The greatest stock market trader of all time, Jesse Livermore, once said that poise is the most important trait in his profession:

“I believe that one of the most important qualifications for a successful trader is ‘POISE’ which to me is defined as stability, a well-balanced person with dignity of manner—as it relates to the stock market. A poised person is a person who can handle their hopes and their fears in a calm manner.”

I believe this is true. If there’s one trait you can attribute a person’s success to, whether that’s trading stocks or any other profession, it’s poise.

In the world of personal development books, this concept is quite foreign. Most books talk about how you can improve your habits and mindset. This is an essential part of self-improvement.

But as you and I both you, worldly success is not merely about the self. A highly productive and positive person with perfect habits is owed nothing in the world. 

One has to go out there and put their skills and habits into practice. And even then success is not likely. One of my former classmates at university is sadly an example of that.

This is a highly intelligent and kind person. The person was always mindful of others, nice to collaborate with, and got great grades. 

We lost touch after graduation, but the last time I checked, the person was still living in student housing and had the same side job as in university. He never found a way to build a career because he lacked the counterpart of his substance.