Mission Date: July 8, 2026
Mission: Refine the process. Stay aligned. Trust the journey.
Every mission eventually reaches a point where it’s no longer about working harder.
It’s about working smarter.
Sol 10 became that kind of day.
Not because anything extraordinary happened, but because I found myself improving the systems that carry the mission forward.
The morning began with a realization.
As much as I enjoy these daily mission logs, I knew the workflow needed refinement. Typing everything by hand after filling pages in my journal was beginning to feel like unnecessary friction.
I considered several options.
Continue handwriting and transcribe later.
Dictate directly into Scrivener.
Use my phone’s Notes app while I’m in the hospital.
Even ask AI to help organize conversations with my doctors.
The answer wasn’t clear yet, but one thing was.
I don’t want efficiency to steal the joy.
I still love putting pen to paper.
Sometimes the slower path is the one worth taking.
Another milestone quietly came into view.
Only twelve days remain until July 20.
Rather than feeling anxious, I found myself preparing.
The journals may travel with me to the hospital. If that becomes impractical, technology can fill the gap. The important part isn’t the tool.
It’s continuing the story.
Before live trading began, I wrote myself a reminder.
No chasing price.
No greed.
Stay aligned.
Trust your gut.
There is no actual target.
Just a destination.
Plot the course… and leave it alone.
The first trade hit my stop loss.
A few months ago that might have frustrated me.
Today it became confirmation that risk management had done its job.
Sometimes the best trade is simply surviving to place the next one.
Live to trade another day.
Breakfast was comfortably familiar.
A bowl of multigrain oatmeal with maple syrup and a cup of coffee fueled a productive morning of writing.
I spent time brainstorming scenes for Paul’s Penance alongside Merlin, and the ideas flowed naturally.
It’s funny how often the best creative sessions arrive when there’s no pressure to force them.
The afternoon took an unexpected turn.
Jeff and I attended service dog training with Bear.
Technically, Bear is Jeff’s service dog, but we’re also training him to work with me whenever Jeff isn’t available.
Watching Bear learn reminded me that trust is built one repetition at a time.
Whether you’re training a dog, writing a novel, learning to trade, or walking through cancer treatment, the principle is remarkably similar.
Consistency beats intensity.
Dinner was simple.
Rice.
Collard greens.
Sweet tea.
Mixed fruit.
Nothing elaborate.
Just another reminder that this temporary diet is carrying me one day closer to treatment.
Reflection
Sol 10 wasn’t about dramatic breakthroughs.
It was about trusting the process.
Improving the workflow.
Protecting the trading account.
Writing another scene.
Training another skill.
Preparing for what’s ahead without rushing toward it.
The mission doesn’t move forward because of one giant leap.
It advances because of dozens of quiet decisions made well.
One page.
One trade.
One chapter.
One day at a time.
Mission Status: ✅ Sol 10 Complete
“Plot the course… and leave it alone.” 🚀
