Words to Trade By

I just finished a great book by one of my favorite authors, Cormac McCarthy. It's called "No Country For Old Men" and is a chronicle of violent crime and drug running set in the Texas border country. McCarthy often gives his most troubled and troubling characters the best lines, and he's done it again with the arch-villain in this book, Anton Chigurh.

When I read the following quote by Chigurh, it immediately struck me as an insightful description of why people fail at certain ventures - that part of their character or temperament that causes them to overextend themselves, take on too much risk, and lose everything. And I think it applies especially well to trading (finally, the connection to forex!):

"Not everyone is suited to this line of work. The prospect of outsized profits leads people to exaggerate their own capabilities. In their minds. They pretend to themselves that they are in control of events when perhaps they are not."

Ever had that feeling? Me too.

So if you enjoy a good, tightly-written, philosophical crime thriller this might be the book for you. It's a tale where even the bad guys are worth listening to, as long as you keep a safe distance.

Related links:
Cormac McCarthy
No Country for Old Men