Wes Matthews, the 33-year-old forward and guard, was charged with guarding James this night. He succeeded, as much as anyone could, in bewitching the leagues reigning grand old man. One minute he bumped with James, the next he backed off and switched. Its a tremendous honor, he said of guarding James.

Did you and James, I asked, chatter during the game? Matthews nodded his head. Most definitely, LeBron and me have a history, he said. Hes 17 years in the league and Ive got 11 years. Its a lot of banter, man.

These teams have a not-dissimilar architecture. Each has a couple of stars the Lakers Davis and James, the Bucks Antetokounmpo and the sweet-shooting Khris Middleton. They have surrounded these cores with a mix of young players and wise old heads, including the Bucks 38-year-old Kyle Korver, who presumably honed his still deadly long-range shot with Jack Marin and Archie Clark. (Note to not-so-old readers: Plug those names into basketball-reference.com.)

The Lakers lean heavily on their two stars. Davis, 26, has taken on the heaviest scoring burden at 27.4 points per game. James had not faded, averaging a hair short of 26. But most remarkable this year is his embrace of the art of the pass. Like a latter-day Magic Johnson, he is averaging a career-high 10.6 assists, and he can find cracks and crevices in even the tightest defenses.

Davis will be a free agent at seasons end, and if he has a whit of self-awareness he should sign up again with the Lakers. James is a near-perfect running partner for him, as game after game he delivers the ball precisely when and where Davis needs it.

(Remember, by the way, the small ball triumphalists? Those who watched the Golden State Warriors and told us the poor big man had become a dinosaur? Well, big is back. The Lakers starting lineup goes 7 feet, 6-10 and 6-8 across the front line, with the 6-11 Dwight Howard available off the bench. The Bucks are loaded with powerfully built big men, too, not the least the Lopez brothers, Brook and Robin.)

Original post:
The Old Man and the Greek: N.B.A. Tale Needs Only a Great Ending - The New York Times

Tuesday Dec24,2019at12:18AM

The Kirksville High School has partnered with Truman State University ROTC and the Missouri National Guard to recognize a KHS Student Leader of the Month.

Nominations for this award were sought from the faculty and staff of the high school for a student exemplifying the following characteristics:

An individual of excellent character whose values hinge on loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor, integrity and personal courage. This individual should inspire others, exemplifying a higher standard that encourage others to strive to be their best. This individual possesses resiliency in the face of adversity and a self-awareness that promotes improvement through diligence and a strong work ethic. This individual does not necessarily have to be the best student, best scholar or best athlete, but is someone who has demonstrated great improvement and consistent values.

The recipient of this award for November is Grace Byrn. Grace is a senior and the daughter of Roy and Amy Love and Jeff and Dawn Byrn.

The recipient of this award for December is Keegan Bird. Keegan is a senior and the son of Michael and Evonne Bird.

Read the rest here:
KHS announces November, December Student Leaders of the Month - Kirksville Daily Express and Daily News

Screenshot: Centro Storico Fiat (Youtube)

Fiat went through the wringer in the 1970s. The original 500 was canned and the the brand introduced a new wave of front-wheel drive hatches. Eventuallyr the Ritmo was launched, but not before a major injection of cash from a man in North Africa named Muammar Qaddafi. The first Fiat plant was opened in the major overseas market of Brazil. The company had to change because it was up against a lot back then. And while most of the marques more creative decisions of the era at least appeared to attempt to drive sales (Fiat X1/9, I see you), this film stands apart.

Because when Fiat of 1977, in the midst of all those growing pains, decided to put out a short animated film, it didnt make up your average short advertising film. No, this was nothing like BMWs The Hire. Its hardly an ad at all, to be honest. Why? Because the film itself is honest. It holds back almost nothing about the challenges car culture posed to humanity and vice versa back in 1977. I guess thats what an angsty Fiat, torn up by a market in upheaval, might put out. Its oddly raw, even pessimistic about the product its promoting, but thats exactly what I like about it.

The nearly forty-minute film intersperses animated shorts of varying styles with live-action sketches depicting a motorist confronted by the very real human ills created and exacerbated by the automobile. From depicting choking congestion and the dangers of road rage to a somewhat racist attempt to tackle automotive machismo, the animated segments slowly convince the protagonist that his love affair with cars is much more costly than he first realized.

