Being a consistently successful trader is not a simple task, especially considering we’re playing in a zero-sum game. At first glance, many may imagine that being a trader means staying isolated in a room staring at a screen for the whole day. Well, that isn’t a lie. There are some who choose to become lone wolves, and there isn’t anything wrong with that. However, one thing we have to remember is being a human means we were biologically social animals. Sometimes, finding a community can be the right move to progress as a trader.
The life of a trader, especially here in the Philippines, can get lonely since not a lot of people can relate to our challenges and struggles. Given that there’s approximately around 1% of our total population investing in the stock market, and the majority of those people are most likely long term investors, we tend to just keep all our trading problems to ourselves. Again, there’s nothing wrong with that, until everything starts to pile up.
As social animals, we operate at our best when it’s with other fellow human beings. Now that doesn’t mean we need to begin trading as a group, but it wouldn’t hurt to find a trading buddy or two to share your experiences with. Or even better, try to find a community of traders who can help speed up your growth. We’re pretty sure you’ve heard this quote before, but we just want to reiterate it: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”
So do we recommend finding a community? Absolutely!
However, just as choosing who will be part of your inner circle, you will have to choose your community wisely. You become who you spend most of your time with, so being with a community that embodies bad habits and disempowering beliefs will only derail your growth as a trader. So now the question is, how do you find the right community?
FINDING A COMMUNITY
1. ASK
Now before we focus on how to find the RIGHT community, let’s begin on how to actually find or form a community of traders. This one might be obvious, but it’s something people tend to avoid doing. If you want to try and find a community of traders all you have to do is ask. Post on Investagrams that you’re trying to find or form a group or traders who will help each other on the road towards profitability. You can also chat traders you follow using the InvestaChat to see if they’re near your area and willing to meet up for coffee or even join any traders’ community related to your interest/preference.
2. ATTEND EVENTS
Another great way to meet new people and potentially join a community is by attending investing/trading related events. It doesn’t need to be a big event that only happens once a year, you can find great people even in smaller seminars. Not only do you learn more about trading by attending events, but also gain the opportunity to build relationships with like-minded people.
FINDING THE RIGHT COMMUNITY
1. VALUES
When finding or even creating a community, one of the key considerations needs to be the values the people emulate. This may differ from person to person, but it’s important that the people within the group share the same values. Some great characteristics or values members should have could be honesty, integrity, passion, perseverance, dedication, accountability, openness, and the like.
2. VISION DRIVEN
You want to be with people who have a vision of the future. You want to be surrounded by GOAL-DRIVEN individuals who not only have goals for themselves but who also set out goals for the group as well. When you’re spending time with people who have a vision of what their future will become, you also strive to do the same especially if you’re conservative when it comes to setting big and audacious goals.
3. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE AT HIGHER LEVELS
One of the best ways to improve is to learn from the direct experiences of someone who has been where you currently are. When you surround yourself with like-minded people you guys talk about the same things. However, when you surround yourself with people who have put in the 10,000 hours in the craft you want to master, that’s when things get tremendously great.