Mind of a Trader has a new home!http://www.tradingmetro.com/mot-------I am confident that each of us has achieved success in certain areas of our life... business, sports, family, health, trading and so many other areas.Once we reach a strong level of success and can clearly see that we are good at what we are doing, don't allow yourself to stop. Don't be afraid to step away from the success of "Good" to strive for "Great".All of us will experience being good at many things, and we need to take time to enjoy that and reap the rewards. However, we should never stay still and go stale. Look for ways to enhance, strengthen, stretch your wings and when you do this; you will see that you have so much more that is within you.When you learn how to take this step, you will then have the urge to share it with someone else. This is how we pass it on so that the growing never stops. Don't be afraid to stretch. Be excited about moving towards feeling great.

Listen Now:

Mind of a Trader has a new home!http://www.tradingmetro.com/mot-------We all have situations in life that are challenging. They seem to be so large that they look like a mountain that is insurmountable.At times we might decide that the climb is too difficult for us and we walk away. The world throws that style of defeat at us in so many ways and we need to be aware of it and not allow it to stop us.We will not make it to the top of the mountain the first time every time, but if we learn from our challenges and never walk away we will begin to look at these mountains in a different way.Instead of seeing them as something that has beat us down before, caused us pain, brought about losses or any of a dozen of other negative pictures, start to picture yourself going farther next time.When the mountain appears and the climb looks difficult, don't walk away. Say to yourself, "I love the climb". Because then and only then will we begin to see ourselves making it to the top and planting that flag of success on the peak.

Listen Now:

Mind of a Trader has a new home!http://www.tradingmetro.com/mot-------All of us at one time or another have come to a fork in the road. It may be a real fork in the road during a trip. It may be a family decision issue. It may be a major situation within your business. It may happen while you trade.How do you approach it? What do you do? Many times, society places so many concerns and warnings in front of us that we just look at both options and then plan and talk and analyze, but no action is ever taken.A commitment to action will always provide a stronger experience than doing nothing. Even if the decided action takes place and produces results that you do not like, the learning that comes from that action far exceeds the loss that occurred.To grow your skills, your knowledge, your emotional ability and many other areas of success, you need to believe in the decision you make and then act on it with strength and boldness. When the fork in the road appears, analyze and decide and then turn in that direction and start moving forward.

Listen Now:

Mind of a Trader has a new home!http://www.tradingmetro.com/mot-------Many of us have made trades after a quick look at our charts and later we look back and say "I wish I would have taken a little more time before I did that".In the world around us, everyone is always rushing to do everything especially in making a decision. I understand that sometimes you are forced to make quick decisions, however as a trader, you will regret quick decisions more times that you will congratulate yourself.If we have committed to our risk management, money management, trading strategy along with our overall plan for our session, then I recommend that if you truly want your sessions to be more successful, take a few more seconds in every step.Take a few more seconds to not just look at the charts, but to truly see and understand what you see. Take a few more seconds to determine where you entry point and exit point is and not just wing it.Take a few more seconds to prepare and instead of just looking and deciding, clearly see and understand what you see and you will enhance your trading performance.

Listen Now:

Mind of a Trader has a new home!http://www.tradingmetro.com/mot-------I am sure that all of us have seen the statue of The Thinking Man. It is an amazing sculpture that evokes in individuals many different emotions and ideas.As a trader, if we are always worrying about what might happen if we do this or do that and if it is wrong that we will lose money, then we will rarely if ever have a successful session.I submit that if we take time before we begin a trading session to think about all of the correct decisions we will make, all of the good trades we will execute, all of the money management actions that we will adhere to and so much more, then we will be so far ahead of multitudes of other traders.When we take time to think about what we desire to accomplish and what skill sets we have and how we will put them to use while we trade, when the session is over we will many times be amazed at what we have accomplished.Don't begin trading with thoughts of it being impossible to succeed or else your results will match those thoughts. Fill your thoughts with confidence and focus on what you truly desire to happen and then let yourself just go ahead and make it happen.

