During a daily review one of the firm’s top traders observed this about this trading:

 I am feeling confident about my trades, seeing the markets well, and want to leverage this period here to trade aggressively as long as I am staying in sync.

Dr. Steenbarger has taught us traders to study, study, study the trading periods when you are having success.  And using this idea as a backstop, I asked the trader to think deeply about why he is seeing the markets so well during this period.  We are not just students of trade setups but of ourselves.

Another consistently profitable trader on the desk has felt in the zone lately:

 I feel like I am finding more good trades and the market is becoming a little better so as long as that remains the case I will be looking to push my best trades a little more now that I feel zoned in.

Again, it is important to study all the things you are doing throughout the trading session that are leading to this period of outperformance.  This particular trader excels on the desk when he excels with his life balance.

And trading at your best is often not just you are more right about your trade predictions.

Or that you manned up with conviction in the right trades.

It is the very real trading reality that this is performance sport.  We perform best under certain conditions.  Some of them relate to markets and personal market calls.  But a great deal relates to putting yourself in your best position to win.

Things such as:

• When you get to bed.
• When you arrive at the office.
• Trading in the same seat consistently.
• Following a consistent pre-market and after hours routine.
• Supplementing idea flow with technology.
• Sending a daily trade review to mentors and coaches on the one goal receiving your focus.
• Wearing the same underwear.  JK

This is what we see as important for trading performance on our desk of late.  I hope it gives you some ideas to help improve your trading.

As always, I welcome your feedback/questions at [email protected].

*no relevant positions