Successful futures traders have learned that there are times with NOT trading is the most successful strategy. Achieving success as a futures trader is 90% mental preparation. If you are not mentally prepared, do NOT trade. It can be dangerous and financially disastrous to trade if you are distracted, angry, worried, scared or emotionally distraught. Just as physical illness, tiredness or pain prevent you from focusing on your trading, so does emotional distress. You must have your head in the game every second to succeed as a futures trader. [Read more…]

If you are a futures trader, you’ve already learned that losing is part of the game. How you handle loss emotionally will determine whether you succeed or fail as a futures trader. You cannot allow yourself to become emotionally incapacitated by loss. Like the song goes: You have to pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again.

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Whenever my team lost, the coach would tell us, “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” Over the years I’ve learned there’s truth to that statement but that, personally, I’d rather win. I’ve also learned the power of loss. My dad used to say, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Good words to remember for a futures trader. It’s from the small losses that you learn how to win.

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