Responsible Trading – Always Do Your Best, Leave to God the Rest
Responsible Trading – Always Do Your Best, Leave to God the Rest
We, Filipinos, are known for the “Bahala Na” attitude, loosely translated into a come what may attitude. Many Filipino theologians including F. Landa Jocano have studied this attitude extensively and have come to the conclusion that it has both negative and positive connotations. Actually the words are derived from a contracted form of the Filipino saying “Si Bathala Na Lang ang Nakakaalam” (It is only God who knows. This was later used in a song “Tanging Diyos Lamang ang Nakakaalam”). When faced with situations of uncertainties, you will usually hear this remark. Lately, the younger generations have added a twist, they say “Bahala Na si Batman.” One Facebook Trading Group Leader uses the phrase “Bahala Na si Universe.”
I do not believe in the “Bahala Na” attitude per se. I consider it fatalistic. However, “Bahala Na” has its proper place as I will discuss below.
When I learned that somebody plagiarized the name “The Responsible Trader” and put up his site and copied my work, I started planning for legal action as soon as I am able to determine the identity of the person. My main objective was not to claim for damages but at least for him to close his site. Since I am in the process of writing a book with the title “The Responsible Trader – a Thinking Person’s Guide for Trading the Philippine Stock Market”, I want to pre-empt any legal tussle about intellectual property infringement later on because he was the first one to use the name in his Blog. When I told my wife about my plan, she objected and told me about the hassles we have to go through. Then I heard her utter the familiar “Pabayaan mo na lang. Bahala Na ang Diyos sa kanya.” (Just let it be. Just let God be the one to take care of him).
Just to appease my wife I assented to her suggestion that I no longer pursue my plan of finding out who the person was and filing a case against him. Instead, I exerted all effort to prove that I am indeed the one who came up with the original idea so I decided to protect my intellectual property at all cost.
Of course, all of you are already familiar with what I have done to fight back without resorting to legal means:
- Intensify the presence of The Responsible Trader in Facebook Trading groups and other social media.
- Put up a YouTube Channel to upload my TRT-POV to support my advocacy.
- Upload my TRT-POV on Slideshare to further enhance my social media presence.
After doing all these things, God crowned my effort with victory. While browsing the Internet, I saw the following:
Finally, without me asking him personally, the one who copied me closed his website perhaps overwhelmed by all the extra effort I have done. You see I also said the same thing that my wife said, “Bahala na”. The only difference is that I said it after not before, I have done my best under the situation and circumstances.
At it is stated in scriptures, Faith without action is dead. At this juncture, please allow me to quote a favorite anecdote I use to illustrate false use of the “Bahala Na” attitude whenever I deliver a talk on Faith in Action.
“There was once a man who was caught in rising floodwaters. He had a very strong faith in God. He was on the second floor of his house when a lifeboat passed by to get him out to the evacuation center. The man refused to leave and said, “No need, I believe God will save me.”
After the lifeboat left, the floodwaters kept on rising and the man was already on the third floor of his house. This time an amphibian passed by to rescue him. Again he refused and said the same thing, “No need.I believe God will save me.”
After the amphibian left, the floodwaters became raging so he was forced to go to the roof of his house. This time a helicopter passed by, saw him and dropped him a lifeline. Again the man refused and uttered the same thing, ”No need, I believe God will save me.
Of course the punchline: The man died and came face to face with God. The first thing he did was complain. “God, I have a very strong faith in you, why did you forsake me?” And God answered: What do you mean forsake you? I sent you a lifeboat and you refused it. I sent you an amphibian and you refused it. And for the last time to save you, I sent you a helicopter and you didn’t even lift your hands up to catch the lifeline. What more do you want?”
Of course, the punchline never fails to elicit laughter among my audience.
Success in all endeavors including trading is a factor of both the controllable and uncontrollable variables. The likelihood of success improves in direct proportion to the effort exerted for a positive result on the controllable variables and the actions taken to mitigate the adverse effects of the uncontrollable ones.
Therefore, it is a must for us to do our homework and prepare a trading plan before entering a trade. After doing our best, then we leave to God the rest. Anyway, he always knows what is best for all of us.
Have a blessed weekend everyone.