Listen Now:

Mind of a Trader has a new home!http://www.tradingmetro.com/mot-------The greatest victories in life rarely come from those who are sad, pessimistic or lacking enthusiasm.When we approach challenges in any area with enthusiasm, we set a new foundation that starts us off on the right foot. This does not automatically happen. We all need to decide that we are going to start changing the way we begin our trading sessions.Before we jump on our computer and look at our charts and start executing trades, take about 15 minutes to set the tone for this session. Take a few deep breaths, forget about the list of tasks that you have to deal with today, get a piece of paper and write down 1 or 2 items that you will focus on during today's trades.Once you have your mind set and your 2 items ready; say out loud "I am ready to trade". Say this with enthusiasm and then sit down and begin.You will have a new perspective on today which does not include focusing on the profit results, but instead on the process. Your trading session will have new meaning and you are now set to be triumphant in today's trades.

Listen Now:

Leave a voice message and you might be on MOT:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------If we get on the right track and just sit still, we will get run over. As a trader, each of us needs to continually review our overall plan and ensure that we are staying on track with the market movement.We need to stay in tune with the volatility and adjust our strategy so that we do not get run over. The real struggle begins when we get everything in order, but then do nothing. This might be because of fear, lack of knowledge or many other reasons.It is so important that we keep moving forward, using the power within our own engine and use the skills we have at the current level of our trading career to make a decision and commit to it.If a train sits still, it will get nowhere and could also easily get hit by another one that is moving down the tracks. They all must keep moving to stay on schedule. Each of us must do the same.We are all just one decision away from a great change in our life. So, find your track, get your engine started and push the throttle forward to experience the journey.

Listen Now:

Leave a voice message and you might be on MOT:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Every trader will experience storms during their trading career.You might have days or even weeks without any storms, but they will come. Violent movements, large losses, markets that react opposite than your strategy tells you will happen and so much more.We cannot keep these situations from happening; however we can make a decision to either wait for the storms to pass or step out and dance in the rain.If we are planning on waiting until there are no storms, no struggles, no disappointments or no losing trades then we will be waiting for a very long time. Expect the storms to occur and have a plan as to how you will work through the storm.When we work through the storm with a higher awareness of our risk management, money management and patience we will come out the other side stronger than before and will be ready for the next time a storm breaks out.It is not the fact that storms happen, it is being ready to get out in the storm and still be productive. Instead of fearing the storm, learn how to dance in the rain.

Listen Now:

Leave a voice message and you might be on MOT:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------We all need to be disciplined along with using good money and risk management skills, yet too much of anything can cause problems.Sometimes we put so much attention on caution to ensure that we only make good trades that we reduce our actions to the point that we miss so many strong trading opportunities.Every time we begin our trading sessions, we need to communicate to ourselves that we will be confident, prepared and most importantly... committed to executing trades when our analysis shows that a good trade is in front of us.Never allow the market, the news, your friends, your past trading session or anything else send you a false signal that causes you to sit back and do nothing when you can easily see from your training that you should execute a trade right now.

Listen Now:

Leave a voice message and you might be on MOT:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------It does not really matter whether you have just begun your trading career or have been trading for years, at times we need to go back to the basics.The very first group of skills and reasons that brought us into trading can be the very foundations that can lift us to new heights.It does not matter how old an idea is, when it is revisited, it will have a new impact on us, because we now have additional experiences to apply them to which will bring about new results.All of us as traders can easily slip into some bad habits and never know it. If we stop and return to our first learning sessions, we will find powerful skill sets from some very basic knowledge.Remember, it is not how much knowledge that you have that determines your success, but what you do with that knowledge that really brings about the levels and rewards from your efforts.

Listen Now:

Leave a voice message and you might be on MOT:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Every bridge that is built needs to have an important first step accomplished.A thin wire must be sent from the starting point across the expanse to the proposed ending point. Today that is much easier than it was before airplanes were built.In earlier days, a designer had to be very creative in finding a way to get from point "A" to point "B". Once the first string was delivered then the process began to connect the two sides of the expanse.A trader will at some time in their career meet the end of the road they are on and there is no place to go at the edge of the cliff. That is the exact point where we all must realize that we need to be creative and build a bridge to the other side where new programs, ideas, tools, strategies and more await that will enhance our skill sets.It all starts with an idea and a desire to grow. From there once the first step is accomplished, there is no place that your success cannot travel since you now are capable of designing and building whatever you need to reach new horizons in your trading career.

