The Art of Relaxation - "Fang Song Gong"

We have all been told to "relax" but has anyone ever been taught how to relax? What does it mean to relax? Watching TV, going on vacation, reading, lying on the bed, playing guitar? I have been practicing Tai Chi Chuan for about half a year now and even though Tai Chi is associated with relaxation I was told that I have not yet learned to relax my body despite performing the correct Tai Chi movements. This made me realize that one needs to actually LEARN how to relax and afterwards to actively apply this knowledge. Contrary to popular belief, relaxation is not about letting your body droop as if you've just lost all your bones. It is not about releasing control of your body but rather focusing on your tension so your body can actively relax it. Relaxation is the best combatant for stress, which is responsible for many emotional and physical problems. Our society is naturally stress-ridden and it is paramount that people learn to relax so to improve their general wellness and happiness. In The Way of Qigong, Kenneth S. Cohen discusses the art of relaxation (In Chinese - Fang Song Gong) and gives some useful insights and methods for relaxing. I will discuss one of the methods that I have found most practical alongside with some personal insights that will hopefully help you to understand relaxation better.

There are four things to keep in mind when thinking about relaxation.

1) Awareness and Tranquility - PAY ATTENTION to tension so that you can relax it. You are actively confronting the problem as opposed to ignoring it. Most people aren't really relaxed when trying to be relaxed because they lack the self awareness to achieve it. They will perform activities to take their mind off their stresses and tensions but rarely do they actively focus on the tension itself. Knowing where you feel tension is the first step to relaxing.

2) Effortlessness - Do less but be more efficient. Don't try too hard to relax. Bruce Lee accurately describes this concept when he teaches people to "be like water". Water is unassertive and soft yet supple, alive and powerful. Again, effortlessness does not mean relinquishing all control but to be fluid and use just enough strength to achieve the desired movement.

3) Sensitivity - A body and mind that is relaxed can feel. This is stressed heavily in close combat martial arts because without real relaxation the body is too rigid and slow to respond. There is less sensitivity to your opponents' movements resulting in delayed reactions. If you want to test this concept, in a sink of cold water, immerse your forearm fully flexed then in the same cold water immerse your other forearm fully relaxed. Which arm was more sensitive to the cold? This is the reason why when taking punches, most fighters will flex the part about to be hit. The body itself will naturally tense up when expecting impacting. This quote from Cohen's book stuck out to me: "If the opponent doesn't move, I don't move. If he makes the slightest move, I move first."

4) Warmth and Rootedness - Deep relaxation and breathing should result in warmth and a feeling of stability to the ground. When standing, it is recommended to relax through the feet and into the ground much like the roots of a tree spreading underneath the tree. When relaxing, it is good to feel "warmth in the body and coolness in the forehead".

A good way to define relaxation is Effortlessness with Intent. One method that I personally use for relaxation is:

Sequential Relaxation and Sinking (from The Way of Qigong)

• Stand shoulder width apart or sit comfortable and erect

• Eyes closed or half open with a soft unfocused gaze

• Starting from the crown of your head relax each body part until you reach the bottom of your feet. Inhale when you focus on the body part and exhale when you physically relax the body part. When relaxing, let each body part sink to the lowest point. The body should be relaxed in this order:

• Relax crown, forehead, eyebrows, eyes, cheeks, jaws, gums, ears and muscles of the face. Feel these muscles letting go and releasing downward.

• Relax muscles on front, side and back of neck. Relax and open the upper spine. Imagine your head like a wine cork floating on water.

• Relax shoulders and sink them straight down (not forward or backward) to the ground. Allow relaxation to spread to the arms/hands and feel the weight of your arms and extension and weight of your fingers.

• Relax collarbone, shoulder blades, ribs and breastbone.

• Relax entire spine by extending like a rope and balance the spine so it feels as if no muscles are needed to hold it up.

• Relax torso, abdomen, solar plexus and diaphragm.

• Relax the hips and butt. Be aware of the connection between the top of the leg and the bottom of the hip and make sure there is space in that area.
  

• Relax the thigh muscles and hamstrings. Release knees and relax lower legs, calves, ankles, feet and toes.
  

This method has worked well for me and if you decide to try this method, I recommend really taking your time and focusing on each body part before you let it relax. With practice, it is possible to achieve relaxation quickly. The key thing is to PAY ATTENTION to each body part before you physically relax it.

If you try this method or if you know of any effective ways to relax, feel free to leave comments or to email me at seeminglyuseless@gmail.com

Recommended Reading - The Way of Qigong: The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing by Kenneth S. Cohen

Change - A Study of Dynamic Equilibrium and Le Chatelier's Principle

"Nothing endures but change" - Heraclitus (Ancient Greek Philosopher)

"Change before you have to" - Jack Welch (Corporate CEO)

"There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction" - Winston Churchill (British Prime Minister during World War II)

"There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things." - Niccolo Machiavelli (Italian Diplomat and Political Philosopher)

Above are several famous quotes, each touching upon a different characteristic of change. Change is described by Wikipedia as "the transition that occurs between one state to another". Heraclitus was very insightful when he observed 2500 years ago that the world is ever changing. To this day, people, society, languages, television shows, etc. are constantly changing. This happens because change not only provides an escape of the mundane but is necessary for innovation and growth. Jack Welch's words of wisdom, in addition to echoing Heraclitus' observation of the perdurability of change, also insinuates that change has an internal and external component. People can choose to change or be forced by the external environment to change. Churchill touches upon the "direction" of change, which can be good or bad. A person's value system will determine how they view change and whether they will support or fight it. Machiavelli states eloquently the common experience that change is hard. Change is so difficult because it requires you to step out of your comfort zone with no promise of desired results.

Change is one of those amorphous topics that is difficult to study because it is far easier to focus on the result of change rather than on the process of change. It is important to understand how the process of change works so one can effectively initiate change or recognize when change is occurring around or to them. Interestingly, a study of chemistry has provided me with some insights into the process of change.

In chemistry, an important recurring concept is dynamic equilibrium which occurs when two opposing processes proceed at the same rate. The word "dynamic" is used to emphasize the constant motion during equilibrium even though it may seem to be at a standstill. The main principle associated with predicting effects of a change during equilibrium was one founded by Henry Louis Le Chatelier. Le Chatelier's principle basically states that if any system at equilibrium is disturbed by a change, then the equilibrium shifts to partially counter-act the imposed change. A common example would be in a chemical reaction at dynamic equilibrium and if more reactants are added, then the equilibrium would shift to reduce the reactants by producing more products. The reverse also holds true so if more products are added to the equilibrium, then the equilibrium would shift to reduce products by producing more reactants.

This idea of dynamic equilibrium occurs often outside the world of chemistry. The stock market, like all free markets, is governed by the economic law of supply and demand. Stock prices rise when demand exceeds supply and drops when supply exceeds demand. When the supply (people selling) is equal to demand (people buying), dynamic equilibrium exists as the stock price enters into a tight range and seemingly stops moving. Homeostasis, the body's stable and constant condition is maintained by using several dynamic equilibrium adjustments and mechanisms. Muscle strength, unless you are actively exercising, is usually in a state dynamic equilibrium. When using your muscles for everyday activities, muscle mass is neither gained nor lost. It is not until you vary your daily muscle usage that this equilibrium begins to shift.

