Getting to your goal has a lot to do with being in the now. One of the ways that “being in the moment” supports your goal reaching is that it refines what you are paying attention to. You are always responsible and accountable for your results…whether you liked them or not. So, it is incumbent on you to begin to track potential weak spots and issues, to document the experience and begin to address them one issue at a time.

Being in the moment is an exceptional position to take and although most people would agree with the underlying premise. Being in the moment requires you to pay attention to the task at hand and to remain on purpose. The beauty of this position lies in the fact that you will likely optimize your internal and external resources; that is, your critical thinking skills and your ability to develop capacity for strength and endurance in the trade.   Let’s face it, your facility for managing your emotions is critical to staying on the right side of the order flow. It can’t be over-stated that mental and emotional distractions are the most destructive of the internal concerns that impact upon your process.

To be in the now you must first be self-aware. This is a function of being rooted, grounded and centered in this moment. When you are self-aware you are becoming more aware of what is going on in your system. Vulnerability is important for the development of curiosity because being curious opens you up to accepting appropriate calculated risk which is an investment in you and your outcomes. This is the ability to risk failure to test what will happen in a given situation. It is trial and error. Information and data are crucial to increasing your knowledge, if you increase your knowledge you will learn more, and if you learn more you will do more and if you do more then you will be more. This is a prescription for growth and development which inevitably leads to becoming consistently successful; that is, getting the results that you want. So, when you are self-aware you are becoming more aware of what is going on in your system.

You are gaining valuable data by monitoring your thoughts and your emotional state. In so doing you can position yourself to shift from being frustrated, frazzled and fragmented into being centered grounded and focused. This shift is the secret sauce of being in the now. You are not only increasing your ability to tolerate errant emotions like fear, greed, anger, anxiety, doubt and worry, but by being deliberate in going forward in a step-by-step fashion; you are also “designing” the state that you want to be in. This is a REALLY big point. When you are designing your mental states you are choosing how you want to feel. Yes, this is not only possible but it is a powerful skill. Armed with this capability you can potentially overcome virtually “any” obstacle that presents itself in your path. Why? Because rather than becoming overwhelmed by “doom and gloom” thinking you can bring your absolute best to bear on the situation; i.e., your calm resolute nature, your clear thinking, your empowering beliefs, your fierce focus, your decisive demeanor, and your passion. When you are measured in your movements and firmly embedded in the now you are ready to make it happen. Your alignment is predicated upon being in the now. When you are in the now, you are more likely to be congruent in thoughts, beliefs, identity, emotions, attitudes, values and behavior. Of course, you must continually monitor your thoughts, emotions, feelings and behavior to first instill and secondly take advantage of this position.

To be in the now is not easy, it takes diligence, vigilance and a willingness to train your mind. One of the ways to cultivate the capacity to be in the now of the trade is to develop an appreciation for and respect of this moment.

His heart pounded like a too-tight base drum as he looked at the set-up. He could feel the grip of anxiety that circled his neck like a pair of sinful hands pressing on his throat. He had diligently documented the significant drop-base-rally as the price action was coming back into a strong supply zone. His plan was to execute a short on the 5-minute time frame as the price action moved into the zone. The market was expressing a short-term downward trend so basically there were only two legitimate alternatives; 1) to pull-the-trigger and thereby honor the set-up and follow through, or 2) to reject the high-probability trade by failing to execute the entry. He found himself saying, “But, what if it keeps going up?” “I don’t want to be stopped out for another loss… The crush of the anxiety got the best of him as his vacillation caused him to watch the candle as it hit what was to be his entry move a little deeper into the zone and begin its downward reverse.

Ten minutes later as the market hit what would have been his first target, Roland felt the urge to jump in now, but he knew that this would be chasing, and yet another rule violation. The sinful hands were replaced by the vice around his head and the huge knot in his stomach as he said to himself, “That was stupid.” “I knew what to do and totally prepared for it…why can’t I follow-through?” “Now I’ve done it again!” “If only I had taken the set-up, I’d have a nice profit by now.”

Roland had succumbed to distorted judgment, which was caused by distracted thinking that had led to errant emotions. He was “trading not to lose” and it was wrecking havoc with his results. This happens to traders every day. Traders with solid market knowledge too often fall prey to faulty thinking, either about themselves and/or the markets. And, these frequently unconscious conversations fuel fear, greed, anxiety, self-doubt, impatience, anger and a number of other negative emotions that distract valuable attention from the task at hand. Noise can be internal, the kind we just illustrated or external, which would encompass news, talking heads on the radio or TV, and/or any event that takes your attention from what matters most.

