Draining Trading Habits: The Pitfalls to Avoid for Market Succes

You know that trading is a mental game.

And if you play it wrong, it can be very draining on the mind and the soul.

Your aim is to make trading effortless and not overstressing.

And to do this, you need to avoid making these draining trading habits.

That’s what we’ll cover in this piece.

Personalise Losses: The Emotional Pitfall

Ever felt like the market is out to get you?

Go look at any chart and you’ll see there were times where you would have won and would have lost.

It’s a common trap.

Losses are not personal attacks.

And winners are not personal appraisals.

They’re part and parcel of the trading game.

Remember, the market is as impersonal as it gets.

When you personalize losses, you cloud your judgment, making it harder to learn from mistakes.

Instead you need to:

Shift Your Perspective:

View losses as the trading costs of doing business.

And if you’re still learning, then you can see losses as tuition fees for your trading education.

Keep a Trading Journal: Document your trades and reflect on your overall track record.

This way you’ll see both losses and gains as part of the process.

Cling to Long-term Trades: The Hope Trap

Ah, the classic ‘hold and hope’ strategy.

It’s easy to fall in love with a trade.

It’s also easy to marry a trade or even an investment.

But as a trader, you must NOT get married to a trade.

See them as short term conquests where you take one – lose one win one. But know that the next one is on the way.

So, how do you break free?

Set Clear Exit Strategies:

Before your enter a trade, know your exit points for both profit and loss.

Practice Detachment:

Treat each trade as just another business transaction. Or like I said – Conquest.

Always checking your trades: The Anxiety Generator

Checking your trades every five minutes? ‘

This can turn into an obsession.

I must say. This is not a good for your stress levels and your trading performance.

This habit can turn trading into a nerve-wracking obsession.

So instead:

Set Alerts:

Use technology to your advantage. Set alerts for price movements.

Schedule Check-ins:

Limit how often you check your trades.

Discipline is key!

Overstress about trades: The Health Hazard

Stress is the silent killer in trading.

It not only harms your health but also impairs your decision-making abilities.

So, how do we keep our cool in the heat of the market?

Practice Mindfulness:

Meditation and mindfulness can work wonders for stress management. Maybe even self-hypnosis at night to manage your worries, stress and to compartmentalize them.

Physical Activity:

Regular exercise helps in reducing stress and improving focus. You’ll be surprised what a simple walk, exercise or even punching the old bag can do to calm your mind.

The complaint department: Trading’s Emotional Baggage

Complaining about trades is like carrying around a bag of emotional bricks.

It’s exhausting! It’s heavy on you! And it’s just plain unnecessary.

This habit breeds negativity and affects your mindset.

Focus on Solutions:

Instead of complaining, channel your energy into finding solutions through your track record and money management strategies.

Seek Constructive Feedback:

Engage with a trading community for support and advice.

FINAL WORDS:

Your job is to manage stress, worry and to make trading as effortless and as easy as possible.
This requires some physical and mental activities.

And not just once off. On an ongoing basis…

Let’s sum up the draining trading habits so you know what NOT to do.

• Personalise Losses: The Emotional Pitfall
  
• Cling to Long-term Trades: The Hope Trap
  
• Always checking your trades: The Anxiety Generator
  
• Overstress about trades: The Health Hazard
  
• The complaint department: Trading’s Emotional Baggage