Metaphors can be life affirming or a denying metaphor that would present as a mental/psychic structure that embodies the individual’s rules for living, and for our purposes, her rules of trading. As in “the market’s out to get me.” Also, to create substantive change, it’s important to identify and reframe/restructure/redefine and alter the underlying metaphors that drive our stories about what’s going on in the price action. As discussed in earlier chapters, we have in our MAPs, paradigms and mental models symbols that embody rich and complex structures of metaphor. For example, when we think of things like love, war, birth, death, success, marriage or money, the dynamic is multi-varied with associations and cross associations relating both directly and indirectly to our sense of self, relationship to others, familial bonds, fears of success, and fears of failure. And, through the global interconnectedness of the markets, when we participate, we are putting and pitting all of the psychological and cultural variables that impact upon our psyche as a “trading persona” against it. Furthermore, as we move and shift our paradigms surrounding these underlying metaphors that are not working for us, it is important to identify and then transfer the cultural/organizational/personal lessons, and this happens most steadfastly through metaphor modifications. For example, “I am a sinking ship and a loser if I don’t make money on this trade.” Metaphors establish the door to creativity as in pictures, sounds, physical feelings, tastes and smells, which can be woven together or individually focused as metaphor or symbols that define who we are and what we do.

 Right-brain mediated exercises help with strengthening intuition, development of right brain analysis and communication between the two brain/minds. Some of these exercises are:

• Role play
• Letter writing
• Dance
• Poetry
• Ritual
• Trance
• Hypnosis
• Guided imagery

Change comes from facing fears, and doing things differently. Using old and ineffective strategies to address new challenges is like using your old boxcar to go on the freeway. Identify a state—like the state of intense focus, or the state of relaxed detachment but fully present, or the state of curious fun as in doing a crossword or playing chess—one that is new or novel and like that of having taken a test when you received a very high grade. You embodied a relaxed focus and you were tuned into the flow of the questions in such a way that it was pleasurable but aligned. Begin to research and study trading patterns in this state. Develop a routine with a set of steps that does not waiver. Ensure that this state is nurtured and used for “every” period of study and paper trading by shifting gears consciously for each trade simulation and actual trade. Repeat until it seems out-of-the-ordinary not to do it. Old habits and patterns must not only be interrupted but also replaced with new patterns that have been reinforced through repetition. In this way you bring the power of “both” sides to your trading.