Episode 32. The Wishing/Doing Gap. Trend Following with Michael Covel

Michael Covel sometimes feels like he's floating above and looking down like the protagonist in David Bowie's "Space Oddity". In today's episode Covel closes this alienating gap with his explanation of the "lottery society": The idea that you don't have to work--you simply make a small bet of your time and money and your your entire world can change through one single action (even though the odds say there is no chance). We've pushed aside the notion of purposeful, driven, consistent effort and work. You can see the concept of a "lottery society" beyond the notion of buying a scratch-off: the idea that the Presidential election will change your life, reality shows and American Idol's instant fame fantasy and drugs and alcohol as the quick fix. It all sounds well and good, but the lottery mentality doesn't work. It sucks the life out of you. How did we even get to the point where being "picked" has replaced the notion of good, consistent hard work and creating something from scratch? It's the gap between wishing and doing. We're in a fantastic world of distraction and the lottery mentality is a perfect example of that distraction. Covel goes on to explain the parallels between fundamental analysis and the lottery mindset; perspectives on the lottery mindset from writer Seth Godin; the perils of watering down a clear trend following trading strategy with short term trading strategies, fundamental analysis, and media input; and the illusion that tools such as the iPhone make us more productive. Next, Covel notes how many want a hero these days (instead of viewing themselves as heroes). Currently, the "hero de jour" is Ben Bernanke, chairman of The Federal Reserve--except most don't have a grasp why his current rate policy is so problematic. When you have rates artificially reduced to zero it forces people to invest in the stock market. Covel offers commentary regarding current Fed policy by giving context via an exploration of recent tech and real estate bubble histories. As Charles Hugh Smith (www.oftwominds.com) has noted, "If you prop up an artificial economy long enough, does it become real?". Covel gives his personal view of the current situation: You know it's bad, you know it's eventually going to pop, but what do you do? That's the hard question. So how can you profit in the face of such uncertainty? Trend following is the profit answer when the black swan swims in. Special offer: Receive a free DVD here: http://www.trendfollowing.com/free.html.