Bringing your “A” Game to your platform and maintaining it during your entire trading session, through preparation as well as execution is job 1 for your trading in order to get the results that you desire.  And, in order to bring your “A” Game, you’ve got to have and use mental/emotional tools.  One of the most powerful tools that you can have in your tool belt to manage emotions and greatly reduce the pain associated with “bone-headed” rule violations that ravage your trading account is self-hypnosis.

Hypnosis is an extremely powerful process for accessing the subconscious to influence a long list of behaviors, emotions, somatic complaints, beliefs and pain issues.  Hypnosis is a particular form of trance or altered state of consciousness, relying on a specific set of instructions, which may or may not be provided in an induction.  Hypnosis dates back to the 18^th Century, when Franz Anton Mezmer induced a phenomenon he termed ‘animal magnetism’. Soon the term ‘mesmerism’ was coined, where Mezmer would use suggestion to cure illnesses.  Hypnosis did not come to be known by this name until Scottish physician James Braid used the Greek root for sleep, hypnos, to create the term.  Hypnosis has been successfully used in surgery, dentistry, pain abatement, psychotherapy, weight loss, accelerated learning, and many other applications.  

Hypnosis may be the quickest method known whereby you or someone (an operator) working with you can bypass the conscious mind while initiating a sleeplike state to:

1. Exploit the programmed paradigms of the subconscious mind,
2. Encode new desirable programs or erase old, undesirable ones through suggestion, 
3. Accelerate or ameliorate the natural mental process.  

In other words, hypnosis is a choice technique for exploiting the subconscious, by circumventing the conscious mind.  In hetero-hypnosis, the operator is another person.  In self-hypnosis, the operator is your own conscious mind.  However, hypnosis and self-hypnosis is virtually the same thing.  If you have an “operator,” then you have chosen and have given permission to yourself to listen to the suggestions of another and permission to yourself to follow them.  Actually, it can be said that all hypnosis is self-hypnosis; the hypnotist is only a guide and a supporter of a process going on in the mind of the subject.

It is important to note that hypnosis, although associated quite often with sleep, is only a deeply relaxed trance state and not sleep-related.  This state provides the internal environment for receptivity to suggestions.  The trance state is not unconscious or unaware.  It can be quite aware as an observer of what is in the surroundings and still be deeply in trance.  Essentially, most people go into a state of trance or altered state of consciousness many times per day, and in fact there are those for whom “trance” state is their normal waking state.  This is easily illustrated through the individual who, while trading, executes a series of disastrous decisions and later feels like it was a dream, wondering what happened – and if you’re anything like me it has happened to you!

When beginning the process, it is best to be in a comfortable environment, free of distractions with soothing, quiet, and soft music (music is not necessary but can be helpful with the induction).  With practice, your suggestions will become stronger and more effective.  The induction can center around something similar to “with every breath my focus is keen.”  Countdown from 10 to 0, then close your eyes.

Suggestions should be simple, short and totally positive.  Also, moving toward what you want is more successful than moving away from that goal; i.e.,   “I follow my rules easily and effortlessly”, not “I don’t make mistakes or I don’t have problems with following my rules”.  Leave a gap in the recording to add other suggestions about every 2 minutes is helpful and limit suggestions to 1 or 2 at a time, so as not to dilute the process.  Here are some additional pointers:

• Be clear in your speech: no uhms, ahhs or vague language.
• If your mind wanders, once you catch it, immediately go back to the suggestions.
• Form a clear mental image of each suggestion.  The image should be sensory-rich (what the end result looks, sounds and feels like) in order to galvanize all the brain’s centers.
  • See profitable entries and exits, see yourself with a very profitable portfolio, see yourself getting an award for a trading competition you won;
  • Feel the mouse, feel the texture of paper as you read data, feel the congratulatory handshake;
  • Hear the click of the mouse, hear yourself or someone else say “good job;”

The Attitude: The right motive is important.  Know why you want what you want.  This can’t be emphasized enough.  The best motive has a deeper purpose, one that is positive, healthy, and outside yourself.  For example, in the scheme of things, money for money’s sake is a less-than powerful motivator to trade.  Research has shown that even though most people think of money as a great motivator, it is in fact a poor one when follow-through and commitment sustainability are at stake; and keeping commitments and follow-through are on the “what-matters-most” list with trading.  However, when your purpose is tied to family and community, that is, one higher in aspiration and value, we then are motivated by the passion of our lives.  

You must want and expect to attain the hypnotic state and, above all, let yourself go into it.  This intention around the state is a salient point.  It is best to be relaxed and confident to achieve a state that is results- oriented.  The keywords are “want” to be in the state of trance, “expect” to be in the state of trance and “let” the state of trance descend upon you.  

The setting, especially in the first session is a noteworthy point.  A warm comfortable room, free of drafts, with low light that is very, very quiet is conducive to a successful trance.  If you are very uncomfortable, the critical internal censor will make it virtually impossible for you to be hypnotized. Also, a great aid would be to use earphones to quiet noise and focus attention.  

Sit in a comfortable chair, lean back with headphones and listen to the recorded induction.  If necessary, find a place void of distractions like an office after hours or some other place.  With ample practice, you’ll find you don’t need the recording and the setting is unimportant. You’ll find your own technique, for example 3 deep breaths and a count down from 10, followed by a few suggestions of relaxation coursing through your body, perhaps combined with an affirmation/suggestion related to the issue that you’d like to work with.  For instance: I am able to pull the trigger at the appropriate time and my executions follow my plans easily and effortlessly.  While repeating the affirmation you might visualize a sensory-rich image of yourself at the computer executing a well planned and appropriately sized trade.     

Success comes with constant practice.  Integration of self-hypnosis into your daily routine will make a successful formula.  Listen to your recording twice per day, for best results.  The more you practice forming a mental image of your recorded suggestions, the sooner you’ll achieve your aims.  A deep trance is not critical to success; the right suggestion pattern is what does it.  Be cautious about trying too hard—”the harder you try the harder it becomes”. Tension happens, both psychic and physical.  The internal critic says, “See?  You can’t do it.”  If this happens immediately go back to suggestions for relaxing and breathing.  You can’t force your mind to accept suggestion; it will be engaged and gently invited to make progress.  You must adopt a detached attitude, wanting, then letting.  Finally, the fear of letting go haunts some folks.  This is a helpful suggestion: “You are safe and secure.  If the doorbell rings or someone happens to come in, you will open your eyes, arise, and feel totally refreshed, totally alert and capable of handling any situation.  To awaken from the state all you have to do is say, “I will wake up on the count of three, 1, 2, 3, and you will be wide awake and back to normal.”  

Self-hypnosis if practiced diligently will yield massive benefits in your trading and your life.  If you have any questions you can email me at DrWoody@WoodruffJohnson.com. The important thing to remember is that this and other powerful, highly effective and easy-to-use tools are what brings your “A” Game to the trading platform.  Also, you can order my book, “From Pain to Profit: Secrets of the Peak Performance Trader” from Amazon.com.