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Thursday, December 10, 2015

Using Coaching Wisely

Here's a brief article about coaching, within the trading universe. Appreciating the overlap among disciplines makes sense. Just substitute "coach" or "player" for trader. 

Excerpts worth highlighting:

Coaching helps a trader develop their own mental edge so they can make better decisions in emotionally charged situations.

But many traders, for a wide variety of reasons, are unable to change their beliefs or manage their emotions, and are not profitable or trading at peak levels.

Performance improvement requires much more than positive thinking. It requires self-management and dealing with discomfort and internal conflict, including subconscious conflict.

Many traders have internal obstacles that not only affects their behavior as a trader but can also act as blind spots when functioning as their own coach and trying to self-evaluate. Can you provide yourself with honest, objective feedback?

A good coach will expedite the learning process and behavior change by guiding the trader in the proper direction and providing objective feedback and support as the trader is developing their mental edge

Its important to know that seeking help is not a sign of weakness, rather it is a sign of great inner strength and determination to ask for help. There is an old saying among Samurai warriors, “The true warrior is one who conquers the self first”.

Are you going to let your ego and/or your stubbornness block you from doing all that you can do to attain the trading success you desire?

Developing and maintaining a profitable trading mind-set requires long-lasting behavior change. 

Comment: Separating "our best" from "the best" requires commitment, discipline, and expertise in 'self-regulation'. Having a mentor, an external "board of directors", and using performance benchmarks can help us progress past our limitations.