I just got off the phone with a delightful couple, John and Genny. I was asked if I would speak to them briefly because John, the trader of the couple, had been consistently losing money for months and as they were trading with the last of their retirement, it was imperative that they begin to do something differently to begin getting the results that they wanted. After chatting for a while, I asked John why he was trading. In other words, I was asking whether or not he had a "compelling reason" to trade. There are droves of traders out there who when asked would say... "I want to make a lot of money."
This seems so obvious to so many, but the cold water truth is that money is a poor "reason" to trade...and it's a poor motivator.
Studies have shown that with job performance, as with most other performance-based behaviors, money begins to wane quickly. Real sustained motivation is tied to things like quality of environment, connection with a recognition, and when tied to things that matter most in their lives; to be more specific, intrinsic rewards that leave you feeling love, security, and fulfilled. Well, back to my story, John did have a compelling reason; a point for him, but it was framed in statements like, "...I don't want to be living where I'm living anymore." And, "I don't want to be stuck doing things I don't want to do." And, "I don't want my wife to have to work when she doesn't want to." If you'll notice, these statements all have one thing in common - they are all based upon what he/they want to get away from not what and how they would like to experience reality.

Paying attention and placing focus on what you don't want, as opposed to what you do want, is to envision and therefore attract to you the exact experience that you don't want. What is much more powerful is to write down in detail what you want to experience and focus your intention and attention around and on that. This is called a Results Orientation. Results orientation is about envisioning what you really want as if you stepped into the future and got it. This is towards thinking moving proactively towards what you want by beginning with the end in mind. For instance, moving to a new house because you found that perfect one you wanted; moving to a new job because you loved the opportunity; or identifying what you want in a broker and finding those features in one and making the move. Another is exercising to be fit, reducing stress because you enjoy feeling relaxed and focused, or cleaning the garage because you truly enjoy having storage space and being organized. Consider the difference:

  • I want to be in good health

  • I want to be strong and physically fit

  • I want a clean and organized garage

  • I want to be in control of my emotions when I trade

  • I want to exercise good money management

  • I want to enjoy greater happiness and centeredness in my life

Moving toward a goal creates focus by increasing the energy around the desired condition; your energy flows where your attention goes. Consider the statement: "Don't think about an elephant!" For most people, this suggestion is impossible to follow. Your subconscious mind has difficulty recognizing negatives. When you tell yourself not to worry or not to make a mistake, you are actually programming yourself to do just that. However, if you program yourself to think about being calm or getting things right, you are dramatically increasing the chances that this is how you will be.

Achievers, especially sports figures or other physical performance-oriented individuals, have mastered self-programming. They know if they are on the tee or the green and they let their thoughts wander to "not" choking, that is exactly what will happen. They know if they start worrying about hitting the ball out of the court, that is what they are programming themselves to do. Even if the bulk of their thinking is positive, they know a fleeting negative thought can make the difference between winning the point and losing it. They have modeled themselves on excellence.

How often have you said to yourself, "I mustn't do that" only to find yourself doing it? John, in a personal conversation, told himself when the price action is accelerating on volume to be careful and breathe when he wants to enter and "Don't enter until the candle closes." Well, the very next time he gets into that situation, what do you think he will do? He enters as soon as he sees the candle beginning to blast off and gets filled at the top only to see it decline way back down right after he enters.

Results-oriented-thinking is about identifying what galvanizes your focus and your passion. It is about creating a sensory-rich vision around which you can build the fire of desire for what makes your heart sing; in other words, identifying that which you "really want."

Trading is a purely mental game, and if you don't fully recognize and appreciate that, you are tossing your fate to serendipity, and you are gambling. And, you know what happens to gamblers in the long run, they lose – who do you think paid for those casino palaces in Vegas? These and other powerful techniques and concepts are taught in Mastering the Mental Game, the 2 day course where we help you to identify and call-up your "A" Game in order to get the results that you want. Ask your Online Trading Academy Education Counselor for more information about enrolling in the class.