Many people live their lives trapped in dynamic equilibrium. Things are moving (everyday routines and even busy lifestyles) but they aren't really going anywhere, they feel bored or they don't make self improvements (mind, body or soul). From my observations and experiences, I believe that the reason why this occurs is because changing is uncomfortable. Having to leave the shelter of one's "security blanket" can foster feelings of vulnerability and uncertainty. The magnitude of change is directly proportional to the discomfort experienced. Just think about the chaos, violence and uncertainty during the French Revolution (Reign of Terror) or how you felt when you were going through puberty.

In addition to being uncomfortable, breaking out of dynamic equilibrium/consolidation, as any trader or investor will attest, requires significant energy. This is due to the natural tendency for things to gravitate towards the mean. Stock prices, during consolidation (people buying = people selling), will always regress towards the mean unless there is considerable momentum one way or the other to break out of the range. During this breakout, there is a period of volatility and uncertainty as investors cannot yet discern if this is a false breakout or not. Like stock breakouts, people implementing changes (career change, relocating to a new city, starting or ending a relationship) in their life will always feel a degree of uncertainty and doubt until they are again able to establish a dynamic equilibrium in their lives.

If it is so difficult to change, why bother? Because change is inevitable and if you know change is coming, it is always better to preempt it by choosing to change rather than being forced to change. Change is also the conduit for people to grow and improve themselves. If you want to be stronger, smarter and less bored, then you need to shift your dynamic equilibrium to the next level. Change, as aforementioned, is directional. It can be good or bad. For future examples, assume that an upward shift in equilibrium is a desirable change and a downward shift is an undesirable change.

Keeping in mind Le Chatelier's principle and that change can be initiated internally or caused externally (out of your control), here are some ways to help you change for the better:

• Challenge Yourself: A challenge is the disturbance that will shift your equilibrium in the direction to make the challenge less of a challenge (Le Chatelier's principle). Imagine lifting weights, if you increase the amount of weight you normally use, your body will automatically grow your muscles so as to make that weight seem lighter the next time you try to lift it. The harder the challenge (greater the disturbance) the greater the shift in equilibrium. Since breaking out of equilibrium already requires significant energy, it is possible to "over-challenge" yourself and not have the required energy to break out of the equilibrium (lifting weights that are too heavy).
  

• Discomfort is a State of Mind: How you view discomfort will go a long way in terms of how you change. Sticking with the weight training analogy, those who adopt a "No Pain, No Gain" mentality will usually fare better than those who complain about muscle soreness and fatigue. Stepping out of your comfort zone risks failure (thoughts on failure discussed in the Chemistry of Learning article) since you are entering a realm of uncertainty. The only way to be comfortable with discomfort is to practice stepping out of your comfort zone (Le Chatelier's principle). Learn a new sport, language, musical instrument, dance, etc. and go out and do things you would not normally do (safe and legal things like singing karaoke in front of strangers).
  

• Change is a Two Way Street: Be wary that Le Chatelier's principle also applies to the reverse direction of change. If a musician or athlete stops practicing, the dynamic equilibrium will shift to a state where the musician or athlete will need more practice to achieve the same results thus the musician becomes rusty and the athlete becomes slow and less skillful. So it is not only important to shift your dynamic equilibrium up but also to prevent it from shifting down.
  

This article has looked at change from an unconventional viewpoint so feel free to leave feedback and/or your own personal experiences and advice regarding change in the comments section or at seeminglyuseless@gmail.com.

Remember the words of Robert C. Gallagher: "Change is inevitable - except from a vending machine." --> So Embrace It and Use Exact Change!

Recommended Reading: Leading Change by John P. Kotter The Dance of Change: Challenges to Sustaining Momentum in Learning Organizations by Peter M. Senge

The Two Mistake Great Nations Always Make

The phrase "Rise and Fall of" usually precedes something great that was established but then due to certain factors just utterly falls apart. This term has always been reserved for swift magnificent collapses. Some current nouns befitting this descriptive title are Bear Stearns, Eliot Spitzer and even Britney Spears. These three examples are testament to George Santayana's famous advice that "Those who fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat them". So in order to learn this lesson the "easy" way, I decided to research one of the greatest and most widely studied collapses of all time, the Fall of the Roman Empire. In our society, there has always been an interest and emphasis on studying how to "rise to the top" as evident by the multitude of self-help/personal development books, websites and seminars. Since most people already know how to "rise" and be successful, I want to focus on how certain extremely successful and great things "fall from glory".

The reason for the fall of the Roman Empire is one of much debate and controversy. One theory by Edward Gibbon blames the decline of the Empire on loss of "civic virtue" among Rome's citizens resulting in outsourcing of important duties such as Empire defense to barbarian mercenaries who eventually revolted and took over the Empire. Roman citizens became complacent and lazy with their successes and lost the military toughness that had brought them success. Another reason cited for the Empire's demise was overextension. As the Empire grew, there were more bordering enemies and more cities to defend thus spreading the military thin. This not only led to weakened defense throughout all the cities during a time when military protection needed to be strongest but also led to the aforementioned hiring of barbarian mercenaries who later became responsible for destroying the Empire. Rome's fall is eloquently described by Gibbon here: "The union of the Roman empire was dissolved; its genius was humbled in the dust; and armies of unknown barbarians, issuing from the frozen regions of the North, had established their victorious reign over the fairest provinces of Europe and Africa." (Chapter 33 from Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire).

Although barbarian incursions are popularly believed to be the cause of Rome's fall, an interesting argument has been raised in The Upside of Down by Thomas Homer-Dixon for complexity as a primary cause. He believed that Roman Society became more complex and difficult to control which resulted in bureaucracies and corruption. Homer-Dixon states that "rising complexity strangled the empire's ability to renew itself". Basically, the complexity led to a rigidity that reduced Rome's ability to withstand sudden unexpected crises. The author also argues that increasing complexity results in decreasing investment returns of energy despite expending more energy. Rome's main source of energy was food and as Rome expanded and became more complex, the empire exhausted its best farmland and had to cultivate less fertile lands. Poorer crop yields along with longer food supply lines to major cities caused the return on energy investment to steadily decrease with increasing effort/energy. As time went on and complexity further increased, Rome's energy supply was eventually producing too little for the amount of energy needed to maintain these supply lines and its famous dramatic collapse ensued.

Although commonly associated with intelligence, sophistication and progress, complexity is detrimental. Complex ideas and institutions require more energy to sustain with diminishing marginal returns than its simple predecessors. The current financial credit crisis in the US was born out of complex financial instruments (nontraditional mortgages and equity and bond derivatives) that very few people, including CEOs of major financial institutions, understood. These complex systems caused the financial industry to become too rigid and when a crisis (subprime) occurred, many firms were rudely awakened to staggering losses and substantial risks on various holdings (Bear Stearns, Ambac Financial, Countrywide Financial and numerous other companies). Since society and financial markets are becoming more intertwined and complex, a disaster in the financial sector translates into trouble for the general economy and global markets. The more complex a system is the less the system can cope with sudden shocks.

Another example that attests to the deleterious effects of complexity can be seen in investing/trading. Two REQUIRED characteristics of a successful investor/trader are flexibility and adaptability. The financial markets are ever changing and to be profitable one has to act fast and be flexible in one's thinking and adapt to changing conditions. Since rigidity is directly proportional to complexity and flexibility is the opposite of rigidity, it is logical to conclude that complexity is inversely proportional to investing/trading success. Traders and investors that devote much of their time performing complex strategies and using every indicator across all markets usually suffer in performance to those who have simple yet effective strategies. It is easy to get lost in all the clutter and miss out on key information.

