Turn 'Have To' Into 'Get To'
"The task of a philosopher: we should bring our will into harmony with whatever happens, so that nothing happens against our will and nothing that we wish for fails to happen."
— Epictetus, Discourses
Tough to compare today's meditation to trading but what I will say is that you don't "have to" trade if there is nothing that meets your criteria. Instead you enjoy the break and the downtime, ensuring that you are refreshed and ready, to take any opportunities that may appear. So if anything fully meets the rules/criteria for your strategies, you "get to" trade.
Trading is really all about staying patient and disciplined and being ready to pounce.
It's quite simple really; if nothing fully meets the rules/criteria for your strategies, you sit on your hands if you have to and avoid getting involved!
If you can stay patient and disciplined, if will help you to create a calm and stable trading environment, with no extra pressure or stress from entering trades that you basically shouldn't be getting involved in!
This way you are at peace with your trading; calm, focused and "in the zone."
From this, one of my favourite quotes springs to mind, which I have used before in some of my previous daily journals.
"Peaceful mind, peaceful life."
Sometimes the best trade is no trade; So remember; we don't "have to" trade, but if opportunities appear, we will "get to" trade!