All ll the while the animators challenge the viewer with ever more imaginative depictions of cars, the people who drive them, and the roads they occupy. I wish I could speak a little more to whats going on with the style of animation (Ill pretend to go to film school someday) but just take a moment to see a few of the shorts. Each one clearly took an immense effort to animate and the results are just beautiful.

Fiat must have been aware that you might come away from this film a little worried that the automaker had totally lost its drive, that the tragedy of the motorcar had taken in its toll on the big brand from Turin, and thats why theres a disclaimer at the beginning:

The car is an integral part of the everyday life of the modern world. It provides material for paintings, songs, novels, posters, sculptures, comic strips, and films.

In CARTOONS youll be seeing the car as observed by animated cartoonists in moods that vary from from the absurd to the cynical. Some of these cartoons are critical of the car and drivers but we see no reason to conceal such attitudes for after all it is not the car that is good or bad, but the way we use it.

Lets use it intelligently, then and enjoy CARTOONS.

That seems to be a rather enlightened perspective for a piece of film put out by an automaker, but its important to remember just what Fiat was contending with during the late 70s. 1977, when this film came out, was right in the middle of the Years of Lead, when the Red Brigades had their sights on symbols of Italys troubled process of industrialization, Fiat chief among them. Add to that the backlash from the Right against that 1976 loan from Libya and all it entailed and Fiat was in a tough spot.

Absent a clear explanation form the company itself, it seems reasonable to assume that putting out a project like this might have been seen as an aesthetic olive branch, an attempt to convey a degree of self-awareness on the part of Fiat that might have been seen as lacking by a company still helmed by the glamorous Agnelli clan.

Luckily, Fiat remains self-reflective and Centro Storico Fiat, Fiats archive, has brought the film (along with many other visual artifacts from the firms past) to Youtube.

This version is in Italian, but the quality is a lot nicer.

It should be noted that in addition to cartoons, the Agnelli family was still making sure that the company was still succeeding in the auto market, at least enough to pay for trips to the French Riviera.

While Fiat seemed to be aware that the effects of the proliferation of the automobile were in full effect, it still had some hope for the car as a force for fun and excitement. It was still making the 124 Spider in 1977 and the recently-introduced Bertone-penned, mid-engined X1/9 was also on offer. You know, in case you werent totally sold on the cars are merely a neutral medium for the automation of human existence thesis Fiat was clearly onto with these cartoons, for whatever its worth.

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In 1977, Fiat Put The Car In Cartoons - Jalopnik

Marta Pozzan in Marta x AFRM.

Marta Pozzans first capsule collection with AFRM, AFRM x Marta Pozzan, launched just in time for the holidays. The Italian content creator and actress wanted to create more than just a wardrobe, but a positive message to her fans and followers. AFRM, which stands for affirmation, is known for writing positive messages on their tags and packaging to uplift the women wearing the clothes. I love the idea of filling our lives with positive and meaningful affirmations; its very important to me as a creative to also give that message to my followers and to remind them that were humans before anything else. We should all respect each other and uplift one another, shared Pozzan on the message of her collaboration. The collaboration was inspired by Pozzans eclectic European background with colorful prints and unique designs.

Marta Pozzan in Marta x AFRM.

Before Pozzan became a designer or graced the covers of Elle, she got her start as a ghost writer for a Vanity Fair in Milan, Italy. Fashion has always been everything to me and working for Vanity Fair taught me so much about designers, the publishing world and creative writing too. Then they had me host little fashion segments for their YouTube channel and thats when I realized I wanted to do more on-camera work and so after graduating from college I came to Los Angeles, went to acting school for a year and then social media took off and brand partnerships became my thing, explained Pozzan on how she grew her social media following to over half a million followers.

Social media transformed Pozzans career for the better and allowed her to garner new opportunities that wouldnt have been presented to her otherwise. Although influencers have become more common over the last few years, Pozzan finds that many people do not understand what her job is. So when TEDx asked her to speak with Oretta Corbelli as digital creator she felt sharing her experience with social media would bring help bring awareness to the industry for those not familiar. I feel like a lot of people ask me on a daily about my job and how it works so it only felt natural to want to explore the topic on a TEDx talk! Also I feel like TEDx brings so much credibility to the table that it made total sense to want to discuss certain aspects of my career on it as it will perhaps be seen by some of the non-industry people out there as something more official and legitimate, said Pozzan.