Here are some valuable lessons to be learned from the Fall of the Roman Empire:

• Don't Become Complacent - After achieving success, it is natural to want to take a break from all your hard work and get lazy but if you want to maintain success, you need to stay "hungry" for what you want. Pursue work that you enjoy so you never need to really "take a break". Trying to constantly improve your chances of success is something you should find fun.
  

• Don't Overextend Yourself - Napoleon, the Roman Empire, and subprime borrowers are all too familiar with the grave dangers of overextending. Spreading yourself thin is always an invitation for disaster. When you take on too much, there is no room for error or unforeseen circumstances. Know your limitations and make sure you stay within them so as to not become an unfortunate statistic to Murphy's Law.
  

• Keep It Simple, Stupid! (KISS) - The most important lesson that I learned from my research is to keep things simple. I have seen many traders use a million and one indicators and look at hundreds of charts and perform all types of complex analysis but yet can't make any money. When you pay too much attention to detail, it not only consumes time and energy, sometimes you lose sight of the big picture and important data. The most effective presentations are those that get to the point. When things are complicated, it is easy for mistakes to occur but difficult to locate the source of those mistakes. Almost always, less IS really more.
  

History does hold many timeless teachings and taking heed to these lessons will save you from learning things the "hard" way.

Stay tuned for future articles concerning complexity. It is a topic that is both intriguing and relevant.

Recommended Reading: The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon and The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity, and the Renewal of Civilization by Thomas Homer-Dixon

Personal Finance Tip #2 - High Yield Savings Accounts

In America, we have been experiencing a gradual decline in the savings rate since the early 1980s even falling to a negative savings rate in 2005. A negative savings rate occurs when one spends more than they earn which usually means getting into debt (loans or credit cards) or dipping into savings. Although it does not mean Americans do not have savings, it does imply that savings are declining. Without savings, one can have real long term and short term problems. With the uncertain future of Social Security, savings become even more important as it will probably make up the bulk of your retirement income. In the short term, savings help to protect you during unexpected emergencies such as unforeseen medical expenses, job loss or emergency home/car repairs. With the current economic environment, savings should be one of your highest priorities for achieving financially stability and independence.

There are two ways to help boost your savings. The first obvious way is to cut down on your spending. There are many ways to reduce spending but the easiest and one of the most effective methods is to cut down on unnecessary daily expenses. According to Bankrate.com the Top 10 Money Drains are (along with my recommendations):

1. Coffee - make your coffee at home and bring it in a reusable cup/thermos
2. Cigarettes - stop smoking, it is bad for your health anyway
3. Alcohol - try to limit your drinks when at outside venues
4. Bottled Water at Convenience Stores- buy bottled water in bulk or refill with boiled water
5. Manicures - cut down on manicures or attempt to do them yourself or with a friend
6. Car Washes - self wash your car
7. Eating out on Weekdays - pack your own lunch and save your money for weekends out
8. Vending Machine Snacks - buy in bulk and bring your snacks from home
9. Interest Charge on Credit Card Bills - don't get into credit card debt - read Personal Finance Tip #1
10. Unused Gym Memberships - switch to cheaper gym memberships (YMCA or city-subsidized recreation centers). Learn about ways you can effectively work out without the use of a gym.

The second way to increase your savings is to place your savings in high yielding accounts. Take advantage of the power of compounding interest and make your money work for you. Many people I know have all their money in checking accounts, regular savings or money market accounts that yield very little or no interest for their money. Others place them in Certificates of Deposit (CDs), which are fine, but have early withdrawal penalties. With the advent of Internet banking, most institutions provide high yielding savings and money market accounts for online users. The interest on these accounts is usually higher than those of traditional accounts and CDs without the illiquidity. With increasing competition in the high yield savings industry, there are many options with high interest rates that have no minimum balance requirements, no monthly fees and no online transaction requirements. For those already using Internet banking, this is a no-brainer since opening an account is easy and transferring money between accounts is old hat. For those uncomfortable with the Internet banking or the Internet in general, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with Internet transactions because it is here to stay and will be the future standard. I am not aware of any traditional high yield savings accounts that do not require large initial deposits, a high minimum balance, limitations on transactions in and out of accounts or other requirements or restrictions.

Before you open your high yield savings account, do your due diligence. Make sure you know what the standard rate will be (rate after the introductory rate expires) and if the bank is FDIC insured. Also check to see what the minimum balance required will be and if there are inactivity or maintenance fees.

Open an online savings account NOW and begin the road to wealth building and financial independence.

Seemingly Useless Commentary - Today's low savings rate has been a function of both the housing boom in 2005 and easy credit from credit card and mortgage lenders. This increase in debt and decrease in savings makes many Americans vulnerable to unexpected situations (medical bills and job losses) causing a rise in both foreclosures and bank defaults. When people default on loans, it is dangerous for banks because a main part of a bank's business is to entice you to deposit your money in their bank with a promise of interest payments and lending your money out to others at higher interest rates. If many loans go into default paired with a panic withdrawal of funds due to fear of insolvency, banks can actually run out of money and go out of business ("bank run"). If there are enough bank runs, an economic recession can occur. This will cause a general tightening in credit since there will be less lenders willing to lend. Businesses and people with no credit or not good enough credit will not be able to get loans or get them at extremely high rates thus slowing down the growth of the economy. So next time you want to spend your full pay check on something nice, think about the economy and put some of that aside in a high yield savings account.

Useful Websites:
Bankrate High Yield Money Market and Savings Account Rates

How I Became Healthy FAQ and Update

Since my post on a psychological approach to dieting, I have been asked a few questions from readers and friends concerning this method and the idea of dieting in general. I will address some of these questions and also provide an update on the status of my diet overhaul.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions and Comments concerning the Seemingly Useless Diet:

Why are you dieting, you exercise daily and you are not overweight? My diet is a PERMANENT complete overhaul of my eating habits and not a "diet" in the conventional temporary sense of the word. I may be healthy now but I feel that it is better to preempt future hospital visits by willingly changing your diet rather than being forced to change your diet by a doctor or an unfortunate event. There are no do-overs or reset buttons when it comes to your health and the food you eat now may affect you more than you think in the future. Also, humans are creatures of habit, better to change now than to change in my later years - "You can't teach an old dog new tricks."

Why are you torturing yourself and denying yourself tasty foods that you enjoy? That is the beauty of the Seemingly Useless Diet, you are not trying to resist the temptation of eating foods you enjoy but rather changing the way your mind categorizes the foods. You want to put unhealthy foods (junk food, soda, fried foods, etc.) in your subconscious "disgusting" category and place healthy foods (almonds, fish, fruits, vegetables, etc.) in your subconscious "delicious" category. Changing your subconscious definitions is what is needed for a dieting overhaul to be permanent. This is the reason why most fad or crash diets, which emphasize resisting temptation to foods you enjoy and eating foods you don't enjoy, can not be sustained. Motivation, self control and will power can only go so far. If you have the mindset of denying yourself delicious foods rather than changing your definition of delicious foods, you will eventually succumb to your cravings. Our definitions for delicious foods have been subconsciously nurtured from decades of media advertising and portrayals of fast food restaurants, snack foods and high in sugar beverages as being foods that everyone loves. What kid doesn't want to be refreshed by a nice cold soda or eating at a fast food restaurant that not only gives you a free toy with your meal but also has an indoor playground? When was the last time you saw a commercial on celery, flax seeds or almonds? Just as our subconscious was brainwashed to like unhealthy foods, it can similarly be brainwashed to enjoy healthy foods. So to answer the question, I am not denying myself tasty foods but rather changing my definitions of tasty and disgusting foods. I actually find the foods that I eat now to be delicious even if the general population disagrees.

