On today’s episode of Trend Following Radio Michael Covel interviews Ben Carlson. Ben is the Director of Institutional Asset Management at Ritholtz Wealth Management. He first gained fame with his blog, “A Wealth of Common Sense.” Following his blog success Ben wrote the book, “A Wealth of Common Sense: Why Simplicity Trumps Complexity in Any Investment Plan.”
“A Wealth of Common Sense” is geared toward helping investors gain a simpler decision making process and developing a clearer way of thinking. This is where Michael and Ben take the conversation on today’s podcast. Ben says that people usually become their worst enemy while trading. Cycle to cycle or fad-to-fad is how so many plan their investing rather than building their trading off a solid foundation. Studying the emotional side of trading is a relatively new concept that has sprung up in the last couple decades, which causes people to overlook the necessity of its study in their trading. Ben says, “Envy is the worst of all sins because nobody enjoys doing it.” People are constantly tempted to follow what others do. With the amount of information and “noise” thrown around today we are more informed than ever but most aren’t putting that information in the right context.
Ben uses the documentary, “Jiro Dreams of Sushi” as a great example of having faith in a system matched with an extraordinary amount of discipline. There is nothing fancy about Jiro and his sushi. It is his discipline over the years to perfect his craft that has made him arguably the best sushi chef in the world. Whether it is creating the perfect meal or creating the perfect system, you have to give it time to work. Ben says that discipline is just not there for most people. Constantly asking, “Does this still work? Why should I continue to follow it?” Lastly Mike brings up the phrase “Market timing.” On a daily basis there is someone on T.V. predicting what will happen. The two talk about lack of understanding among investors, relating investment advisors as shrinks to their clients. They are not managers of money but managers of people.
In this episode of Trend Following Radio:

Diversification
The purpose of a long only commodities investment
Speculation
Index funds
Having a plan
Risk and Reward
Saying no