I was asked by a friend the other day why I started trading. It’s actually an interesting story but I can remember the primary reason behind my initial interest. My 2nd favorite movie of all time is Forrest Gump (secondly only to Liar Liar). As you know, Forrest Gump is an incredible movie and the tale of a simple man, living a simple life, showing his extraordinary willpower, heart and drive. By the way, the movie is based off a book. The book is great and a fun read. One where you will “laugh out loud” also abbreviated LOL (for those who don’t know).
At the end of the movie, Mr. Gump said “He (referring to Lt. Dan) got me invested in some kind of fruit company. So then I got a call from him saying we didn’t have to worry about money no more”. I remember when I was 6 or 7 asking my dad what he meant. My Dad said he had invested into shares of AAPL. And that, my friends, is when it all began. For the next 3 hours my dad talked about mutual funds, retirement plans, trading, shares, investing, 401k, saving accounts, CD’s, bonds and I was engrossed from then on.
I told him I wanted to invest in the stock market. He said he would match whatever I saved. So for the next few years, I mowed lawns, picked and sold black berries door to door, sold fish I caught, did my chores, “borrowed” pennies from the middle-console in my dad’s work van, whatever I could do.
Here’s my opinion of the movie Forrest Gump. Taking something small, insignificant, something that other people doubt and turn it into a massive success: growing something from nothing. That is what the story is about, right? A small town man with simple dreams and love in his heart becomes a world hero and legend? Investing, the stock market, money, currency, and growing it, is not about becoming rich. It’s about wealth. And wealth is never measured by ones bank account. It’s measured by how hard that person worked, how fulfilled they live their life. How they laugh, love and enjoy this world. That’s what wealth is, in my eyes.
And if the stock market is an opportunity for any man, woman or child, from any background to fulfill their dreams, ‘think and grow rich’, and build wealth, it’s an opportunity that should be embarked on by everyone. It’s a mission and a challenge to prove to yourself that you can accomplish something, earn something and grow something.
And during that journey, you can become the person you were created to be. To some, this may feel like a vague, esoteric, generic, whimsical reason I trade the stock market. To others, it will inspire them to look at their childhood roots, own the life they were given, find the reasons “why” they do what they do currently and make the world a better place by giving to it, who they were meant to become.