I would rather die than give up healthy foods! The scary thing is not dying but rather being stuck in the hospital with a catheter in my groin, tubes all over my body, living in a hospital and watching my family worry about me every time I need to have surgery for chronic diseases that could have been prevented if I only changed my diet. Poor diet is directly responsible for many diseases including Type 2 Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, High Cholesterol, Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer. Women who have poor diets can experience complications during pregnancy. Your well-being affects everyone around you whether you want it to or not. Remember: "No Man is an Island" (John Donne, Meditation XVII).

Here is an update on my diet:

It has only been about 2 weeks since implementing this diet but I already feel a boost in energy levels. I have been following the plan that I outlined in the Seemingly Useless Diet with a strict adherence to not eating fried foods, pork and candy. I am also eating on average about six times a day, each meal containing some form of protein and fruit. So far, I have not had any cravings for the foods I use to love (French Fries, Oreos, Potato Chips and Pork) and I truly believe that it has been largely due to associating such foods with disgusting images that are vivid for all the senses. Finding alternatives to such foods have also eased the transition. It is still too premature to attribute this successful resistance to unhealthy foods directly to the Seemingly Useless Diet approach but for the extent of the overhaul, it has been fairly easy to stay on my diet.

Some effects so far from this diet have been:

• Higher energy that is sustained throughout the day.

• Feeling of slight hunger every couple of hours.

• No more food comas and feelings of being "stuffed".

• More bowel movements within a day.
  

So far so good. I will provide more updates and tweaks as the diet progresses. I am always looking for healthy alternatives for unhealthy foods to add to the list on the sidebar of this blog, so please send an email to seeminglyuseless@gmail.com or leave a comment.

Recommended Reading: Eating Well For Optimum Health by Andrew Weil, M.D.

March Madness for Cornell

Congratulations to Cornell Big Red Men's Basketball for their 14 game winning streak and winning their first bid to the NCAA Tournament in 20 years. Good Luck!

To LASIK or Not to LASIK

The popularity of LASIK (Laser-Assisted in situ Keratomilieusis) eye surgery has been increasing dramatically. I have a few friends who have already gotten the surgery with many others considering the option. Since so many people were looking into LASIK and with the bombardment of LASIK advertisements over all media, I naturally assume that it was a safe and even recommended procedure for those with poor eyesight but during a conversation with a good friend, who is a medical student specializing in ophthalmology, I was made aware that LASIK may not be such a great option.

First things first, what is LASIK? It is a special laser that PERMANENTLY RESHAPES THE CORNEA to change its focusing power to correct for refractive errors. The surgery is performed by first creating a flap on the corneal tissue then remodeling the cornea underneath the flap by removing layers of the cornea using the laser. The procedure ends with repositioning of the flap.

The basic gist of our conversation was that although LASIK can be effective, the risk-reward factor may not make it such an attractive option. LASIK corrects eyesight by removing parts of the cornea so naturally the procedure is irreversible. Once a piece of your cornea is gone, it is gone forever. Most people get LASIK because they do not want the hassle of wearing contacts or glasses, but what most people are not aware of is that as they age, their visions will naturally worsen (presbyopia) due to changes in the lens (not the cornea) of the eye. Therefore, even if you get LASIK, you may be needing glasses before you know it again (time also tends to move much faster as people get older). Some complications of LASIK eye surgery are dry eyes, halos or glare at night, double vision, infection under flap, induced astigmatism and uncorrectable vision loss. Also, since LASIK is a fairly new procedure (first LASIK laser approved by the FDA in 1998), it is not possible to know of the long term implications and effectiveness thus making the procedure even riskier (it is possible that in 50 years, all LASIK patients experience vision loss). With the many serious complications and risks of surgery paired with the fact that your glasses/contact free lifestyle may be short lived, one really needs to seriously consider whether or not to get LASIK.

Here is my take on LASIK surgery with a simple Pros vs. Cons comparison:

Pros - 1) Improved Eyesight - No More Glasses, Contacts, etc.

Cons - 1) Costs (It's expensive), 2) May Still Need to Wear Glasses/Contacts After Surgery, 3) Irreversible Procedure, 4) Long Term Effects and Complications are Unknown, 5) If Complications Occur, they are Usually Very Serious.

Personal Conclusion: I would not get LASIK. There are too many serious risks when compared with the reward of short term glasses/contact-free living. Without long term studies, you're essentially volunteering to be guinea pigs at the uncertain cost of your vision.

Like LeVar Burton from Reading Rainbow would say: "But you don't have to take my word for it" - Please understand that the information in this article is not complete and for something as serious as your vision, you should perform your own due diligence and get evaluated by a GOOD physician. Different people have different needs especially when it comes to vision.

For those seriously considering LASIK, my friend has been kind enough to create a checklist for you.

How Do You Know If You Are A Good Candidate For LASIK?

1. How important is it to you to be out of glasses? If it is very important, you may want to consider LASIK

2. Can you accept the risks of surgery including complications and possible need for additional surgeries and physician visits?

3. How old are you? As everyone reaches their forties, they will become presbyopic and will need to use reading glasses. Is this method acceptable to correct your distance vision now and need reading glasses in the future? Or would you rather keep your vision the way it is now and not need reading glasses in the future (this only applies to low myopes). Or do you want to be corrected for monovision (one eye corrected for distance vision, one eye corrected for near vision) by LASIK? If so, you should do a trial with contact lens first to see if you can tolerate monovision.

4. Do you play contact sports? If so, there is an increased risk.

5. Do you have visually demanding tasks? Will your occupation allow for LASIK (Ex. military, etc)?

6. Can you afford LASIK? Most insurance companies will not cover the procedure.

7. Do you have refractive instability?

8. Do you have dry eye (which can worsen with LASIK, usually temporary)?

9. Do you have any disease that affects wound healing, are you on steroids?

Ask Your Doctor If You Are A Good Candidate For LASIK And Find Out:

1. How large is your refractive error? If you have very large refractive error, the doctor may not be able to correct fully your prescription.

2. Do you have thin corneas?

3. Do you have history of or active corneal disease?

4. Do you have large pupils?

5. Ask your doctor to do a topography (to measure the corneal curvature)... and you should be out of your contact lens a certain amount of time and then have the test repeated.

Choosing The Right Doctor

1. Choose the doctor based on experience not on cost or advertising.

2. Choose a doctor who can do other types of refractive surgery such as PRK (photorefractive keratectomy), so they will be able to choose the best procedure for you, not just LASIK.

Final Advice:

1. Know if you are a good candidate for LASIK- both for yourself and from your doctor.

2. Know all the risks and benefits of the procedure. Read information on the web and read all the fine print in the consent form.