Listen Now:

Leave a voice message and you might be on MOT:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Sometimes history can assist us in becoming greater at what we want to do.However, one of the biggest struggles we all face is that fact that we generally know what we need to do, but because we do not like the task, we do not do it.As a trader, we all want to become better. Instead of using only our time in front of the charts to enhance our skills, use the time that we cannot even trade to become better.Every Saturday (in U.S. time zones), the markets are closed. This is the perfect time to have you own personal trading school. Sit down with your trading journal of all of the trades you made last week along with your charts or the screen shots of your executed trades and analyze what you actually did.You will soon discover that the information surrounding these trades will provide a wealth of information that will assist you in seeing your areas of strength and areas that you need to strengthen.If we never look at where we have just been, then we will never be sure that the path we are continuing on will get us to our desired destination.

Listen Now:

Leave a voice message and you might be on MOT:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Each of us has a comfort zone. That area where everything seems to work like we desire, stress is almost non-existent and we can basically move forward with our eyes closed and not worry.This might sound like the best way to trade, however, if we never strive to grow, to adjust, to refine to get better, we will actually fade away and regress instead of remaining comfortable.It is a challenge to try new things because once we step outside of the area where we know 100% what we are doing, we will experience nervousness, mistakes, criticism, stress and more.There is also a great amount of success awaiting those who will step forward and grow. Once we move outside of our comfort zone and enhance our trading skills, increase our trading, add to our strategies, etc. we will soon grow into these new skills and environments and in a very short amount of time, this will be our new comfort zone which will be the reward for moving forward instead of sitting still.Remember... everything is difficult before it becomes easy.

Listen Now:

Leave a voice message and you might be on MOT:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------We have all heard the phrase "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". I want you to adjust that and think about "Victory being in the Eye of the Beholder".There is not one hard and fast rule as to what a victorious trading session is. Many will possibly say that profit is the only variable in determining that, yet just as in any other area of your life, there are many perspectives.If a person ran a one mile race and their finishing time was 1 hour, you would think that they could never consider themselves to be victorious in a race, yet if this person had not been able to walk in the last ten years and then accomplished that, we would all say that it was an amazing victory.When we trade, each of us needs to step away from what the crowds say and not just follow everyone else. True victory comes to those who see what they have been doing and then set new targets that will stretch them, teach them and allow them to grow. We might fall during this process, but we will only fail if we decide to never get up.

Listen Now:

Leave a voice message and you might be on MOT:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Trading has always been and always will be an exciting, yet challenging skill.The best traders around the world, at one time could never make a profitable trade, however they did the one thing that separated them from those who never got better. They asked for help.Asking for some help takes courage, but the rewards are powerful. Almost any question that can be asked has an answer. Each of us must make the decision to step out of our comfort zone and ask someone for help.Once we do that, a whole new world of potential success will open up for us and we will receive answers. Take the time to be honest with yourself and discover what the real question is that needs to be asked.Then take the time to find someone who is already successful in trading and listen to them, learn from them and apply their answer to your trading.Will this work? You will never know unless you ask.

Listen Now:

Comment on this episode and more here:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Change is all around us and most individuals are OK with that as long as it does not impact them.Bottom line is that we can not escape change, and those who want to be better at what they do learn how to handle change.Traders will deal with change every day. We cannot control changes in the market, the economy or other areas that impact the value of our trade, but we can learn to adapt to the change to make it work for us instead of against us.We can also make our own changes to what we are currently doing to become more profitable every time we change. No matter what our goals are, if we do not continuously thing of new ways to do what we do, we will be passed by and left in the dust.Making the decision to change is easy; however actually doing it takes commitment and patience. The best traders are the ones who never sit still even when they are very profitable. They keep evolving and refining so as to receive the constant rewards from change.

Listen Now:

Comment on this episode and more here:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------The most successful individuals in the world have one thing in common. They all expect positive results. That does not mean that they always receive them, however with the expectations in place they create an environment for growth.As a trader, we need to start each day with new goals and expectations that will allow us to have a target that is higher, better, more confident, more committed or maybe just more relaxed than the last trading session.The world around us provides much more negative information than positive, so we must make a dedicated effort to empower ourselves to see more of what is going well than what is not.If we do this every day, we will be ahead of the majority of all traders. Expect growth and you will probably experience it.