Marta Pozzan and Oretta Corbelli at TEDx.

Pozzan also felt it was important to highlight how positive social media can be when used correctly, I think if you have a good foundation as a human (which includes education, self awareness and basic social skills) you can do so much good on social media: become your own boss, have your own brand, do charity work, support other peoples business, share your work as an artist, and so on. And the beautiful thing is that if you have a voice and you put it out there anybody can hear it and relate to it and thats how you create a community and awareness around topics that need to be talked about.

For Pozzan using social media has helped her connect with people around the world to bring important issues to light such as mental health. As far as the fad of influencers, Pozzan doesnt see the industry going anywhere anytime soon, There are so many unique and special voices that have helped, inspired and motivated people out there and if they keep doing that in the truest form of what the word influencing means I dont see why they would fade. Influencers bring more approachability to their audience as theyre not yet fully perceived as traditional celebrities and thats a pretty impactful aspect of how influencers are beneficial to brands.

Read the original:
Marta Pozzan On Her AFRM Design Collaboration And Bringing The Business Of Social Media To TEDx - Forbes

Photo: Courtesy of Ecco

Lidia Yuknavitch, author of Verge (out Feb 4): Hands down, the book that carried me through the year was Ocean Vuongs On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous. Im willing to bet this book carried legions of us, with the brutal and yet also tender beauty of the poetics, the intimacy between bodies, the weight of the heart suspended inside longing. This is a book that multiplies meanings, but at the center is a queer coming-of-age story as well as a bicultural family history. The shadow of a mother-son relationship and the shadow of the America-Vietnam relationship haunts the story. I fell in love with the narrator a hundred times over. I also felt suspended between the atomized mother who cannot fully understand the language of her son, a sons attempt to both inhabit as well as break free from his own family history, and the force of nature it takes to wrestle the gap. The language went into my body.

Anna Wiener, author of Uncanny Valley (out Jan 14): What a pleasure it was to read Caleb Crains Overthrow, a novel about political crisis, political optimism, technology, divination, surveillance, queerness, digital subversion, and the profound possibilities of empathy. The book, which is set in the near past, follows a small group of friendsall young, all attempting to carve out a lifewho refer to themselves as the Working Group for the Refinement of the Perception of Feelings. The group lives in an unnamed but familiar city, where there is growing excitement and energy around a particular public, collective political action, la Occupy Wall Street. Some members have telepathic powersmaybewhich lead to an unusual style of digital exploitation. All are struggling for selfhood, connection, privacy, and intimacy, in a time when such pursuits can feel nearly Sisyphean. Perspectives shift, as do individual commitments. The reader begins to question certain narrative realities; this is part of the fun.

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10 Authors on The Best Books They Read in 2019 - Vogue

ESPN analyst Doris Burke talks with The Posts Justin Terranova about a Doc Rivers disagreement, growing up a Knicks fan and calling the 76ers-Bucks on Christmas Day.

Q: You were recently called out by Doc Rivers after criticizing Kawhi Leonards load management. What did you take away from that?

A: I had reached out to the Clippers directly and said if Kawhi wants to say anything to me, let him know that I am happy to listen to whatever he might say to me. Thats our job as broadcasters. You have to be able to look that person in the eye. He chose not to do that and thats fine. The same way with Doc. He was speaking from a frustrated coaching perspective and he used me as a launching off point. If I could do it all over, I would make it less personal. I couldve used a different term than ridiculous. I am aware of the power of the words, so I use those carefully. I dont regret anything I said, though, I was frustrated from the fans perspective of missing out on a Kawhi-Giannis (Antetokounmpo) matchup.

Q: Do you mind being in the spotlight like that?

A: Its going to sound absurd, but I really dont like it. I am pretty good at keeping myself out of the news. I know that its part and parcel with the job, but the reality is I simply love calling games. I understand theres a responsibility that comes with my job that sometimes takes me out of my comfort zone, but if I could sit courtside and call the games, that would be my ideal. Thats not the nature of what we do, though.

Q: How have the Knicks struggles affected the league?

A: I wonder if this is the bias of a Knicks fan; I dont know if I could separate myself from this. It is my belief and its strongly held that the NBA feels different when the Knicks are good. And I would say the same about Chicago. I am not a ratings guru, but I do wonder if things would change if those big markets were better and getting the numbers you hope when they are televised.