3. Go to a good ophthalmologist with lots of experience.

4. LASIK when done properly in good candidates is an excellent procedure and can improve uncorrected visual acuity.

Recommended Readings:

An informative websites concerning LASIK:
FDA Website on LASIK

For those with complications looking for support:
Complicated Eyes
Vision Surgery Rehab Network

For those who found this article informative and have friends/family considering LASIK, please feel free to send them the link for this specific article:
http://seeminglyuseless.blogspot.com/2008/03/to-lasik-or-not-to-lasik.html

Seemingly Useless Recommendations

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Personal Finance Tip #1 - Credit Cards

One thing I realized after I graduated from university was that I knew nothing about money. I didn't understand interest rates, the stock market, mortgage rates, credit card APR and all that other fun stuff. After reading several personal finance books, it was clear that my schooling provided me with very little education in this very important topic. Unlike our carefree days under our parents' bank account, our decisions now will directly affect our financial futures. Sometimes the damage may be irreparable so I have decided to start a personal finance series.

Credit cards - these magical cards that just "gives" you money to spend and all you have to do is sign up - sometimes you even get a free t-shirt or water bottle. Although personally I have never gotten into credit card debt, I know many friends who have and I see the immense struggle they go through to try to get out. Credit cards are enticing because you can spend $1000 now but only have to pay the minimum $25 a month. What they don't tell you is at 18% interest rate (which is a low rate for most cards), it will take you 153 months to pay off your debt paying only the minimum. What is worse is that the total interest you pay comes out to $1,115.41 which is more than the original amount you borrowed ($1000 becomes $2115.41). Knowing this it is NEVER good to leave a balance on a credit card (unless it is a zero interest rate card).

One of the obvious rules for good personal finance that is rarely followed is to SPEND LESS THAN YOU EARN. If that rule is followed, one will never get into credit card trouble because you will always have the money to pay off the balance. It never makes sense to leave a balance on a credit card because the interest rates are so high. In the aforementioned example, $1000 used now can cost you an extra $1,115.41 (18% interest rate) 153 months later, and this is assuming that you don't buy anything else using the credit card. At high interest rates, it is very easy to fall down the slippery slope of credit card debt. NEVER use the credit card for cash advances unless it is absolutely necessary because the interest rate for cash advances is usually higher than the interest rate for the credit card. Many unwary credit card users who overspend or take frequent cash advances find themselves in a mountain of debt that may take their whole lifetime to pay off.

Despite all the bad publicity, credit cards are actually very useful and healthy for your personal finance well being. They are a good substitute for cash because most restaurants and stores accept credit cards so you don't have to carry a lot of cash, which helps to limit losses if you lose your wallet or purse. In some cases, using credit cards can be faster than using cash - no need to get change. Using credit cards is also a good way to earn money because every month, you obtain an interest free loan which means your cash can be yielding an extra month of interest in a savings account. Many credit card companies provide good customer support if there are any issues with the products purchased. Frequently using credit cards not only helps to build your credit rating but is also a good way to keep track of what you spend your money on. Most credit cards provide a year end summary of all your spending broken into categories such as food, gas and restaurants. All these good qualities to credit cards are only helpful if you pay off your balance on time every month.

Here are some things to look for when finding the "right" credit card:

1) Is there an annual fee? Make sure you are aware of the annual fee of the credit card. This fee is charged whether or not you use the card. Unless you really like a specific card, look for one with no annual fee. Also beware of cards that advertise no annual fee for the first year, which usually implies a fee in subsequent years.

2) What are the rewards? Is it cash, points or frequent flyer miles? With tons of credit cards out there, it does not make sense to choose a card with no rewards.

3) Does this card suit my needs? Usually cards with rewards and perks carry high interest rates which are good for those who diligently pay off their balance fully. Those looking to build credit or looking to pay down credit card debt relatively quickly may opt for zero-or-low interest rate cards. Student cards usually allow students with no credit rating to qualify for a card, although in inexperienced hands, this may lead to disaster. There is a card for everyone's needs, so do your research.

4) What are all the details of the credit card - fees (cash advances, over the limit), penalties, grace periods, APR and interest rates? If you pay your balance in full on time every month, you don't really have to worry too much about these things. If you don't intend to pay off your balance fully every month, you should be aware of some of the fees. If you only intend to pay the minimum balance - Don't get a credit card.

5) Where is this card accepted? Visa and Mastercard are usually accepted worldwide. American Express and Discover are relatively not as popular.

The credit card that I prefer to use is: American Express Blue Cash
I also have: Chase Freedom Mastercard

Useful site that compares credit cards - http://www.creditcardguide.com/

Scared to Lose? What Are You Afraid Of?

For some reason, most people are scared to lose. Perhaps it is an ego protecting defense mechanism or maybe we're afraid of what others might think of our losses. This phobia mainly occurs when someone becomes too emotionally attached or focused on the outcome. Although it is true that no one enjoys losing, disliking loss is quite different from being afraid to lose. Losing is an outcome, being afraid to lose is a mindset that usually leads to poor performance which culminates into a losing outcome.

How many people do you know who despite expressing desire to approach an attractive member of the opposite sex, does not do so or takes a long time to get the courage to approach that person and when he/she does he/she comes off like a stuttering mess. This is a good example of how being afraid to lose can affect your performance. The worse case scenario here is rejection yet many people blow this outcome out of proportion and suddenly it becomes an unwarranted fear of public humiliation which in turn leads to poor self confidence. In reality, no one will laugh at you for being rejected but when you focus on the outcome, it somehow always transforms into a life or death situation. Those who take rejection for what it is usually fair much better with the opposite sex because they come off as confident and if they do get rejected, they are able to move right on to their next target.

A second example of being scared to lose is when No Limit Texas Hold 'Em players only cash the minimum buy-in for ring games. Strategically it is more advantageous for them, granted that they are decent players, to have as much money on the table as possible so as to maximize winnings when they have a good hand but instead of focusing on winning, they are focused on not losing and playing defensively so with a smaller buy-in they would limit their loss if they went all in. In essence they are scared to lose their money and this in turn usually affects their performance as they are easily bluffed, reluctant to make a move, or win very little when they actually do get a hand. Not exactly a formula for success.

The fear of losing is also very prevalent in all levels of athletic competition ranging from Little League to the Olympics. As aforementioned, the fear of losing stems from being too attached to the outcome of the competition. Instead of being aggressive and confident, the person that is afraid to lose becomes defensive. A good example is a team that obtains a comfortable lead but then completely changes their normal way of play to "protect the lead" as opposed to playing their best game to win. This usually leads to a loss of the lead and in most cases an eventual loss of the match. Heartbreaking indeed.

The final example concerns stock investors/traders. Many people invest and trade in the stock market with a natural apprehension for loss. Despite doing sound research and picking good stocks, the fear of losing causes investors to sell out of their winning positions despite not reaching planned targets or stop losses. This leads to a damaging cycle of taking small losses without taking any big winners. Similar to an athletic team who loses its aggressive stance by playing defensively to "protect the lead"; day traders that are having a good the day who size down or cover positions for fear of losing money are only hurting themselves. They are no longer focused on the process of trading but rather the outcome (Read more about the dynamics of process vs. outcome in this previous post). For those who are too lazy to read another lengthy article, basically that post concludes that process dominates outcome in the long term. Many investors and traders are so obsessed with winning that they are happy with a higher win ratio versus higher net revenue. In other words they would rather win in more trades and make less money than win in fewer trades but make more money. Such an obsession leads to the devastating practice of holding on to losing trades on the hopes that they reverse into winning trades. This is the exact opposite of the proven successful investment strategy to let the winners ride and to cut losses short.