Listen Now:

Comment on this episode and more here:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------From the beginning of time the most successful individuals have had a common thread of applying wisdom to every action they attempt.They learn from what they have tried to do before and then apply the knowledge they have learned to their next endeavor.As a trader, we each need to stretch ourselves to new horizons; however we need to focus on our wisdom "account balance". If it is too low, we can make some disastrous decisions that can cost us a lot of money or potential profit.As it grows, we make good decisions, from a confident foundation and then we begin to acquire the rewards that assist us in receiving wealth and then seeing the freedom we all desire to have in our life.

Listen Now:

All episodes of MOT are archived here:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------As another year ends, we need to reflect on all of the successes that we have experienced as well as the learning situations that occurred.No matter what the outcomes have been, we have all learned a lot and now have the opportunity to step into a new year with enhanced goals and objectives that we are excited about working towards as we get better and better every day.A new year brings many thoughts of what we want to accomplish.The successful trader along with the successful person will always learn from what has happened and look forward the new roads ahead.Have a Happy New Year from The Mind of a Trader.

Listen Now:

All episodes of MOT are archived here:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Tis the season of the year for family and friends and believing.No matter your family background, heritage or culture this seems to be the time of year where people make decisions about what they believe.Whether it is St. Nick, family relationships, a potential promotion, a foundation of personal faith any of the long list of topics, the end of the year brings about these thoughts.As a trader, if we do not believe in our trading strategy, our processes and who we are as a person, then we need to be prepared for a lot of disappointment.Great traders believe in the steps they use to execute trades. They believe in the concept of high probability and not expecting 100% successful trades. They have a strong belief in their ability to grow in discipline and commitment as they trade.Most importantly, they believe in why they originally decided to begin to learn the skills of trading and they use that belief to become better each and every day.

Listen Now:

Join Steve for a special, free live webcast on December 16th! More details below:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------We have all heard that trading is not a sprint but instead a marathon due to the need to continue trading with perseverance.However, the most successful traders invest a tremendous amount of time preparing and studying (marathon) so as to be ready when the trade is about to be executed (sprint).A marathon of continuous preparation with many sprints in between as we execute trades. We each need to learn the many challenges as well as the many strengths that we possess in our trading experience and then trade with a confidence that each trade is a part of the entire process of our trading career.Learn from the successes and also learn from the losses.Run the race whether long or short with the same desire to be the best and no matter whether you are just beginning or a veteran, you will see growth and see rewards.

Listen Now:

All episodes of MOT are now archived here:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------If you do not have a plan for what you are going to do or where you want to go, you will absolutely get there because with no target and no plan, any destination can occur.Technology has given us the ability to use space-age tools like a Global Positioning System (GPS). This allows us to know where we are going as we travel to a new place. Every trader needs the same tool.By knowing what to do and how to get there before we launch off into a new trade, we will have a much smoother trip and also will be able to see more areas of the trade than someone who is so worried about what will happen next.To become a better trader, we all need to have a plan (or a strategy), then launch (or execute) the trade and then trust that the trade was a good decision that will give us positive results. Whether the trade produces a profit or a loss, if we planned correctly, then the trade was a positive one.

Listen Now:

All 71 episodes of MOT are archived here:http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Every day we each experience situations that we were not expecting. Some times we handle them pretty well and other times we just crumble.When we have an interruption on the TV or radio that says "This is the emergency broadcasting system, please stand by." most of us have a small pit in our stomach begin to form because we do not know what to expect.Is it a major disaster, a warning or maybe just a test? If we are not prepared, this can cause us to make some serious decisions that might not be in our best interest.Every day we trade, there will be interruptions in what we are expecting to happen. The market moves on its own and we cannot control it, yet we can control how we respond to it.You need to have a trading strategy that truly fits who you are. If you prepare the steps needed to address any situation that arises before during or after you execute a trade, then you will be the one that makes the best decisions.When your charts start to display that the marketplace is about to make a major change that announces. "The market is about ready to do something unbelievable, so please stand by.", you will be ready for whatever happens.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------The world around us provides so much input that it can be very easy to fluctuate between feeling very good about who we are and feeling as though we are worthless.This rollercoaster ride can be very draining on anyone. However, if we decide to have more worth in all aspects of our life, then we need to have a plan.When we succeed in this plan, every thing we do will have a brighter picture. By raising the bar in our self-worth, the results of your trading sessions will see great increases. I challenge each of us to be more "Self-Dedicated".To do this we need to evaluate where we are in many areas of life. There are 8 areas that once you review them, it will be easy to discover what can be done to build a solid foundation of "Self-Dedication".

