Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God (2 Thessalonians 2:4, KJV).
The Myth of Icarus
Hubris is a Greek word meaning being in a state of extreme arrogance. A classic way to illustrate hubris is to refer to the Myth of Icarus. In this Greek myth, Daedalus constructs two pair of wings made of wax and feathers—one pair for himself and one pair for his son, Icarus. He warns Icarus not to fly too close to the sun. After taking off, motivated by arrogance, Icarus promptly flies too close to the sun. The wax on his wings melts and he plunges into the sea.
Ego as God
In his subchapter “Hubris: To Set the Ego in the Place of God” John A. Sanford states, “For instance, hubris is the spirit of the ‘man of lawlessness’ described in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 ‘who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God’” (Healing Body and Soul: The Meaning of Illness in the New Testament and in Psychotherapy by John A. Sanford, p.102).
The Cloak of Humility
In trading, it’s amazing how fast you can find out you’re not God. One sure-thing trade that moves rapidly against you can teach you this lesson. But then again, if you are extremely stubborn, you may still think you can ultimately conquer the market. You can become a master trader. Maybe. Maybe not. It all depends on what God wants for you. One quality you need fundamentally to become a consistently successful trader and quality human being is humility. Embrace humility and wear its cloak while trading.