Q: This regular season, you are working only an NBA analyst no college, no sideline work (until the conference finals). How have you gotten more comfortable as an analyst through the years?

A: When I was doing college basketball, both mens and womens, and NBA, Id be doing NBA games and (think), Wow, this game is moving fast. To be honest with you, It is a lot easier to be invested completely in one sport. At night I can tune in to a couple of games and really lock in and not worry about, Oh, I have UConn-Notre Dame on Friday.

Q: What do you think of Joel Embiids growth as a player?

A: I found Joel Embiids response to the challenge and critique of both Shaquille ONeal and Charles Barkley interesting. It showed a level of self-awareness and humility from Joel to accept the criticism and say, You know what? They have a point. He went out and dominated the next couple of games. But ultimately greatness in this league requires sustained effort and the pursuit of perfection when you are outside the lines and no one is looking at you.

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Doris Burke on Doc Rivers disagreement and the NBA needing the Knicks - New York Post

CHICAGO Football may be the ultimate team sport, but for three hours Sunday night at Soldier Field, it's all mano a mano.

Matt Nagy doesn't want to hear it. Ryan Pace won't meet with media until after the season. But Mitch Trubisky acknowledges the giant elephant in Halas Hall as the first direct encounter between the top two quarterbacks selected in the 2017 draft comes front and center.

"The comparisons are out there and they are never going to stop," Trubisky said. "Me, Pat (Mahomes) and Deshaun (Watson) are all grouped together because we are in the same draft class, drafted in the first round and all that. But there are no do-overs. We are where we are. Our careers are going in different paths, and they will for the rest of time and they'll be compared against each other.

"It's the nature of the beast, but I'm in competition with myself and trying to be the best version of me and win games for the Chicago Bears, and it's something that I can't control. But two good guys to be compared to. Hopefully we keep getting better and help the league."

Trubisky's self-awareness is a sign of maturity and that his confidence remains steady as the Bears play out the schedule with the goal of finishing above .500.

The Chiefs, meanwhile, are aiming for a first-round bye in the playoffs. Mahomes is the NFL's reigning MVP and was voted to the Pro Bowl along with the Texans' Watson. Mahomes was perhaps a coin flip away from reaching the Super Bowl last season as the Chiefs lost the AFC championship game in overtime to the Patriots. They have continued to thrive in 2019 at 10-4, while the Bears have been thoroughly inconsistent, locked into third place in the NFC North at 7-7.

Nagy, who coached Mahomes as a rookie, isn't putting any thought into the natural comparisons between Trubisky, the second pick in 2017, and Mahomes, taken 10th.

"I don't get into that," Nagy said. "When we get rolling, it has nothing to do with a one-on-one battle. It's everything about these two teams."

Nagy's position is understandable. It's the only stance he can take. But for Bears fans watching at Soldier Field, at a tavern or from their couch, this game is reduced to Trubisky versus Mahomes. There's no postseason for them to consider, so it becomes a head-to-head display of what could have been.

Mahomes last season became the youngest player, at 23, to be named MVP since Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino in 1984. He has passed for 8,987 yards with 73 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 29 regular-season games. Trubisky has passed for 8,190 yards with 48 touchdowns and 29 interceptions in 39 regular-season games.

Mahomes is averaging 309 yards and more than 2.5 touchdown passes per start. Trubisky has passed for 309 or more yards in only seven starts and also has thrown more than two touchdown passes only seven times.

Yes, the Chiefs have superior skill-position talent, but the comparisons, especially as the Bears offense has languished this season, are unavoidable for Bears fans wondering what the future holds.

The Bears figured their championship window was opening with a quarterback on a rookie contract when they swung the deal to add pass rusher Khalil Mack in September 2018. A 12-4 finish that season validated their thinking. Now, a broken offense threatens to slam that window shut.

Trubisky understands the situation and didn't run from it.

"I'm trying to be the best I can possibly be," he said. "Everybody's competing. You play this game to be the best you can be, so that's the way you train, that's the way you work, that's why you play the game.

"Everybody's journey is different. Their journey to get where they are now is different, my journey to get to where I am now is totally different _ what I had to go through, high school, college, where we are now, adversity. Everybody goes through different stuff, and you just go through your journey and try to keep getting better and affect the people around you in a positive way."