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Each of us needs to set goals within our personal trading programs to become successful.We all need to know exactly what those goals mean and how to best achieve them. It will not happen overnight, however many people seem to start strong when they decide to be a trader but then quit when things do not happen fast enough for them. Or maybe they do not start very strong, but get serious when they get into their routine of executing trades and soon become discouraged and stop doing what was working. Or maybe they finish each session strong, but that was just to recover what was lost during the rest of the time when they were not focusing on their trading strategy.To reach a level of continuing growth as a trader, each of us must have a plan in place and then ensure that we do everything possible to begin each day very strong in our preparation steps. We must then continue to make strong confident decisions while we trader even when the results are not what we expect.Finally, we all need to have a target each day that determines when to finish our session and be strong enough to adhere to that plan. If we keep going, it generally leads to massive losses and frustration which then stays with you until you begin to trade again.This will cause a very sour perspective of trading when you attempt to start a new session. Start Strong. Trade Strong. Finish Strong!

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------No one can make you happy, sad, angry, successful or prosperous. The only one that can do this is you.When the opportunity to change is set before us, we have a choice to implement the change or not. We can sit by and watch others or we can step forward and attempt something new ourselves.It is never easy to change because there could possibly be a result that does not match with our expectations. That is exactly what we each need to start accepting. When you and I take responsibility for all decisions, we make a huge step forward in our growth.Change is good when we inspire ourselves to take personal accountability for the results. We will begin to learn so much more about what we are able to do and how to exceed our goals.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------By building an internal library of information that we can draw on at different times, we will discover that when a difficult situation arises, we will be the one that pauses and re-analyzes instead of the one that zooms forward and then wishes they had been more cautious.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------It is not what happens to us that truly matters. It is how we approach these situations that will determine how far we are able to go.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------By seeing the areas that we have strengths and keeping them on a path of growth along with honestly working on those areas that need strengthening, each of us will see a higher level of proficiency in all that we do.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------When the market becomes volatile or a series of trades produce loses, it is easy for us to become fearful.We then start to verbalize excuses as to why we even executed those trades or why we use the trading strategy that we use or any of a long list of items.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Everything is difficult before it becomes easy.With the current volatility of the financial markets, it is extremely important that each of us resolve to be patient in our decisions and not make snap judgments. These can create future disaster.The most successful individuals around the world have a foundation of processes that they utilize consistently, no matter whether the markets are trending with clear direction or being extremely volatile.Each of us needs to be patient and allow the trading plans that we use to provide points of execution for trades. We need to be prepared for any and all movements in the market, yet stay committed to our plan and then perform with a self-confidence that ensures that we do not stray away from the steps of our plan.Patience, preparation and performance surrounded by a solid trading plan along with money and risk management will produce the highest probability for profitable success.Preparation combined with Opportunity creates a new word I would like to give to you --- Prepartunity. Every day provides new opportunities for us. If we are prepared then we will receive the highest results possible.

Listen Now:

Nominate MOT for "Best Education Podcast" at the 2008 Podcast Awards!http://www.podcastawards.com-------The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence, yet we still need to cut, weed and water it.There are many aspects of today's society that can cause each of us to not be able to enjoy our successes because we are told to expect more even when we do surpass a target.Sometimes we reach new heights and then beat ourselves up because we could have done better. A trader can become very depressed if they only focus on what they could have made if they would have stayed in longer or gotten out earlier or some other action.For each of us to enjoy our achievements and to continue growing, we need to set challenging goals and when we meet them, we need to congratulate ourselves and move on to new goals.

Listen Now:

Nominate MOT for "Best Education Podcast" at the 2008 Podcast Awards!http://www.podcastawards.com-------The world is changing rapidly every day.All financial markets move from a smooth pathway to a very volatile environment in the blink of an eye. For each of us to continue to reach and exceed our goals and objectives, we cannot sit still.If we think that we are educated and expect to sit back and just use that knowledge to achieve what we desire, then we are going to receive a big surprise.Only when we decide to continue learning will we stay on a pathway of continued success.