There are many other examples but now let's focus on conquering this malignant phobia:

Ways to Overcome Your Fear of Losing

• Build Up Your Self-Confidence by Constantly Improving Your Skills and Strategies - Athletes should train hard in their sport and Investors should develop a sound strategy for both stock picking and money management.

• You Have a Choice - Focus on Your Performance and NOT on the Outcome - when one tries too hard to achieve something because there are too attached to the final outcome, it usually leads to poor performance. This ends up chasing away the very things you want to accomplish.
  

• Keep Things in Perspective - Losing money, failing a test, losing a match and getting rejected are not the worse things in the world. There are those who are far worse off and situations that can . Don't treat every outcome as a life or death situation.
  

• Accept Losing as Part of the Game - All great athletes, traders/investors and poker players know: You win some you lose some. That's the way it is. It is the Yin and the Yang. But as long as you focus on improving your strategy and abilities, the wins will easily outweigh the losses, in the long run, if not in number then definitely in magnitude. Josh Waitzkin, child chess prodigy and Tai Chi Chuan champion, devotes an entire chapter in the Art of Learning to investing in loss.
  

I have to admit I am guilty of all four examples above and the one thing that I have always observed to be true is: The more you try to do something the more likely you'll fail (Trying hard to keep a relationship, trying hard to find a job, trying hard to make money, trying hard to find missing keys, trying hard to find a partner, etc). I am not telling you to not try but rather to not over-try. I think most people try too hard when they put too much emphasis on the outcome and not on the process.

Feel free to share your own experiences or solutions to being scared to lose in the comments section.

Recommended Reading - Developing Mental Toughness by Graham Jones and Adrian Moorhouse, Engineering Psychology and Human Performance by Christopher D. Wickens and Justin G. Hollands

How I Became Healthy Part 1 - A Psychological Approach

After writing two articles (Corn Oil for the 21st Century and Culprits of the Modern Plague) concerning the global food crisis and the obesity epidemic, respectively, I felt it prudent to change my own eating habits. Although I am not overweight, I have an extremely bad diet consisting mainly of greasy spoons, junk snacks and sugars (candy and soda). The worse part of my diet is not what I eat but what I don't eat - fruits and vegetables. Since I will be going from one end of the diet spectrum to the other, overhauling my diet will be very tough but I think I have come up with an interesting and novel approach to achieving this extreme diet makeover. I believe this method can be easily applied to those wanting to change their diet for weight loss, muscle building or health reasons.

Quick Note: When most people use the term "diet" they usually refer to something temporary to achieve their short term goals (summer beach body, upcoming competition, reach a certain desired weight, etc) but I want to emphasize that I will be changing my eating habits permanently so as to lead a healthier lifestyle. With 70% of adults over the age of 60 suffering from heart disease (Culprits of the Modern Plague), a healthy looking exterior does not always equal a healthy interior.

First step is to figure out how you want to change your diet. This is easy since there are a ton of resources recommending various foods, complete diet programs and nutritional statistics. Here are the guidelines for my new diet plan:

• Eat more nutrient dense foods but less calories (discussed in Corn Oil for the 21st Century) - a good list can be found at The World's Healthiest Foods website

• Completely stop eating deep-fried foods, candy and chocolate bars.
  

• For meats, eat very little pork and beef and stick to lean skinless chicken and turkey.

• Add a lot more fish (salmon, tuna, cod) and flax to my diet (Omega-3 fatty acid).
  

• Attempt to eat SIX meals a day about three hours apart with most meals containing some type of fruit and protein.

• Take a multivitamin

• Drink more water and a lot less soda and other artificial juices.

• Read nutrition labels of all foods and avoid foods with any trans-fat or saturated fats.
  

Remember this is my own personal diet plan customized for my lifestyle and may be completely different from other more publicized diet plans. I am not here to recommend any particular diet plan so do some research and choose a plan you like.

Now for the extremely hard part - Actually sticking to this diet and beating my addiction to unhealthy foods. Most people go from diet to diet hoping to find one to help them lose weight but very little people actually lose weight and keep it off. This is mainly because the popular approach to dieting is focused on the wrong things. Perhaps they are purposely designed to fail so dieters can keep the "dieting industry" in business by constantly buying into new products or fads. There are innumerable amounts of books, programs, pills, shakes and fat camps dealing with dieting. Almost all these items (I can't rule out exceptions) are constructed for failure because they are asking people who most likely don't have much will power and self control to use their will power and self control to change their eating habits. No wonder so many people fail. Even those that do have strong will power and self control eventually fail because pure motivation only takes you so far.

What a bleak outlook for my diet overhaul! Luckily I think I have found a new approach to all this dieting hoopla and it can be yours for $159.99 (just kidding!). Although if you find this approach useful, please help promote this site to everyone you know. So here goes:

Seemingly Useless Diet - A Psychological Approach

• A Brief History - This idea came to me as I recounted some of my least favorite foods since childhood - plain milk, fish (especially fish skin) and tofu. Even to this day I can not drink plain milk without some type of gag reflex, although if you mix that same milk with chocolate syrup it goes down just fine. Although I don't gag when I eat fish or tofu, I always try to steer clear whenever possible. What is interesting is that obviously I can drink milk (with chocolate) but somehow my body has a powerful automatic negative response when the milk is plain. This very real physical reaction to plain milk is a result of psychological trauma that I received as a small child. When I was in first grade, the public school I went to provided a small milk carton along with lunch everyday. I was always fine drinking plain milk until one day when I drank the milk and found some "solids" in the milk causing me to promptly heave my lunch. It was one of the most traumatizing food moments in my life and after that day, I refuse to drink milk altogether. It wasn't until high school that I began drinking some chocolate milk as an alternative to taking calcium pills. I have similar traumatizing stories for fish and tofu but I'll spare you the details. I am telling you this because psychological traumas have a very strong effect that is automatic and uncontrollable. This is the basis for the Seemingly Useless Diet.

• How and Why it Works - So by now you can guess that we will be using psychological means to achieve the eating habits that we want. The main focus of this approach is to psychologically traumatize you to unhealthy foods. This can be done very effectively through visual and auditory imagery. When you stop eating unhealthy foods, you will automatically eat healthier foods when you become hungry. The reason why we love unhealthy foods is because of all the marketing these snack companies do that have already programmed our subconscious to crave such junk (Oreos and Milk, Break me off a piece of that Kit Kat Bar, Doritos' many commercials). You rarely see a commercial for celery or other health foods. In addition, most diets focus on telling you what to eat while leaving unhealthy but tastier alternatives out there to tempt you. What this method hopes to accomplish is to not only remove all the unhealthy foods from your cravings inventory but to place them in your undesirable food list. The brain is a very powerful organ and using it the right way can achieve very effective results. My disdain for milk is testimony to the brain's effectiveness. Since that one childhood incident, despite many positive imagery for milk, I still try to avoid it if I can. It doesn't take any work for me to dislike milk, it is all subconscious and automatic.
  

• How to Apply this Method- Now that we've gone over the history and theory of this Seemingly Useless approach, here is the way to practically use this method:

• Choose one of your favorite unhealthy foods (Potato Chips)

• Choose something you find utterly disgusting (Cockroaches)

• Create a very detailed situation in your mind engaging all five senses where you associate your favorite unhealthy food with something disgusting (Imagine a scene where you are eating potato chips and suddenly you realize you were actually chewing on a cockroach -> imagine the crunching sound as the hard shell of the cockroach breaking apart (nasty...) -> then think about how the potato chip crumbs feel like cockroach body parts (Wow, I think I just quit potato chips just by writing this imagery out) -> think about how pasty your mouth feels filled with cockroach guts)

• Constantly review the image you just created and make the situation as detailed and senses oriented as possible. What might be more powerful is to actually eat the unhealthy food you want to quit while imagining your newly constructed highly traumatizing situation, then immediately spitting out the food or even forcing a gag reflex (not recommended). I think it is sufficient to just imagine the entire scenario in your head without having the actual physical stimulus. It'll also be more cost effective since you don't have to go spend money on food you're going to just throw away.

