Trade Like an O'Neil Disciple: How We Made 18,000% in the Stock Market

8.11. THE NINTH COMMANDMENT

Probably one of the most important rules that O'Neil taught us, and one which we have not always found it easy to abide by is the Ninth Commandment, "Be careful who you get into bed with." This has nothing to do with one's love life, although in an age of communicable diseases it still stands as practical advice in this regard, but rather who you deal with in life's more mundane business affairs. O'Neil believes strongly that trust and integrity between two people are the most important variables in life and in business, and it is not often that one finds this in their relationships and dealings with other individuals. In the investment business in particular this is a critical teaching, simply because the investment area is full of Bernie Madoff–like characters who will steal you blind, as well as those of a less insidious, but just as insincere, phony, and conniving class of individual that can be found in any business. When you do find people with whom you share deep integrity and trust, they become colleagues worth keeping in one's life—friends toward whom one will gravitate throughout life as anchors of trust in a world where finding trust and integrity can be a challenge. O'Neil used to say that life and business will throw plenty of enemies and detractors at you, so choose your friends, partners, and associates carefully and wisely!