So, how do you decrease the “noise” factor and remain focused? Well, it begins by remaining self-aware, which means you are cognizant of your thoughts, emotions and behaviors at any given moment. Self-absorbed means that you are not thinking about your thinking but you are enamored with the thought that is up for you; as in the need to be seen as right, or to be seen as a winner, or the need to remain in the comfort zone. Self-absorbed is not concerned with growth and skill-building, it is concerned with “how good do I look.” On the other hand, self-awareness has to do with introspection and self-reflection in the service of learning and growth. Remaining self-aware not only has to do with monitoring your thoughts, it also has to do with being in the present. Too often, traders are caught up in thoughts about what already happened or what they hope will happen rather than what “is” happening. Think of it this way, when your thoughts are wrapped up in the past moment or in the future as in what you hope will happen, you are taking valuable attention and therefore resources from the moment at hand.

I remember teaching a class recently and one of the students apologized for not paying attention and being interactive enough, because, he said, “I’m in a trade.” HELLO… if you are trading you need to be trading and trading only! Never, ever attempt to multi-task your trading.   Actually, any endeavor that is purposeful and meaningful you owe all of your attention to. Anything that is not trading and focused-in-the-moment while trading is “noise.”

By the way, that sound you just heard was me getting down off my soapbox. But, it is imperative that you remain self-aware, moment-to-moment as you undertake the process of trading. It requires your A-Game; and you need 100% of your attention to be effective in the trader trenches. Monitor your thoughts, emotions and behavior; and of course use your Thought Journal to document faulty thinking, errant emotions and bad behavior as you bring them into awareness. At that point you’ll be able to address them, one issue at a time.

A specific type of visualization process is called Sensory Rich Vision. This procedure called for the individual to begin with a “compelling reason” or purpose for trading or any other goal-oriented endeavor. The purpose needed to be something that truly resonated in your heart space as important to your life; for example family, community, and/or the achievement of a life-long endeavor. Lear that identifying a strong purpose for the venture connected the desired outcome to an inner passionate intensity that provided loads of energy.   After identifying the purpose, write a list all of the rewards and benefits to reaching the target using the purpose and goal(s) as a guide. Once the list is completed then write a sensory rich story describing what it would look, sound and feel like in your body and your emotions, along with any smells or tastes … 2 or 3 brief paragraphs, no more than a page. Doing this, and later experienced, would connect him each and every time he read it to the emotional intensity of how it feels to be in the moment of the achievement. The first time Ken read what he wrote about his family, he said it sent chills down his spine and left a palpable emotional swelling in his chest. And, he said, it happened each and every time he read it. Here is an excerpt of what Ken wrote:

Purpose for Trading: To enjoy a full and stunningly beautiful quality of life for myself, and my family

• To provide comfort and opportunity to my family & friends
• To be a conduit for growth in my community through volunteer service
• To live in a spacious house on the beach 

Sensory Rich Vision   I have just left another successful day of trading in my home office where I have followed my plans and kept my commitments to all of my rules. As I walk down the hallway of my crème colored, double decked, airy & natural light infused home overlooking the ocean, I take a deep breath as I am struck by the beauty of the white-water views through the floor-to-ceiling windows, as the sun shimmers on the azure blue waves with sailboats skimming across the horizon. Just as I turn the corner I almost run into my giggling and laughing children as they yell “daddy” and jump into my outstretched arms. They each squeeze, kiss and hug me as their little arms encircle my neck and legs all at the same time.
After playing a fun game with them, I head off to a board meeting of one of the non-profit organizations for which I volunteer. I drive to the meeting in my extremely comfortable SC 460 with the top down as the sun drenches my skin on this warm and balmy day. Our organization has helped so many children and families have a better life. Today we are reviewing pictures of some of those families…their faces are broad with toothy smiles and bright loving eyes. We are making a difference.

If you have a goal, any goal, be deliberate in how you think about it. Thoughts are things and they create the beginnings of getting any result. The thought process includes not only what you’re telling yourself, but as well the pictures that those thoughts summon. You will learn that when you visualize either positively or negatively and believe, the brain can’t distinguish the vision from reality because the same neurochemicals and neurotransmitters are employed in the vision as when you are physically interacting with the environment. Some people visualize very well, but apply it to doom and gloom scenarios thereby ensuring the negative outcome. Your A-Game is of critical importance to getting the trading results that you want; and you must hone and sharpen your mental and emotional tools to get and keep that A-Game active when in front of your platform. Creative visualization is a potent way to keep you focused with laser precision on what matters most in the trade … and in your life.

Thank you and may all your trades be green.

Have you ever taken a trade and after the trade closed it was as if someone had control of your mouse? In other words, you realized that the illusion that you just traded seemed real, but it wasn’t, and you were trading without clarity. The importance of remaining aware can’t be overstated. Every day, millions of traders get caught in a “negative trader trance.” This is when you have ended your trading session and look over the results only to see carnage; rules violations, broken commitments and invariably lots of losses. But, while the trades were taking place you lurched forward with your head down even though part of you knew that you were violating rules. When these events happen, and most if not all novices have experienced or will experience them, you must get back into the Now, back into the present moment and increase your awareness of not only what you have done – are doing – but as well what you can do to refocus your intentions and reestablish your bearings in order to get the results that you want!

