Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Master Trader?
There are many misconceptions out there about the nature of trading mastery. Some of these misconceptions are downright dangerous and can cost you your trading account.
I am speaking from personal experience. On the road to success I had to deal with many false truths, failures, crippling self doubt and bascially unlearn a lot of rubbish before I became successful and learned to trust myself and my system.
Your trading is a mirror of the true YOU
Trading has a habit of showing up every flaw, or shadow in your psychology in a very short time. These shadows manifest as losses and most traders, especially the ones new to the game believe that fixing their trading system will fix the issue.
Wrong. Believing that your system is the holy grail to unlimited profits is rather like believing that your car just runs on petrol, but that the engine does not need to be set up correctly and serviced regularly to maintain it's optimum performance.
If you truly desire mastery you have to become that person who embodies the essential traits of mastery. You have to live it, feel it and be it. In other words: It becomes a life style.
This is why when you develop mastery in one particular area other areas of your life will also start changing for the better.
Lets take a look at trading mastery in more detail
True mastery always is effortless. It never relies just on an automated system for success. It is like flying a jet. Yes, you can fly the jet on auto pilot. With today's technology you can even perform most landings and take offs on auto pilot. Most times you will be fine, but what happens when the unexpected happens? And, it does, as we all know. In trading the unexpected is part of the risk a trader has to deal with. It is part of the territory.
The nature of the markets these days make risk of unexpected sharp moves a higher probability then years ago. A master trader is aware of this and protects himself by honing mental nimbleness and intuition.
In trading your biggest tool is you. And this goes way beyond your mind. A true master has learnt to feel the market. This is the greatest challenge for new traders who are learning to become more fluent in their trading. It was the biggest challenge for me and still is at times. Alas, I have learned to recognise when I am not in trading flow and I stay out of the markets. Staying out can be one of the hardest things for a trader, particularly when you see the market taking off in your direction without you.
A master trader knows when he is out of sync and has the confidence and discipline to cut back on his trading or even staying out of the markets all together without reproaching himself for the decision. He knows there are always good trades round the corner..
Trading from the gut is an important part of trading excellence
In order to be able to do this you have to be in perfect harmony with yourself. You need to be grounded and connected.
Because it is this connection to source, for the want of a better word, where the deep knowing resides that will give you your best trades.
I hear you ask: "What about managing risk?" Risk management is an automatic process which is part of a master traders' basic tool box. It is like a carpenter's basic tool box. A carpenter would not dream of showing up for a job without it. However, one carpenter will produce a very mediocre job taking twice as long, while the master carpenter will do a beautiful job, close to a work of art in half the time, with the same basic tools. Perfect risk management can make the difference between making a lot of money and losing money. It is one of the basics of trading mastery. I am sure you are beginning to get the picture.
Mastery is NOT about your system
Trading mastery is mainly about you. How you show up in the trading room every morning and how you manage your inner talk are the essence of trading mastery. I was taught by a very successful fund manager: He always said to me: "Master the set up, master yourself." The two go hand in glove. They are one.
Effortless, automatic trading comes from perceived certainty. I say "perceived certainty", simply because in real terms there never is any certainty in life. The master trader knows this. He is unconcerned by this, because he understands that certainty is an illusion. He can handle and anticipate change with ease. He knows that the only certainty is in himself and never ever outside of himself. He also knows that master cannot be forced. Mastery is about doing by not doing. It is all about being in total harmony with yourself and your environment.
Trading mastery is about being connected to the core of who you really are. From this place you are connected to everything there is and that of course includes the markets. This feeling is often also described as being in the flow. The notion: Zen trading comes to mind as well.
A master trader is mindful of the fact that the environment reflects him
Therefore the markets are a mirror image of the trader. You know when you feel in the grove trades come to you. You can spot them with ease. You enter and exit your positions with perfect timing. You and the market are one. You feel good, you experience a sense of peace and balance. In that moment there is no stress, just a slight tension maybe, since the universal energies never stand still.
Balance never lasts.What we call "balance" is an illusion. Universal forces are always seeking harmony. When we experience balance we are totally aligned to the universal flow. We can maintain this balance by training self awareness. Every masyer trader has a very high degree of self awareness.
The constant flow from oversold to overbought too equilibrium or ranging in the markets perfectly reflect the flow of the universe and the flow of your own life force. The more you develop trading mastery the longer you are able to maintain this space of being in harmony with this flow.
The inner detachment and powers of self observation are valued qualities in Buddhism. They apply to the master trader too. Hence Buddhism can teach us so much about true mastery.
The master trader is non judgemental...
I know, "How can this be/? you ask. Trading is about making decisions all the time. Decisions require judgement. This is one of the problem for many traders how hesitate pulling the trigger.
Non judgement means staying out of your way. Seeing what is in front of you without the interference of mental chatter is essential for trading mastery. You do not need to have an opinion about where the S&P is going in order to trade it successfully. All you need to know is your set up and master your set up and this means master yourself.
If you love to trade, or want to learn to trade and want to develop mastery my book The Buddhist Trader. contains many insights that can help you become successful. You will discover how to apply universal laws to your trading and find many techniques and exercises to help you connect to yourself.
In order to be connected your energy flow needs to be clear and free from blockages. Tthis means that you must deal with your "stuff", or you will be trading your stuff inadvertently. I know, many traders do not like the sound of this. Ignore this peice of advice at your peril.
Trading still is a macho world and dealing with one's stuff is often somewhat poopooed. Don't let such outdated views stop you from becoming brilliant at your chosen career and experience the deep joy the gentle pursuit of excellence can bring to you, not only in your trading but also in other areas of your life.
Because, as I mentioned earlier one of the nice side effects of working on becoming a master trader is that you will find other areas of your life improving as well. It's a universal law. | 
