Once upon a time there was a high IQ cheetah who couldn’t run at a top speed of 120 km per hour. As a result, the Thompson’s gazelles that he chose to chase easily outran him and he was never able to get hold of one. Thus, in order to survive, he was forced to catch rodents and frogs and other small animals which lived in the Serengeti.
Of course he had to do this surreptitiously because if any of the other cheetahs ever found out it would be terribly humiliating for him. “What’s the use of being the fastest land animal in the world,” he would often say to himself, “if I can’t even run down a decent high speed deer for dinner?”
So one day he went to a cheetah who was renowned for her astonishing speed and blurted out his predicament. “I have all the evolutionary adaptations that enable our species to run as fast as we do, including large nostrils that allow for increased oxygen intake, and an enlarged heart and lungs which work together to circulate oxygen efficiently. Also, during a typical chase when I can accelerate from zero to 100 in three seconds my respiratory rate increases from 60 to 150 breaths per minute.
"And, while running, in addition to having good traction due to my semi-retractable claws, I use the tail as a rudder for steering which allows me to make razor sharp turns, necessary to outflank prey who often make such turns. And yet”, he concluded lamely, “I can’t manage a top speed of 120 km an hour no matter how hard I try.”
“That’s interesting,” said the other cheetah who was staring at him wide-eyed by now. “Because you know, all this time I thought my nostrils were for only for smelling and my heart and lungs for keeping me alive. During a chase all I ever had time to notice was that the surroundings became a blur, my breathing increasingly deep and heavy, and by the time it’s over I’m pooped for the rest of the day.
"As for my claws and tail, I just try to keep them clean. But, like I said, this is amazing stuff. If we were to live together I could do the hunting while you can teach me things about myself and the world so that I too can become as knowledgeable as you.”
So the two hitched up and soon the Serengeti had two cheetahs that couldn’t run at a top speed of 120 km an hour and had to live off rats and frogs instead of gazelles to the end of their days.
Moral: A lot of knowledge is also a dangerous thing.
That reminded me of the first book I bought after entering stock market was "Technical Analysis of stock Trends" by Robert.D.Edwards and John Magee. It is considered to be a Classic on stock markets. You won't find a single Technical Analysis tool that is usually associated with all TA books..macd, roc, rsi, william %R, stochastics, etc. This book just talks about price behaviour, price behaviour and price behaviour with volume and nothing else. But the simple truth in this book is enough a guide if you can feel it, believe in it and your search will just end there. This is not to belittle the other TA but only to not to get obsessed with so many TA tools, etc.
Once the market starts , do what you have to do...Too much analysis & thinking during trading will end you like the cheetah eating rodents...
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Sir,
ReplyDeleteVery nice and apt!! truly we end up eating rodents most of the time!! and at times not even that!!! :)
Absolutely ! this is what is happening . Thanks.
ReplyDeleteAshok
Keep it up by posting often not restricting to saturday and sunday. I will also send some good articles to you by mail as and when I come across in various blogs/books for posting by you
ReplyDeleteThanks
Bala
Oh, sir, my favourite story :)
ReplyDeleteI am doing fine with little knowledge.
regards
I can identify with this knowledgeable cheetah. For though I understand support resistance etc etc, I am unable to trade effectively. One of the most difficult tasks of trading for me is entering a trade & this is where I falter invariably by hesitating too long & later plunging in to the trade when it is time to exit.
ReplyDeleteTime & again I say to myself this is the last time I will hesitate & if I do then I will not enter in haste later & yet this is exactly what I end up doing. Most people hold on to their trades too long, I have this problem of hesitating to enter a trade. Lack of confidence is not good for trading or for that matter for anything in life. With enlightened company of blog mates here I am sure I will overcome this malady sooner rather than later.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful story.