• Move on to your next favorite unhealthy food and repeat.
  

• If you achieve positive results, recommend this site and article to all your friends.

So far this method has really worked for me. The most important things to remember are to be VERY DETAILED, USE VIVID IMAGERY and to ENGAGE ALL FIVE SENSES. Get creative and really gross yourself out. Make sure to choose something that really makes you want to gag.

Here is another example: Imagine the cream filling of Twinkies actually coming from the liposuction surgery fat of obese people (Google Image Search- liposuction fat). Think about the texture of the cream filling and eating the Twinkie and vomiting all over the place. (Get the point?)

Now that you've associated most of your favorite unhealthy foods with very disgusting stories, it will be much easier to focus on the stuff you can eat when you do get hungry. Contrary to popular belief, there are very good tasting health foods out there. With a good list of healthy foods along with self inflicted "psychological trauma" on existing unhealthy cravings, we should be en route to reaching our desired eating habits. Good luck to the both of us.

I have included a new section on the sidebar of this blog called: Seemingly Useless' Healthy Alternatives where I will be taking my favorite unhealthy foods and finding the healthy alternative for that food. If you know of any healthy alternatives to popular junk foods, please post it in the comment section or email me at seeminglyuseless@gmail.com

Recommended Readings: The Grapplers Guide to Sports Nutrition by Dr. John Berardi and Michael Fry

To Be a Success...

...one needs to study successful people. With today's release of the Forbes List of Richest People (Warren Buffett at #1), I thought success would be an appropriate topic of discussion. Since success is defined by Merriam-Webster as "attaining something desired or intended", it is necessary for one to define what they desire or what they intend. For some, it is usually the conventional - wealth, eminence or favor - but for others it may be something else. Regardless of what your personal measure of success may be, here is a list of traits consistent among long term successful people (based loosely from William J. O'Neal's 24 Essential Lessons for Investment Success) that will help you achieve success in all you do.

Ten Traits of Successful People (in no specific order):

1) Positive Thinking - Successful people are optimistic with all their endeavors and they always keep a positive attitude - Success is good but failure is even better because one can learn much more from failure. Any outcome results in something worthwhile. This type of thinking helps to breed confidence and high self-esteem.

2) Making Conscious Decisions Regarding What They Want - If you don't know what you want or what you're going after, how can you possibly succeed. It is like trying to win a race not knowing where the finish line is. Leaders always have a specific goal in mind and they map out the shortest route to achieve it.

3) Realizing Goals are Nothing without Action - So what if you have a clear goal if you don't do anything to try to achieve it. Nothing is going to happen if you don't do anything about it. No one is going to just hand you money, a powerful position or a successful business. You need to actively pursue your goals as opposed to just talking about them. Many people come up with great ideas but only a few people follow these ideas through with action.

4) NEVER Stop Learning - Successful people are always curious and want to learn everything about everything. The more you learn, the more you have in your arsenal of ideas and perspectives. This will not only allow you to empathize with people of different backgrounds but also give you an open-minded thought process. As mentioned in the Chemistry of Learning post, the more things you learn, the easier learning new things will be.

5) Being Persistent and Working Hard - Persistence is essential because the road to success is painted with failures and persistence is what changes present failure to future success. Hard work is obvious. You reap what you sow. Successful people recognize the value of meritocracy so they work hard, play hard, rarely complain and expect above average performance from themselves and others.

6) Analyzing Detail, Seeking Out All the Facts, and Being Decisive - Successful people pay extreme attention to details and do their due diligence. They surround themselves with competent and responsible people and know every aspect of their goals, plans and businesses. Once all the facts are collected and analyzed, they do not hesitate to act.

7) Focusing Time and Money - Those that are successful know how to manage their time in order to juggle their numerous tasks and activities. They focus on the present because that is what they can control while keeping their peripheral vision on the future. Successful people don't like to waste time dwelling on the past and what "could" have been. Good money management is also common amongst successful people; they spend their money with a purpose and don't mind paying for quality. Successful people understand that there is a "tuition cost" for all learning experiences. For example: losing money when you first begin investing, paying for seminars and conferences to learn more about a specific industry and to network or losing your initial investment on your first business venture.

8) Being Able to Do Things Differently and Taking Risks - Successful people are very curious (Trait #4) and constantly try to innovate and challenge the status quo. They have the uncanny ability to see new possibilities and opportunities where others see roadblocks and difficulties. Successful people also have no problem sticking their necks out and taking risks because 1) they are confident in what they do and 2) they are not afraid to fail. Reward is directly proportional to risk thus the more risk taken the bigger the reward received.

9) Communicating and Dealing with Others Effectively - People who are continually successful are masters at networking. They know multitudes of people from all walks of life. I'm not talking about acquaintances and exchanging business cards. Successful people cultivate meaningful relationships with all those around them and value these people and relationships. This extensive quality network provides excellent reliable support in any situation. The ability to communicate and deal with others effectively is often associated with being charismatic.

10) Achieving Long Term Success Comes from Having Integrity - Although there is no specific order for this list, I did save the most important trait for last. Integrity, in my opinion, is the most significant contributor to long lasting success. Society wants us to think that we need to bend the rules or be ruthless to have an edge and become successful but that is just a myth. Those that achieve success using questionable tactics usually don't hold on to successes for long (WorldCom's Bernard Ebbers, predatory subprime mortgage lenders, steroid using Barry Bonds and Enron's Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, just to name a few). Being fair and honest is the best route to success, albeit not the most glamorous, because integrity attracts integrity while deception, although possibly effective in the short term usually leads to long term failure and devastating consequences. Successful people who hold on to their integrity not only succeed themselves but also help others as well to succeed.

If you want to be successful, take note of the aforementioned qualities that consistently successful people share. Then clearly define your goals and pursue them actively with integrity, confidence, hard work, and an open mind and cultivate a reliable support system of other honest people you meet along the way.

If you know of any other traits not mentioned here, please post them in the comments section.

Recommended Reading - 24 Essential Lessons for Investment Success by William J. O'Neal (founder of Investors Business Daily)

Streaks and Slumps

As all tennis fans know, the most dominant player in tennis, Roger Federer, lost yesterday in the first round at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Just last year he was unstoppable, winning three Grand Slam titles. Now with the recent loss last month in the Australian Open semifinals and this unimaginable first round loss, many critics proclaim that Federer is in a slump. How the tides have turned. This is testament to the yin and yang balance discussed earlier in Yin Yang Markets.

To some extent, I am sure that we have all experienced or at least witnessed the phenomenon of slumps and streaks. Whether it is in sports, gambling or stocks trading, steaks and slumps seem to come into play whenever performance is involved. What I want to discuss in this post is that in reality, there are no such things as streaks and slumps, just probability. Almost all perceived streaks and slumps, with a few outstanding exceptions, are within the realm of inherent probabilities. For example, if a baseball hitter has a .300 lifetime batting average, but in one season had a 40 game hitting streak. His chances of hitting the ball will seem to be higher than average to both himself and observers during this "extraordinary" streak but if you study his lifetime hitting statistics, you will see that there is no evidence that points to a higher probability to hitting the ball. So even though he was "on fire", he was still only performing within his normal chances.

