Nick Saban’s Alabama football automaton. Floyd Mayweather. Millions of words have been used to explain, laud, and understand both. However only one is needed. Consistent. Huh? Consistent? I’m choosing one of the most boring words in the English language to encapsulate two of the most winning institutions in sports history? Yes, 100% yes. Sit down and watch an Alabama game or a Mayweather fight. Know how many jaw dropping highlights you’ll see? Zero. Now watch lesser teams or undercard fighters. Highlight after highlight. For a trader the lesson is almost too large to put into words but I shall try. As for the pictures; I’ve illustrated this post with photos of our two subjects PREPARING. Vastly more important than end result evidence.
Alabama is miserable to watch. They grind down their opponent on both offense and defense. Their quarterback “manages” games meaning his job is basically not screwing up. There is nothing sexy about a healthy dose of 12 yard passes that aren’t intercepted and punishing five yard runs. But game after game they WIN. Mayweather is equally as miserable to watch. He doesn’t stand toe to toe trading punches. He doesn’t knock out anyone. There are no bloodied faces. But after 12 rounds he wins. Every. Single. Time.
For a trader this is crucially important. So many traders chase those highlight trades. Trades where they can brag about some insane percentage gain or how they flew directly in the face of the market and won. Great. SportsCenter is littered with spectacular plays made by teams who, in the end, don’t win the championship. Know who has won three of the last four BCS championships? Boring as beige Alabama. Know who’s record now stands at 45-0? Floyd “my fights will put you to sleep” Mayweather.
After last year’s national championship Nick Saban said he was going to enjoy the win for 24 hours. One day. Mayweather repeats his mantra of “hard work; dedication” incessantly. Both take pleasure not in winning but in PERFECT EXECUTION OF THEIR CRAFT. Ergo, winning is just a by product of the “process.” Prepare, execute, win; rinse, wash, repeat. Saban has said that he doesn’t care if they win or lose but instead he is happy if the team played to their fullest potential. Mayweather has said he wants to be known as someone who dedicated himself 100% to his craft.
And there is the exact reason why the two entities win championship after championship. They are more interested in perfect execution every single time. Consistency. As a trader I take no joy in a winning day. A winning day is just a product of doing my job the right way. See the high percentage trade, put the trade on, take the trade off. Rinse, wash, repeat. Consistency. Boring as beige. I only trade one market. Its the only market I know to this level of expertise. I now have all of zero highlights. A 10 handle profit happens by accident. I tip my hat to others who make SportsCenter’s Top 10 and feel no jealousy. See, my goal is to trade every day in a consistent fashion. My championships are measured in profitable weeks, months, quarters, and years. And then I allow myself to enjoy the feeling for a split second and get back to the grind. Consistent Championships built by executing the right way every single time. Grind grind grind win. The end.