Pace got leeway at the end of last season when the second seasons of Mahomes and Watson were far more productive and highlight-packed than Trubisky's. It was the Bears' first season with Nagy, and the hope was Trubisky and the offense would take a major step forward in Year 2.

That hasn't happened, and while Mahomes and Watson are likely in line for new contracts during the offseason that will make them among the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league, the Bears are left to consider a fifth-year option in 2021 for Trubisky that would pay him $25 million.

That fifth-year option is a story for another day and something Pace will have to address after the season. After two seasons plus 14 games, the career arcs for Mahomes and Watson couldn't look more different than Trubisky's. At least the Bears are fortunate both of his draft classmates are in the AFC and they have to be reminded only once every four years of an evaluation that went so wrong. The Bears will host Watson and the Texans next season.

In prime time Sunday, it's Trubisky versus Mahomes, and the comparisons will continue.

"It doesn't matter if they're fair," Bears offensive coordinator Mark Helfrich said. "They're inevitable, whether you're an NFL quarterback in your 17th year or your first year, (and being) the same year certainly will lend to more comparison. That's going to happen if you play any position in this league forever.

"I don't know if (Trubisky) sits at home and looks at their stats line and compares each other or not. But there's things you take in, you spit them out and you move on. Whether it's, 'Hey, I'm way better than this guy or way worse,' whatever those results or conclusions are, what he does between the white lines and off the field is what matters."

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Brad Biggs: Trubisky isnt trying to ignore inevitable comparisons with Mahomes - Pekin Daily Times

You dont hear much these days about Advent, the 40-day contemplative period leading up to Christmas.

Kinda hard to craft a peppy, boy-meets-girl Hallmark movie from traditions that harken back to the Middle Ages.

Besides, were growing increasingly adverse to contemplation. Quiet has become a source of discomfort, a problem to be solved with ceaseless entertainment and distraction-on-demand.

During Advent, light is in its shortest supply. In this part of the country, most of us we wake up in the dark and go home in dark.

For Christians, the darkness ends with Christmas, as light re-emerges in the world in the form of the one who made it.

Dying from despair

It has become second nature to fear the dark. Darkness can fuel our imagination like nothing else. Our popular culture has taught us that those things that go bump in the dark never turn out to be good.

That fear of the dark is being manifest in an increasing number of Americans who are dying from despair because they cant see even a flicker of hope. Earlier this year, the Journal of the American Medical Association published findings that show that decades of increased life expectancy have begun to reverse, as more people have begun to succumb to suicide and substance abuse.

In the wealthiest, most powerful and most connected nation in human history, increasing numbers of its citizens are suffering from economic worry, social isolation, anxiety and psychological distress.

In a state of hopelessness, even Christmas can add a burden of guilt and grief, especially if you cant afford to keep up with the madness.

Keep looking

Its being suggested, through our entertainment and through the flood of tragic stories that saturate social media, that darkness is a power that cannot be overcome.

But it is in those moments we must remember to keep looking for the light; to remember even the smallest spark forces the darkness to flee.

Even in the dark, there is value to be found. Being in the dark often forces us to focus. It heightens our self-awareness and strips away the pretense we wear like armor.

Nature and the heavens themselves teach us that, unlike some beings, we cannot exist apart from the light. Because of the warmth and joy it brings, it is the thing that makes us feel most alive. It connects to the divine spark within.

The story of Advent and Christmas is the story of light re-emerging to take its rightful place in the world.

It reminds us that no matter how deep the dark, it cannot stop the light.

Reach Charita at 330-580-8313.

On Twitter: @cgoshayREP

More here:
Charita Goshay: In days of darkness, light finds a way - Canton Repository

Posted December 23, 2019 07:11:45

Elite sport is now prone to moments of self-awareness during times of crisis.

So thankfully, when the Sydney Thunder and Adelaide Strikers were forced from Manuka Oval by heavy smoke from nearby bushfires during a BBL match on Saturday night, no-one suggested the loss of play was a tragedy.

Not when lives have been lost and untold damage caused to property and precious wildlife and national parks by this unprecedented inferno.

But the obscured sight of players and spectators in a foggy haze choking on acrid smoke before the game was rightly cancelled provided a stark reminder of one of cricket's greatest challenges.