So why do people usually attribute streaks/slumps with an enhanced probability for success/failure, respectively, when in fact both streaks and slumps can be explained within the normal probabilities? Well, people are natural pattern seekers. We can look at things that are random or meaningless and rationalize some sort of pattern or meaning. Also, clusters of similar outcomes that seemingly defy probability tend to capture our attention, forcing our mind to rationalize such a deviation from the norm. (Imagine 30 coin tosses, where the first 15 tosses land on heads and the second 15 tosses land on tails. If you were only shown the first 15 tosses, you would probably feel that the chance of hitting heads on this coin is higher than 50% and that maybe it is a trick coin. This perceived increase in probability is what causes people to believe in players being "in the zone", "on fire" and "unstoppable". )

The difference between coin toss results and a baseball player's batting average is that batting average is dependent on skill. Skill varies from person to person but the more skillful you are the higher your chances of succeeding in what you attempt to do. Although not impossible, it is rare to see win streaks from bad teams or hit streaks from poor hitters. What you usually see is good teams going on long win streaks (2007 New England Patriots) and star players (Michael Jordan) being "on fire". Those who are at the top of their profession or sport have above average probability for success leading to increased chances of producing streaks. Stephen Jay Gould explained long streaks as "a matter of extraordinary luck imposed on great skill".

I know of many people, including myself, that have been in streaks and slumps. During streaks, everything is great but complacency and overconfidence sets in because one perceives a higher chance of succeeding. This is especially prevalent in gambling, when someone, after winning a few successive hands, feels that they have a higher chance of winning even though all casino games have fixed win/lose probabilities. This overconfidence is what causes most winners to give their winnings and more back to the casino. As for slumps, most people I know always try to place blame on others, their routines and/or their strategies. This leads to frequent unnecessary overhauls and changes that can further lead to sub par results (good golf players "tweaking" their swing after a short series of bad hits). Don't get me wrong, it is always good to evaluate and improve, but to make big changes in technique and strategy after a small slump may be "throwing the baby out with the bath water". Also in most cases, only time is needed to let probabilities run its course.

So next time you're in a streak or slump, just know that you are still operating within your normal chances of success/failure and overconfidence or despair is unwarranted. As mentioned, skill is a factor in determining your "normal chances", so improving your skills is a necessity if you want to have "streaks" of success. Many top players (Tiger Woods, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Federer) have experienced both streaks and slumps but they eventually always come back to win because probability is on their side. Thomas Jefferson once said "I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have".

So if you want to get lucky, you know what you have to do.

Luck => Success. Hard Work => Luck. Hard Work => Success.

As always, feel free to comment below!

Recommended Reading: Confidence: How Winning Streaks and Losing Streaks Begin and End by Rosabeth Moss Kanter, A Random Walk Down Wall Street by Burton G. Malkiel

Culprits of the Modern Plague - Tasty Food and the Internet

Recently I had the chance to speak with a cardiologist and he told me that most heart disease cases are caused by lifestyle choices. People willingly choose many of the major risk factors that cause heart disease such as poor diet (high in saturated and trans fats), smoking, excessive drinking and physical inactivity. For a while, I always thought that heart disease was just a natural byproduct of aging but now I realize that it is simply our lifestyle choices coming home to roost. According to the American Heart Association, 70% of adults over the age of 60 suffer from some form of heart disease. This is a pretty scary statistic and what is scarier is that the percentage of people in the younger age groups at risk for heart disease is increasing fast. One major reason for this increase in risk among younger age groups is obesity.

Obesity, defined as an abnormally high body fat percentage in relation to lean body mass, has been on a dramatic rise in the US during the past 20 years (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Although I have only been talking about the United States, I want to point out that according to the World Health Organization, "obesity has reached epidemic proportions globally". There are many contributing factors to the worldwide obesity epidemic but I believe that the two major factors are good tasting food and the Internet.

Good tasting food? Yes, good tasting food. Our society places a premium on delicious food and those who can prepare it (just look at the prices people are willing to pay at upscale/trendy restaurants or the increase ratings for the Food Network and cooking shows) but I blame tasty food for the rampant obesity problem. Although I love delectable foods like everyone else, I have come to realize that it is these very foods that are getting most of us in trouble when it comes to a sensible diet. I can honestly say, the only times that I overeat is when the food is good and tasty. I don't remember the last time I was stuffed eating bitter melon but I do remember being unable to move after a nice tasty dinner (and I'm not even talking about holiday meals and special occasions). The point is when the food tastes good, people will naturally eat more than they should. When you eat more than you can burn off, you become fat and if you do this often you become obese.

Another reason why tasty food is responsible for obesity and subsequent heart disease is because the ingredients that make most food savory, such as oil, sugar and butter, are the very same ingredients that should be avoided. Many times it is not the actual raw food that is bad for you but the preparation of that food. Some people will argue that cooking is an art and food should be enjoyed and not merely be used as a form of sustenance and I completely agree. The only thing I don't agree with is the overuse of certain health detrimental ingredients (salt, oil, fats, sugar and butter) for the sake of increased taste. I have always been a fan of large meal portions, but I have come to realize that when it comes to delicious food, most people (myself included) can not control how much they should eat and usually go way over the limit. Perhaps the people preparing the food should be accountable for controlling the portion size. In addition, there are foods, such as anything deep fried, that are just bad for you no matter how you want to look at it. Unfortunately for me, one of my favorite foods just happens to be French Fries, although I am trying to slowly wean myself off of it.

The Internet, one of the greatest inventions of all time, has been a huge factor for the rapid increase in obesity all over the world. It is no coincidence that with the growth of the Internet came a generation of overweight children and adults. The Internet has made life much easier and more efficient in all aspects of our life but one detriment to this wonderful discovery is that it causes people to lead a "sedentary lifestyle" which basically refers to lifestyle that lacks physical activity. Although most people know that exercise is good, they cannot resist the Internet. The Internet is not only a central hub for most communication but it has content on anything imaginable and all extremely easy to access. Not only is content appealing but that fact that you can upload your own thoughts and material (YouTube videos, blogs, personal websites) to add to this ever growing web of information is stimulating enough to keep you sitting down in front of your computer 24 hours a day. For older folks, the effect of the Internet may not be as important but for the children who were born not knowing a life without the Internet, there may be some serious health repercussions.

There are two elements in determining a person's weight, calories consumed and calories burned. Tasty food and the Internet affect these two elements, respectively. Tasty food usually leads to calorie overconsumption and the Internet leads to insufficient exercise thus fewer calories burned. I am not saying that we should all go out and eat bland, bad tasting food, although those who do will most likely see some weight loss and reduction in body fat, but rather to raise awareness of the power tasty foods have of destroying a sensible diet. If you can keep your portions in control and stay away from unhealthy foods (junk foods, candy, deep fried foods and sodas), you should see some good progress in obtaining or maintaining normal weight. As for the Internet effect, perhaps experts should revise the daily recommended caloric intake to take into account the Internet era or maybe you should get up from reading this post and do some exercise. The choice is yours.

Feel free to discuss this issue in the comments section at the bottom of this post!

Recommended Reading: Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser