Mr. Money Mustache blogs about Stoicism

So here is an overview of what, Mr. Money Mustache learned from reading the book "A Guide to the Good Life, The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy";

- Stoicism is a series of mental techniques and ways of life.
- To have a good and meaningful life, overcome your insatiability.
- The practice of negative visualization technique.
- Optimize what you can control and stop worrying about the things you can't.
- Experimenting with Voluntary Discomfort/Badassity.
- Fulfilling all of our life's obligations to our best ability.
- Have rewarding social interactions to maintain balanced happiness.
- Let reason triumph over reflexive emotions.
- The difference between pleasure and happiness.

Here is the link to the full blog post titled, "What is Stoicism and How Can it Turn Your Life to Solid Gold"

A strategy as a retail investor

Note to self based on what I learned from Mr. Chua Soon Hock, an investor with remarkable consistent results;
Overcome and control basic human weaknesses (greed, fear, impatience, pride and laziness) when put to the test in an uncontrollable market. Pay detailed attention to the process of applying sound investing methods. Focus on time, size and price  management- all within our control. Shares will be at basement prices when bearish psychology is extreme and liquidity is tight. Be patient.

Strategy for retail investors by Chua Soon Hock (Asia Genesis Equity Fund);
Timing- For situations where share prices are low due to a weaker economic cycle... "based on my experience it is best to buy on the day following the national government's admission that the economy is in a recession and gives a negative GDP forecast for the rest of the year." 
For a market crash due to a special event "it is normally right to commit 50% of capital on the same day of the event and rest of the 50% within a week."

Type of shares to buy- "Buy the top two of the best-managed institutions from each of the key sectors of banking, media, telecommunications, healthcare and computer software."
My Watchlist:
Banking- DBS, OCBC
Media- SPH, MM2 Asia
Telecommunications- Singtel, Starhub
Healthcare- Raffles Medical, FIRST Reit, (Riverstone?)
Computer software- Silverlake Axis, ? 

When to take profits- "Shares bought resulting from a market crash due to special events (ie it is a one-off situation), one can take profits when profits are between 50% to 100% within a six months period. However, for shares bought as a result of an economic crisis or economic downturn one should keep them for years."

Frequency of participation in the market- "Assuming a 35-year investment life, one can expect to participate in three to four complete economic cycles, with each cycle of about eight to ten years, yielding returns of at least 200% over capital...in addition be rewarded with about five event market crashes, which should yield at least 50% for each event."

Source: SG Thumbtack Investor

How to flourish

According to the famous American psychologist Martin Seligman, in order for an individual to truly flourish, you need 5 areas fulfilled;

1. Positive emotions and pleasure (eg. material and toys). *From a stoic perspective, while you can derive pleasure from material things have the ability to abstain. Must have self-control. Another note to mention is that things that give positive emotions and pleasure for you don't necessarily have to come at a steep price like possessing a Ferrari. Pursue the things that you enjoy and care about.

Ferrari or the Lamborghini?

2. Engagement (eg. work, training).

Health Talk at the Health Promotion Board

3. Positive relationships (eg. with your spouse, best friends). *Connection, good counsel, learn and grow, encourage and inspire, fun and laughs.

With my best friend

4. Meaning (eg. a cause or a purpose, something bigger than the self) *Identify your path, be clear with your vision and stay the course.

Quite alone time to look inward, reflect and examine.

5. Accomplishment (the fruits of successful work, training). *Oh the joy of finally being able to do my first muscle up...you can see my excitement in the video attached below :)

If you lived everyday like it was your last, the chances are that you'll fill your day with the 5 areas aforementioned and care less about the things that really don't matter. This will let you fully enjoy your life and allow you to flourish. If you detracted from it today, think about what could be improved for tomorrow.

Marcus Aurelius said, "Approach each task as if it were your last, because it very well could be."