There are traders who have good market knowledge, a good plan, and good money management but fail to keep their commitments and follow-through with the plan. They become so uncomfortable with flaring emotions like fear, anger, anxiety, greed, and self-doubt, to name a few; that traders inadvertently and often unconsciously do something that turns out to be a rule violation. That rule violation, whether, chasing, doubling down on losers or moving a stop etc., is a relief seeking behavior and becomes the precursor to a bad pattern or has already turned into a bad habit. This is when it is critically important to activate a “moment of awareness”. It can mean the difference between maintaining your cool with keeping your plan and the disaster of throwing it all out the window – which is exactly what you’ll incur if you violate your plan and rules. The key is to aim to remain in the moment, for the moment, fully available and fully present at all times. Granted, that is difficult, especially if you are new to the concept.

Actually, you can practice at any time; the trick is getting yourself to practice it when you need it most – at those times in the trade when emotions are starting to storm. What you can do is use “Remember Ma” a little mnemonic that can help you by triggering the exercise of pausing and asking yourself:

1. What is happening right now?
   1. What am I doing?
   2. What am I feeling?
   3. What am I thinking?

Then ask a second primary question:

2. What do I want right now?

In other words, ask yourself what results are you really trying to achieve? Often just the act of asking the question will prompt you to redirect your behavior from being driven by an unconscious pattern to being results oriented. This can lead to a third question:

3. What am I doing right now to prevent me from getting the results I truly want?

Then you can make a choice, all you need to do is say the phrase to yourself, “I choose…” and insert at the end what you want to be the focus of that choice.

4. At that point, take a deep breath and move toward the result that you want by selecting a behavior that represents your A-Game.

This exercise (Remember Ma) involves changing the focus of your attention so that it is on the intention of the A-Game. The intention of your A-Game is clear; it is to master the process of trading as a rule based, plan following trader at all times. When you are pushed outside of your comfort zone by your own unconscious thoughts and emotions based on the meaning you attribute to what you see, then you begin to reach for the temporary relief…chasing, doubling down, moving stops, etc.. This is when you most want to use “Remember Ma” in order to interrupt the bad pattern and get into the Now of the trade so that you can resonate with reality and what matters most in the trade.

Having and being a part of a learning community or mastermind group can be a real power house to your trading. A community is positive and powerful in many ways. It fosters a common sense of direction, objectives and aims; and, it can be very helpful in supporting personal responsibility and accountability.   Community can also assist its members in forging a greater commitment to trade planning and following through with rules due to the team spirit and emotional bonding that takes place. One way that this can happen is the personal connections that are encouraged because they evoke a richer, more involved sense of “selves.” The ideas of “change and exchange” and “shared by all” are powerful precursors to personal and collective learning and development that are so important and necessary to the evolution of peak performance trading.

There are several core processes that can support a learning community or mastermind group; i.e., Capability, Commitment, Contribution, Continuity, and Collaboration.

Capability: A focus on members’ skills so that those strong in one area can complement those who aren’t and vice versa. The group also must encourage learning and improvement among its members as a “collective” undertaking. Everyone’s improvement is everybody’s business. They must care about one another and care about being the best that they can be. They must have or develop the capacity for dialogue; i.e., open and honest feedback and sharing of ideas.

Commitment: Commitment to the team builds when people are an active part of the experience of creating something they value together. Looking at common problems through the prism of positive feedback and support will not only empower the group it will also act as an emotional camaraderie to help bond the group further.

Contribution: It is imperative that all members be willing to contribute; i.e., time, effort, leadership, skills, intellectual and emotional honesty, and enthusiasm.

Continuity: Learning communities can’t survive without some measure of continuity. Memorializing through documentation and stories can help with this. In other words, the masterminds institutional memory must be both written and carried person-to-person. Mastermind is important business and as new members come into the fold they need to be helped to understand their responsibilities, and the practices of the learning community. In this way both continuity and sustainability can be addressed. If one person (perhaps a leader) moves on the others retain the history, vision, and values of the community. When a new leader emerges the community doesn’t have to start over.

Collaboration: Developing reliable interdependence is the essence of effective collaboration. “All for one and one for all” may sound storybook but this is the kind of attitude that will foster collaboration that is meaningful, purposeful, relevant and substantive. Effective collaboration means that there is a sense of interpersonal reliability…you can count on me and I can count on you. It is achieved through common goals, genuine relationship, a shared vision and a belief in the common cause that formed the initial impetus for the community’s coming together.

Across the planet some of the most stunning achievements in all manner of endeavors have had at their core a mastermind group, a learning community. Team efforts work across the board, not just in sports. Trading is a 100% mental game and if you have a caring, strong, effective and committed support community behind you and you behind them, then you become more caring, strong, effective and committed. It’s about doing what it takes to develop your A-Game and then bringing that A-Game to your platform and keeping it there during all of your trading session. This is a way to do just that.