Speak Up

People often complain about how they "knew" something beforehand. For those of you who don't know the first friday of every month is "payroll day." It's the day when the Non-Farm Payrolls number and unemployment figures come out. Days like this a lot of people complain about how they "knew" something (like the payroll number coming out low) but didn't act on it.

Here's some advice--quit whining. If you have something to say, fucking say it. In fact, even better, act on it. If you have a book you can trade on, buy something. If you don't, at least start a betting pool for "closest to the pin." I made my name as a junior guy by winning betting pools. I won enough betting pools on economic numbers that people decided I might make a pretty good macro trader. At one point I had a bunch of people together making a daily pool on which way the markets would go that day. It's the next best thing to trading a book.

This doesn't only hold to market related folks. If you're in banking and you "know" something. Speak up! Let your manger or senior folks know. Yes, you're sticking your head out there, but as we always say, "no risk, no reward." Stick your head out there and prove that you've got what it takes to be a decision-maker. Show that you're not some idiot whose only useful role is punching numbers into a spreadsheet and drafting power point presentations. You only seem like a douche-bag if you whine about knowing it afterwards.

Some of you might say that you've got no upside because your manager or seniors won't give you credit anyway. Well, if that's the case you're both working for the wrong people and probably not seeing the long term view. If you keep getting these calls right people can't help but listen to you in the long run. Just get it right and get it out there. Your credibility will build.

Nothing is more annoying than someone who whines about how they should have done something because they "knew" it beforehand. Quit whining and start acting.