The Worthy Trader

Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.
- Michael O'Brien -

Jack has been on a winning streak, and his account balance is up, way up from where he started. He has generated more in a month than their parents ever earned in a year. He now has a lot more money than his neighbors, friends, and relatives. He is on top of the world, but is he satisfied? No, he can't believe his good luck. He feels his good fortune is just a fluke that could end at any moment. Have you ever felt like Jack? If you have, you're not alone. Many successful people feel they are unworthy of success. They feel they are imposters, as if they will be caught for being a phony at any moment.

Trading the markets is difficult. It requires rock solid confidence. Market conditions are constantly changing. If you have wavering confidence, you may find that your trading acumen abandons you at the slightest disappointment. Suddenly, you give up on winning stocks too early. You back losers or take the wrong side of what could be successful trades. At other times, you simply can't maintain your sense of conviction about what to trade, and when to trade it.

It's vital to have rock solid confidence. You can't be easily swayed. A winning trader doesn't waver when faced with seemingly impossible challenges. He or she is stable, calm, and objective, even under the most chaotic market conditions.

What is the secret behind rock solid confidence? What all confident people know is that the only opinion that matters is their own. Instead of caring what anyone else thinks, they look inward. Looking inward for guidance and direction is unnatural for many people, however. Throughout most people's lives, significant others have tried to place conditions on whether they will receive approval or disapproval. Parents imply, "I'll love you, but only if you do what I say." Teachers warn, "I'll give you a good grade if you follow my instructions," and supervisors control workers by saying, "I'll give you a good performance evaluation if you meet my expectations." It is reasonable to start looking toward others for a sense of personal value. For some people, the need for recognition becomes extreme, though. Some people let others define their self worth. If others give them approval, they feel good. But if they meet with dissatisfaction, they feel poorly about themselves. Over time, one may get into the habit of looking toward others for approval. Some traders, for example, may even be motivated to trade in order to gain approval. They may think, "If I can make a fortune trading, I'll get the love and respect I've always wanted." Although such thoughts may be motivating, they can be a hindrance to profitably consistent trading. First, one is often disappointed to find that money isn't usually associated with respect and approval. And even when it is, most people find that they never get the level of respect that they had hoped to find. In the end, one usually becomes disappointed and loses the motivation to trade over the long term. Second, if you tie your winnings to your self worth, you put an extreme amount of pressure on yourself to perform. And when the stakes are that high, one usually chokes under the strain. Trading is difficult enough as it is. Putting on extra pressure makes a challenging task almost impossible.

Rather than look outward toward others for a sense of self-worth, it is vital to look inward. The only opinion that should matter is your own. Trade because you find it personally rewarding, not because you think you'll eventually gain approval from others. Focus on the immediate experience of trading. You'll find it more enjoyable, and feeling a need to live up to societal expectations about what is "right" or "wrong" won't distract you. If you allow yourself to set your own personal standards, you'll feel a sense of freedom, and this sense of freedom will allow you to trade effortlessly and creatively. So avoid looking toward others for approval and self-definition. The more you can look inward, and think independently, the more confident you will feel, and when you feel confident, you will trade more profitably.