Lester Levenson once asked a simple but powerful question:
“If I have the formula to make gold, do I need to carry around a bag of it on my back?”

This very sentence inspired me to make trading work no matter what. This is the very reason I persevered through all the frustrations along the way. I wanted to get the formula to make money effortlessly, so I didn’t have to carry all the stress of never having enough. 

In the beginning, most traders are focused on building capital. They study strategies, take losses, refine their edge. It’s all about getting to that point where trading becomes consistent—where you know you have a working system. This is the start of writing your formula.

Eventually, after enough time and experience, you get there. You have a strategy that performs. You have the discipline to execute it. You have the emotional maturity to manage losses. That’s when trading becomes less about the money and more about the process.

You now hold the formula. A way to generate returns on command—given the right conditions and risk management.

At that point, the question becomes: How much do you really need to carry?

Many traders fall into the trap of “more is better.” They go from chasing $10K months to $100K months, and then to seven figures a year. But with more capital comes more complexity. More emotional weight. More decisions. More exposure.

Eventually, money stops being a tool—and starts becoming a burden.

But here’s the thing: If you have the formula to make money, you don’t need to carry around $200 million to feel safe. You only need enough capital to allow your system to do its job, comfortably and sustainably.

Let’s say your strategy has a 1:3 risk-reward setup. If you’re risking $10K per trade, you can make $30K on a good setup. That’s a full year’s income in many parts of the world. To risk $10K wisely, risking just 1% per trade, you’d need $1 million in trading capital.

Now ask yourself:
If $1M lets you live well and trade with confidence… do you really need $200M or billions?

Sure, you could scale. But what would that add? More money? Or more stress, more fear of loss, more time spent managing your portfolio, taxes etc. instead of enjoying your freedom?

There’s power in understanding when enough is enough.

When you have the formula, money becomes just a means—not the goal. You can generate income when needed. You can take time off without fear. You’re free to live life on your terms.

This doesn’t mean you give away your wealth or stop growing. It means you stop chasing. You manage your capital with intention, not ego.

And perhaps, most importantly, you don’t let the weight of money slow you down. Because what’s the point of carrying a bag of gold, if you can create more at will?