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FrogAlgo: 5 Simple Ways to Control Your Emotions in Trading

Education
NYSE:SNAP   Snap Inc.
The markets are emotional and so are the people who trade them. But that doesn’t mean you have to let it affect you. Instead, learn how to control your emotions and make more money. Here are five simple ways you can control your emotions in trading and make more money.


Don’t let your emotions dictate your trading

It’s important to remember that your emotions are a part of who you are as a person. But they’re not part of who you are as a trader. Nothing in trading requires you to let your emotions dictate your trades. The best traders are in a state of flow — a state of complete absorption where nothing else exists except the task at hand. In a state of flow, the only thing that matters is what you’re doing. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a down market or a strong bull market — if you’re in flow, you can’t be affected by the outside world. You can’t let your emotions get the best of you and make bad decisions because you’re on autopilot.


Set a threshold for when you’ll trade

When you get started in trading, you’re going to have a period of time where you’re emotionally charged and feel like you have to trade every day. You might have a specific time period where you’ll only feel like trading when the sun is out and the markets are up. If that’s the case, then trade when you’re in that “charged” time period — but set a threshold for just how “charged” you’ll get. Let’s say you only feel “charged” from 9 am to 12 pm — set that as your trading time window. You’ll still feel “charged” enough to trade, but not so “charged” that you make mistakes.


Train yourself to be aware of your emotions

The best traders are in a state of flow — a state of complete absorption where nothing else exists except the task at hand. In a state of flow, the only thing that matters is what you’re doing. It doesn’t matter if you’re in a down market or a strong bull market — if you’re in flow, you can’t be affected by the outside world. You can’t let your emotions get the best of you and make bad decisions because you’re on autopilot. The best traders are aware of their emotions. If you don’t know what you’re feeling, you can’t let your emotions get the best of you and make bad decisions. The more you know about your emotions, the more in control you’ll be and the more money you’ll make in the markets.


Know the difference between a trade and a position

In trading, every position is a trade. It’s just a matter of how much money you’re putting at risk. The most important distinction is between a position and a trade. If a trade occurs when you risk a set amount, a position just happens when you risk an amount that’s less than what you’re long or short. What’s important is that you keep track of both your position and your trade. You might think a trade is only 1 or 2 shares. But if you end up adding to that position, then you actually have a position that’s thousands of shares. Your position is what you have, but your trade is how much you risked.


Find a good trading mentor

The best way to learn new skills is to have an expert show you how to do them. Trading is a lot like golf — you’re better off with an experienced teacher than trying to learn from reading books. A good mentor is someone who will help you build your skills as a trader. They won’t just tell you what to do — they’ll show you how to do it. They’ll help you develop the skills of patience, discipline, and the ability to be in the market even when the market is not in your favour. A good mentor will also be someone who shares your same passions and interests. A good mentor is someone who shares the same passions as you — someone who likes the same things you like. Being in the same place in life helps — but don’t let it stop you because it’s the best way to learn.


Conclusion

Emotions play a big part in trading, but they don’t need to dictate your trading. The best traders are aware of their emotions and know the difference between a trade and a position. They also find a good mentor and use them as an expert to help them build their skills. When you control your emotions, you’ll make better decisions in the markets and increase your profits. And the best part is that once you have the skills, you can trade anywhere in the world.
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