alcoholics who have gone back to drinking and I always ask them: "Did you pray for sobriety the day you took your first drink?" Not one of them said yes. As I practice Step Ten and try to keep my house in order on a daily basis, I have the knowledge that if I ask for a daily reprieve, it will be granted.

Keep your house in order anon. The God of your choosing wants what's best for you, even when you don't. Let Him guide your decisions and you will get closer to serenity every day. If you make a trade that works, it was God's will. Likewise a trade that loses was part of the plan. Make clean sober decisions every day and He will help you succeed more often then fail.

A PROGRAM FOR LIVING
October 14
When we retire at night, we constructively review our day. . . . On awakening let us think about the twenty-four hours ahead. . . . Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, p. 86

I lacked serenity. With more to do than seemed possible, I fell further behind, no matter how hard I tried. Worries about things not done yesterday and fear of tomorrow's deadlines denied me the calm I needed to be effective each day. Before taking Steps Ten and Eleven, I began to read passages like the one cited above. I tried to focus on God's will, not my problems, and to trust that He would manage my day. It worked! Slowly, but it worked!

You can achieve serenity, anon. Just think about the 24 hours ahead. Let God help you make the path to reach your goals. When I make choices in my life that are not just what I want, but are aligned with God's will for me, I know I am doing the best for myself as someone who cares about me would. Do this for yourself today anon, let God direct your thinking for today's trading day. There will be many choices to slurp but ultimately it is you who will decide how the next 24 hours plays out.