Listen Now:

Nominate MOT for "Best Education Podcast" at the 2008 Podcast Awards!http://www.podcastawards.com-------As traders it is so easy to criticize our trading strategy when results do not meet our expectations.The last thing we want to do is acknowledge that we might be making mistakes. However, rarely does a proven trading strategy continuously deliver poor results without the discovery of a trader making changes in the steps due to unproven gut feelings, revenge tactics, fear, greed and so many other emotions that arise when we try to outsmart the market.For all of us to enhance our skills and increase our profit potentials, we must analyze our trading results and honestly discover whether it was a good trade that just did not produce a profit or did we break the rules of our trading strategy.If we broke the rules, then we need to commit to the challenge of changing our approach to trading and hold ourselves accountable when we make bad decisions. We must accept the "Cause and Effect" results.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Our thoughts, attitudes, words, actions, habits and character are what determine our destiny.As a trader, each of us needs to decide that we will be in control of each and every session.We must understand and accept that the way we respond to great successes as well as disappointing losses has a huge impact on how we approach our next trading session. Trading is a skill that we add knowledge and new objectives on a daily basis.If we stand still, the market will become more difficult to analyze and our potential for increased profits will diminish.Decide to take control and be in charge of your trading sessions.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------We all can probably remember a time early in our life when we were standing on the edge of a pool or a boat dock and being encouraged to jump in.We waited and waited and sometimes never jumped in or maybe we jumped in immediately. Those same feelings are still with us today when we trade.The world around us has a way of instilling indecisiveness in executing trades or exiting trades. If we have developed a proven process of risk management, money management and a strategy that has been tested and used in practice, then the final step is to believe in what we have and jump in.It does not matter whether we land properly or not.The most important aspect is to jump in and know that all of our diligent practice will pay off if we continue to stay with our proven process and let the law of averages work for us over the course of our many trades.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Fear is a very powerful emotion and in trading it can lead us to large errors if we allow it to do so.If we truly understand that every trade we make will bring about one of two results - a profit or a loss - and not make it any bigger than that, then we will be way ahead of most traders.Whether we win or lose, the main factor is whether we followed our trading strategy or not. If we did, then we must not let fear overtake us and keep us from taking the next trade or possibly making major changes in our strategy. We must agree that everything is on track and move on to the next trade.Fear can be our ally or our enemy. It is up to us to decide which one we want.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------It is always easy to hesitate, to slow down or to even quit.However, many of us might be looking at situations and being more concerned with the possible outcome instead of the potential growth and learning that we will receive.All great successes start with the first step, the first action and even possibly the first loss. Don't allow yourself to see a small step as a barrier.Let's make the decision to wake up each day and take new steps, no matter how small they may be. the results will lead you to better things.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Creativity allows each of us to approach life with new thoughts and ideas.Everyone is creative. The struggle comes when we do not recognize and accept that we have creativity inside of us and ignore the talent and actions that we are capable of achieving. Successful individuals will always strive to think outside of the box and try something new to enhance their proven methods.In trading we each need to apply our proven strategy with new ideas that are creative. If you change the way you think, you will change the results you receive.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------One of the greatest stumbling blocks to achieving success in the important aspects of life is circumstances.We seem to use them to get us off track or keep us from continuing to the end.On the other hand, successful people use circumstances to drive them towards their goals.As a trader, we all need to understand that there will be times when things arise that could easily cause us to make huge errors, become lazy in our decisions or even quit.Instead, let's use the bumps in the road to grow and to become a more powerful and disciplined trader.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Every day we trade we experience challenges that can disrupt our session.These include the market movement, the economic outlook, our emotions, our attitude and so much more. These items can cause us to do many things. including quitting.However, the achiever recognizes all challenges when they arise and then adjusts so as to continue to move forward.For all of us as traders, we need to never allow challenges to keep us from growing and becoming better at what we do.We need to use everything that happens to assist us to learn, grow and achieve.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------People all around the world desire to have better things happen in their life.The interesting fact is that many of them have had better things happen; however they just did not stop to enjoy it.As traders, we need to evaluate how we are doing and then if we are doing well. enjoy it. If we are not, then we need to be courageous enough to adjust.Change is good if we believe in ourselves. Belief is the strongest element of any journey. Traders who believe will always perform better than those who do not.

