Perspective

The other day I just barely avoided hitting a kid with my car. I was on my way to my parents house driving uphill on a sidestreet  which winds sharply to the left . Visibility is normally limited as to who's coming around the bend but it was entirely eliminated when I approached it  because at the corner house to my left, a van was at the end of the driveway waiting to back out. As I was about to turn the corner, a kid no older than 10 came flying downhill on his bike from the opposite direction passing right in front of me literally out of nowhere. I slammed the breaks just barely missing him. He wiped out on his bike but aside from a little scrape he was perfectly fine. If I had been driving on that road 1-2 seconds sooner I would have had no chance to avoid hitting this kid and he would have been very seriously hurt and possibly killed. He had no helmet on either.

The things that I have experienced these past couple of years makes me realize just how fragile life can be.We wake up everyday taking for granted that we will go to bed at night and do the same all over for years to come when in an instant, out of nowhere, our life can be taken away. What I've learned from this is that life must be lived with some sort of urgency and there's no time for being a pussy. You have to do what you must to make the  most of this limited life you have and do it starting right NOW for you don't know what lies around the corner much like I didn't know with that kid. Stop being afraid of whatever is holding you back and take the risks you need to take to get where you want to be, but do so smartly not foolishly.

A couple years ago a girl I knew died of cancer. She was 35. When when she got diagnosed she was told she had about a year to live. Imagine how that must feel and then compare that to whatever is worrying or upsetting you right now. Imagine someone in this dire situation who is then later told that her cancer had miraculously disappeared. How do you think they would approach life?  What could possibly make them afraid? Nothing. This is the type of attitude we have to have. Do you remember the scene in fight club where Tyler Durden threatens to kill a convenience store clerk? It's the same idea.

My heavily concentrated positions in the market are a reflection of what I discussed above. I'm trying to maximize my potential but I'm not taking higher risk just for the sake of being bold and getting rich quick. I'm trying to fully take advantage of situations where I believe the risk/reward equation is heavily skewed in my favor. Betting small or even moderate in such situations would be wasting a rare opportunity.  In life situations often times the only risk in an lucrative opportunity is damage to the ego. Asking that girl you've always wanted to ask out for example. These are the situations that you can't let slip because there really is no downside risk when you think about it. Bruised egos heal and depending on your attitude such failures will make you stronger. Then there are those situations where you will be put in harms way if things don't turn out in your favor. You need to be selective in those situations but if you live your life always playing it safe you will not live much of a life.  One of my favorite episodes from Star Trek TNG  is called Tapestry. You don't need to be a Star Trek fan to enjoy it and learn the valuable lesson it teaches.