Did you know that the lessons you learn when learning to play in instrument could also be applied to investing and the financial markets? It’s true.

In college (go Buckeyes) I studied music and psychology while pursuing my passion for music playing the trumpet and singing. Here I am, several years later and still trying to justify my music degree to my parents, however, I am eternally grateful for that time I spent studying music. While it was not easy, it was absolutely full of rewards.

 The number one question investors should be asking themselves at all times is “what is my investment horizon?” More specifically, “what is my time horizon?” 

Early on in my career while working for Bloomberg I was fortunate to do a lot of traveling for them between North and South America teaching technical analysis to traders, investors, analysts, sales people, portfolio managers, etc. During that time I remember often feeling exceptionally grateful for the mentors who took the time to answer my questions and let me learn from them.

This week I’m visiting New York, and while I have been on the road I have had a lot of time to think. One of the quotes I have given significant thought to lately is a quote by a famous investor and hedge fund manager, Bruce Kovner.

Financial media, specifically financial television, tends to get a bad reputation. People refer to it as noise and discuss how financial TV has a tendency to sensationalize things. Personally I don’t feel that this is a fair assessment, rather I think it is important to look at how you are using financial media to influence your own thoughts and beliefs on the market.

I’m now two months in with my new role as Chief Market Strategist at StockCharts.com and, as expected, my to-do list has seemed to grow exponentially.  Besides getting my family all settled in a new region of the country, I’m trying to absorb as much as I can as I meet coworkers and scope out new projects and initiatives.

Settling into my first month doing my new daily show, The Final Bar, one of the biggest lessons I am learning is  how to speak more effectively. Throughout the course of my career I have learned a lot about communication, but having only a 30-minute window has given me an entirely new perspective on mindful communication.

Fall is upon us and for many of us, that means the excitement of football season has finally arrived!

Being a life-long Cleveland Browns fan been a tough life. As someone who has grown up a Browns fan, seeing them leave Cleveland and the organization starting over it is always interesting to see how the team has developed each year.

A recent Barron’s article quoting a couple of my technical analyst industry peers made a number of comparisons between technical analysis and astrology. 

 Last week I spent time in Minneapolis speaking to the local CMT Association chapter and while I was there we had the opportunity to interview and speak with some prominent technical analysts. One individual we got to spend an unforgettable afternoon with was a friend and personal mentor of mine, Ralph Acampora.