Listen Now:

Don't forget to check out the new Mind of a Trader blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------If you could go back in time to the very first day you began trading, would you do anything different?What if you had the knowledge you had right now after months or years of trading experience. Would you make some changes?By analyzing what we do and what results we are getting and then being open to changing our habits or actions, we will always have a better opportunity for enhancing our skills.So, let's go "Back to the Future" and look at what we might want to do if we decide to re-start our trading career.

Listen Now:

To mark this 50th episode of the Mind of a Trader, interact with Steve and leave comments starting this episode on the new MOT blog!http://www.tradingpostfinancial.com/mot-------Winning, Losing, Money and Success are just a few of the many aspects of life that people use to determine the worth of others as well as themselves.In reality, it is not these results, but how we respond to them that will make our journey one that we enjoy and desire to continue doing, or whether we quit.As a trader, the understanding of probabilities and how to make them work for us instead of against us will provide great power for you as you move forward in your trading career.

Listen Now:

How long do we wait to get started when we face something new? Are we being held captive by the desire to have everything perfect before we begin? Do we want to be sure that we will not have any problems or failures before we get going? The only thing that can keep us from experiencing success in trading is to not trade at all. Don't allow yourself to stop trading, or quit using a strategy or never trading with real money because of the numerous mind games that we play waiting for the perfect time. The best time to start is when you ask yourself. "should I start now?"

Listen Now:

Every day that we trade, we need to ensure that we have a specific goal in mind. Without any goals, we will never know if we had a successful trading session or not. Profit is not the only indicator for success. The best traders continue to fine tune their goals and the target gets smaller and smaller. If you aim for the bulls eye, even if you miss, you still end up with a good result, because when you aim small even if you make an error, those errors are also small.

Listen Now:

Fear can be a very powerful emotion, yet for some it can cause disaster and for others it drives them towards new levels of success. As a trader we need to analyze and understand what causes us to be fearful when we trade and how it affects us. Then we need to use that emotion of fear to move us to become a better trader.

Listen Now:

Emotions can be a roller coaster for some and a gentle road for others. Successful traders make a conscious decision that no matter what happens during their trading session they will stay calm and in control. If you truly believe that you can do something, it is amazing how successful you can become. Trading takes belief abd when you finally decide that you CAN do this, you have taken the first step towards growth and higher levels of success.

Listen Now:

All successful traders know what they need to do and then they just do it. Their monetary results are not the focus for them. It is the process and the ability to follow it consistently that keeps them at the top of the trading world. Each of us must learn how to prepare and proceed with direction and conviction. When we do this, we will see continued growth and confidence in our trading sessions.

Listen Now:

Success in all aspects of life seem to follow those who do not try to act like someone else, but rather have a foundation of knowing who they are and act in that manner. Many traders seem to want to act like other traders who have recently had a string of successes instead of being committed to their own strategy and trading style. To be the best we can and have consistent success in trading takes a devotion and passion to learning our strengths and weaknesses and applying our skills to match up with these understandings. Whether you are a risk taker or very conservative, both styles can reap profits as long as the trading matches with that personality. Just be yourself and let the results take occur.

Listen Now:

Some of the greatest successes have been accomplished not long after a person had reached the end of their rope. They had been beat down so much they had their backs to the wall and were ready to quit. but they did not. Trading can easily cause us to get to this point unless we decide that when we hit the most difficult times in our trading is the exact time when we can emerge with more power and passion than every before. Give yourself a push and decide what you truly want to accomplish and then forget about any past difficulties or disasters and fix your eyes forward to what you can do to become better.

Listen Now:

Trading has many ups and downs and can easily cause us to feel defeated. However, defeat can only be disastrous if we classify it as disastrous. Losses, defeats, failures, etc. have been a part of history for every person who has reached high levels of success. The difference with the successful people is that they analyze the situation immediately. Those that tend to fade away are those that wait until tomorrow or maybe never to review and discover why the results were not what they expected. To be successful we must accept every result as a part of our growth and to apply those findings today. Don't wait until tomorrow, because tomorrow may be too late.

Listen Now:

If we have expectations of always winning, we are setting ourselves up for a large amount of disappointment and frustration. The best traders have realized that by truly understanding that trading involves wins and losses and what to do with each result has allowed them to continually grow. We need to search for high probability trades, not 100% probability trades. Analyze. Decide. Execute. Accept. Review. and then do it all over again.

