I recommend cartoonist Tom Hart 's parodies of a TV investment personality called The Money Warrior.  I hope that we, at The Panelist, can get to the point where we are parodied like this. Like the HutchOwen Money Warrior, I am at war with money.  I often question whether I'm working for money or money is working for me.  When I was a trader, it too often it seemed like I was working FOR the money.   And even now that I'm not bringing in the big bucks anymore, so much of my time seems to be spent just "tending to my money."  I find I don't ever enjoy money, instead I enjoy life when things work out.  Too many of my interactions with others are about money.  People asking me to invest in, donate to, or buy their cause or idea takes up a huge amount of time.  On the positive side, often a conversation that starts out with someone asking for money turns into an opportunity for me to give advice and emotional support.  It turns out the request for money was the socially acceptable way to initiate a relationship.  Imagine asking someone you barely know for emotional support.

Trading has been the best video game I've ever played.   And if the score is kept in money, then so be it.  If that means I have to deal with some emotional baggage because of it, then that's another lesson to be learned.

Disclosure:  Don't get me wrong, I am lucky.  I do not forget that.  I appreciate the years of effort I spent being on the other side of this transaction.  I only looked at others for how they might help ME get more money – maybe that's what makes me so sensitive today.