The politicisation of climate debate means there will be two stark opinions about the cause or, more pertinently, the extent of the current bushfires and the subsequent game-spoiling smoke.

To some, it will be clear-cut evidence of climate change and a call to arms for greater action domestically and globally to reduce carbon emissions, including by bodies such as Cricket Australia.

Others will continue to insist this is a once-in-a-generation event and even that the current fires are part of an ancient pattern of destruction and renewal.

But, ignoring the clash between science and ideology that has poisoned sensible discourse on climate change, any club cricketer can tell you the Canberra cancellation is merely the latest example of how increasing temperatures and other associated weather events are imposing themselves on the game.

Heat has replaced rain as the scourge of the game in Australia. Just as hurricanes in the West Indies, air pollution in India and drought in South Africa have caused havoc for cricket in recent years.

There are obvious reasons cricket is more prone to changing weather than most other sports.

The game is played outdoors in the hottest months, its duration is greater than most and it is played in its own quasi-natural ecosystem, making it heavily dependent on the right climatic conditions to produce suitable pitches and outfields.

In September, a report titled Hit For Six, compiled by climate scientists and sports physiologists, was released at Lord's. It highlighted the dangers cricket is already enduring from global warming and made recommendations about potential courses of action.

Typically, the most prominently reported response to this report was that of Shane Warne, whose most notable contribution to the climate debate had previously been the smear of white sunscreen on his nose.

"At times in the past it has been hard to know who to believe, but I think we all have to admit now that climate change is a huge issue," Warne, a member of the MCC World Cricket Committee, said.

"Scientists with proven facts are telling us things we can't dispute about the rising temperatures, the rising sea levels."

Sports stars commenting on political and particularly scientific issues in which they have little expertise can be fraught, but Warne's contribution to this debate resonated.

Not just because Warne agreed with the scientific consensus, but because those in cricket advocating direct action to address the symptoms, and hopefully even the causes, of global warming needed an advocate with the great leg-spinner's broad appeal.

At the very least, the fact Warne found aspects of the report describing the potential impact on cricketers playing in extreme heat, the damage of flash flooding to local facilities and other threats listed in the report "scary" gave hope that others could be convinced to take the problem seriously.

At least, more seriously than those who believed climate change's most grave threat to cricket came when MCC Members were permitted to remove their jackets in the Lord's pavilion during this year's Test against Ireland, when the temperature rose to 38.7 degrees Celsius.

Cricket Australia had already responded to rising temperatures with its Heat Stress Risk Index Management Interventions, which provided guidelines on heat cancellations, drinks breaks and other such measures now commonly employed by local associations.

The cancellation of the Big Bash game in Canberra was just the most dramatic indication that the dangers of climate change have been heeded and embraced in official policy.

At club level, there has been an extra emphasis on imposing rules for junior competitions, with games typically abandoned or suspended when the temperature reaches 36C.

But it remains to be seen how many of the more challenging and unorthodox recommendations in the Hit For Six report including heat-resistant equipment, extended tour itineraries to enable acclimatisation and a fashion statement that would be an even more stunning reminder of the rising temperatures than an MCC member in shirt sleeves: first-class players wearing shorts! will be implemented.

Yet, much of this is relatively straightforward, commonsense and reactive. Far more contentious is whether cricket across its various levels, from the ICC to community clubs, goes beyond treating the symptoms and uses its status, political affiliations and vast numbers to lobby for climate change action.

The problem is that cricket, like society, is a broad church, and gaining the kind of consensus required to become a loud voice in a political debate is difficult.

Can you act in the best interests of your constituency while ignoring the beliefs of a large proportion of those members, who insist the game should keep its nose out of the issue regardless of how compelling the science seems?

That's a leadership question for cricket administrators who are busily applying bandaids to a problem that, the smoke in Canberra seemed to suggest, needs a full-body cast.

Topics: cricket, sport, fires, climate-change, canberra-2600, act, australia

See the article here:
What does the BBL cancellation say about cricket in a changing climate? - ABC News

You can make the transition with just an hour a day, according to former athlete and master trader James Sixsmith.

December 18, 2019 6 min read

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

When James Sixsmith was 28 years old, Monday mornings filled him with dread. He was living his dream of playing hockey professionally, but mounting financial stress and a demanding schedule threatened to ruin his young family. On top of that, hockey had broken his nose 13 times.

Id drag myself out of bed in the morning, look in the mirror, and ask myself what I was doing, recalls Sixsmith. But when he thought about career alternatives, he came up empty. I had played hockey my entire life, I wasnt the best student, and I didnt have much savings. I didnt know what else to do I just knew I didnt want to sit at a desk all day.

Sixsmith discovered day trading, a method of actively trading on the stock market to create wealth. Since then, he has mastered the profession and founded two businesses, Trade Context and SpeedUpTrader, to help others do the same. Im proof that you dont need experience or a finance degree to make a lucrative career out of trading, says the Advisor in The Oracles, who adds that hes often asked what it takes to make it in the industry.

After helping thousands of aspiring traders take back their lives as he did, Sixsmith has noticed six qualities that set apart those who succeed from the ones who struggle. If you possess these characteristics and are considering a career transition, day trading might be for you.

Trading is not for those who want to get rich quick. Learning to trade is hard. It requires patience, but if you put in the work, it will pay off.

Sixsmith learned to trade before he quit his hockey career, which he says is necessary to make the transition. Too many people decide to quit their jobs and become a trader tomorrow, which is a surefire way to fail. If youre trading with your rent money, youll get too emotional. When youre counting on the returns to make ends meet, you give yourself zero chance.

Sixsmith says you only need around an hour a day to analyze the market, put on your trades, and glance at the charts periodically. At that rate, hes found that it takes an average of 90 to 180 days to become profitable if you learn the right way and have enough money to trade with. Thats why one of his companies teaches aspiring traders while the other funds them.

If an hour a day over a few months seems too easy, thats because it is. Its great that you dont have to stay glued to the screen all day, but the confidence and self-control to walk away from it doesnt come naturally, says Sixsmith. Yet when you play the game of probabilities, it doesnt do any good to stare at the computer and wait.

Sixsmith says the more you do that, the less likely youll succeed because youll often second-guess yourself and change your plan. Do less, and youll do better. Once you understand how the market works, you can leave the computer fairly confident in your prediction.

Its important not to trade if you arent in the right mindset, which requires self-awareness. Everyone feels emotions when they trade. You have to be aware of those emotions and whats happening in your head; otherwise, you wont even realize that youre not in control.

Thats why he says successful traders document everything. You cant figure out why you are or arent getting results if youre winging it. We teach traders to take meticulous notes about their ideas each day, what they did, and if something was affecting their psychology.

Then you can look back and analyze trends, Sixsmith continues. For example, maybe you had a bad day because you were sick or the kids were screaming, and you couldnt focus. These things matter. With a trading journal, you can avoid making the same mistakes twice.

Sixsmith says that grit is the No. 1 quality successful traders have in common. His team jokes about the three-car-garage test because if you grew up with one, you might not have what it takes. The market is hard on your psychology, he says. Youre going to take losses. Your success will depend on your ability to get back up when the market punches you in the face, which it often does.

Sixsmith believes grit is the reason that fellow athletes are often great traders. Especially in the beginning, it takes grit to push through when your mindset tells you not to, and to take your lumps and come back for more until you figure it out.

Those who have never faced adversity arent the only ones who often struggle. In my experience, many brilliant people have trouble admitting when theyre wrong, says Sixsmith. Thats not to say that you wont do well if youre smart; but if youre used to always being right, you may have a hard time.

Why? Because the market will tell you when youre wrong which you will sometimes be. You must be willing to admit defeat and cut your losses. If youre scared to be wrong, youll hold on to losing trades for longer than you should and exit winning trades too early. That results in minor wins and massive losses.

Trading also makes you face your demons. The market will elicit all your character flaws, says Sixsmith. If you have anger problems, youll break keyboards. If you have trust issues, youll exit trades too early because you dont trust yourself.

For Sixsmith, it was fear of failure and letting down his family. When I had a bad trading day, Id question everything, including myself, he says. After I faced that fear, accepted that some things were out of my control, and trusted my instincts, my trades did better, and I became more confident in general.

If youre willing to face whatever comes up, you can take your life back. It requires perseverance and good old-fashioned practice; but once you learn to dominate the market, its all worth it.

Learn how Trade Context is empowering traders with knowledge and capital, or connect with James Sixsmith on Instagram and LinkedIn.

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