Listen Now:

The best growth and learning comes from seeing our challenges, hurdles and problems as a way to get better at what we do. Most traders have the right strategy and tools, but they have not taken the time to analyze some of the difficult times to see how and what they can learn from these situations to become a better trader. Let's look at 3 steps you can do to ensure that you are on the right path.

Listen Now:

Have you ever tried to hold a beach ball under the water? You might be successful for few moments, however it only takes a small change in how you are holding it to make it burst up out of the water, hit you in the face and splash you all over. Sometimes, we as traders try to hold the beach ball under the water. We want the big success, the big win, the huge profits, etc. in a short timeframe. This rarely happens. What are your current trading traits? What do you expect of yourself? Are you open to new ideas? Are you willing to spend the time needed to build the skills and knowledge base needed to reach your goals?

Listen Now:

Trading success takes discipline, passion and continuous learning just to name a few. One additional area that seems to be evident in all traders that keep enhancing their skills and their profits is the ability to ask good questions of themselves and then to apply the answers immediately. To reach new goals takes new steps that must start now and are not delayed until tomorrow.

Listen Now:

What do you use to measure your success after a trading session? If you are like most, your success or failure will be determined by the amount of profit you made or lost. If that is what you do, you are missing out on one of the greatest aspects of your growth. We all need to be more than just disciplined with our trading tools; we need to be devoted to trading. Eliminate greed and you will enhance your skills faster.

Listen Now:

If you attempt a challenge without a safety net, you have the possibility of serious catastrophe if you do not receive the results you expected. In trading, we strive to make high probability trades, however the market can turn against our well planned execution. If we do not have a safety net in place, we can experience an "Account Blow Out". The successful trader always plans properly for all possibilities so that they will not be taken out of the game and lose the opportunity to trade again.

Listen Now:

History has recorded many great winning streaks. Whether they were made in business, team sports, individual sports or other areas, they all had some common characteristics. They had a strong foundation, a belief in what they were doing and they took it one step at a time. In trading, we can develop a winning streak if we decide to not always categorize winning with profits. Success brings about more success, however if we decide we are a failure, then failure can also bring about more failure.

Listen Now:

The Miracle on Ice at the 1980 Olympics was an amazing story. That hockey team did not just win because they were good. They won because after a lot of hard work and frustration, they all realized that they had to do something different than everyone. They had to expect nothing but the best!. Through training and belief, they accomplished what many said could not be done. A successful trader can accomplish what many say cannot be done if they decide to accept nothing but the best from themselves.

Listen Now:

The most successful people in any area of life seem to do what most others also do, but then they do "A Little Bit More". In trading, many of our friends and associates who do not trade will try and convince us to quit. This is mainly because they have found that they cannot do what you do. Don't allow this to change your goals. Keep on doing what it takes.

Listen Now:

Our mental attitude is a powerful force that we need to harness. If we will dedicate ourselves to being more aware of where our mindset is each day, practice and study our trading method and continually participate in the mentoring opportunities that we have available, each of us will enhance our skills and performance in trading.

Listen Now:

For each of us to continue to enhance our trading skills we need to remain focused on our commitments to both the technical and mental side of trading. When you do this, you will experience a clear picture of continued growth in your trading success.

Listen Now:

The way that we approach our trading has a major impact on the potential success that we can achieve? Don't allow the critics in your world to cause you to quit.

Listen Now:

If you develop a solid trading plan and produce consistent results in a demo account, then make sure you have a psychology plan before you enter into trading with real money.

Listen Now:

We all have challenging times in trading. At this point it is easy to decide to change direction and it could be a terrible decision. We need to be persistent and committed through the good times and the challenging times so that we become better every day.

Listen Now:

Sometimes the simplest thoughts and ideas can help us to improve our trading proficiency. Here are 5 basic principles that will help you to unlock some doors that might be keeping you from improving.

Listen Now:

Every trader wants to make a profit. However, that is not the most important factor. To be successful, you need to focus like a laser beam on one aspect of your process and then the results will take care of themselves. Focus on the small things and the large things will occur.

Listen Now:

For anyone to be successful when they move into a new phase of any program, they must review what they have done in the past and then refine these actions so that they will continue to grow. In this New Year, review your past trading actions and results and then refine and plan for a new year of growth and success.

Listen Now: