Last year I was taken with a documentary and wrote a post about the so-called “best sushi chef in the world.” Jiro Dreams of Sushi for me had a great deal to say about the relentless pursuit of perfection. This has implications for any number of fields, trading and investing included. Now there is an update to the story.

Pete Wells in the NYTimes recently gave a four-star review of, Sushi Nakazawa in the West Village, which is run by a former apprentice of Jiro. Now there is a short form video with the owner and chef at Sushi Nakzawa.

Source: NYTimes

Two really interesting ideas come from this story. The first is that the world is really small. A couple of messages got this new venture on its feet. Second it shows that simplicity is the result of dozens of iterations. Whether it is sushi, an app that just works or the iPhone that went through dozens of iterations before coming to market, elegance is not easily earned.

One thing experienced traders recognize that the more steps you can strip away from your process the easier it is to replicate over time. Novice traders need to recognize that this knowledge is gained over time through experience and market tuition. Overly complicated systems are by definition more fragile and more prone to behavioral pitfalls.

That is why for most investors a simple approach that focuses on broadly diversified portfolios of index funds, periodically rebalanced is a simple approach that can be followed over time. For traders and investors in pursuit of alpha the idea of simplicity should also be something to strive for. Simplicity ain’t easy. But what exactly is the alternative?

This content, which contains security-related opinions and/or information, is provided for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon in any manner as professional advice, or an endorsement of any practices, products or services. There can be no guarantees or assurances that the views expressed here will be applicable for any particular facts or circumstances, and should not be relied upon in any manner. You should consult your own advisers as to legal, business, tax, and other related matters concerning any investment.

The commentary in this “post” (including any related blog, podcasts, videos, and social media) reflects the personal opinions, viewpoints, and analyses of the Ritholtz Wealth Management employees providing such comments, and should not be regarded the views of Ritholtz Wealth Management LLC. or its respective affiliates or as a description of advisory services provided by Ritholtz Wealth Management or performance returns of any Ritholtz Wealth Management Investments client.

References to any securities or digital assets, or performance data, are for illustrative purposes only and do not constitute an investment recommendation or offer to provide investment advisory services. Charts and graphs provided within are for informational purposes solely and should not be relied upon when making any investment decision. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The content speaks only as of the date indicated. Any projections, estimates, forecasts, targets, prospects, and/or opinions expressed in these materials are subject to change without notice and may differ or be contrary to opinions expressed by others.

Please see disclosures here.

Please see the Terms & Conditions page for a full disclaimer.