An Unconventional Approach to Your Trading Mindset

Today I’m going to share an unconventional approach to creating a successful forex trading mindset I employ every day before I hit the buy/sell button. A small confession though – it actually took me a while to realize it was a major ingredient in my success.

The funny thing is, I never read it in any trading book, video or blog. Perhaps it should be – perhaps it needs to be talked about more often, because doing this one thing has changed my mindset in trading and life.

So what is this one unconventional approach I’ve used that’s help to build a successful trading mindset?

One word – Gratitude

For over a decade, I feel grateful about what I have, regardless of how much I have of it. Since I’ve started to feel this, both my trading and resources have grown every single year.

Now I know you’re probably thinking – how can gratitude help me build a successful trading mindset?

This is a ‘mindset‘ that actually puts you neurologically in a “whole brain state” – a state of balance and optimal performance. This mindset appreciates what you have, understands the value of what is already in your life, and energetically is far superior for your brain and body.

But before I get into the “mindset of gratitude“, I want to discuss a mindset I see and hear most traders engaging in.

The Mindset of Lacking

This is the complete opposite of the “mindset of gratitude“, as you don’t appreciate what you have. This “mindset of lacking” keeps your focus on the wrong things – what you don’t have, what you need, what you feel you are lacking.

Ask yourself – if you are feeling you have to get back your losses in trading, are you 110% focused on the market in front of you, or when you want to push the button to buy, you end up freezing for worry you’ll lose more?

Ask yourself – if you are thinking you need to make money to pay x, y & z bills, don’t you think this will create more fear when a trade is in the negative, and close it early?

Ask yourself –  if you are not willing to pay for something, but feel the need to just take it, aren’t you saying to yourself that you do not have the energy, skill and resources to manifest it, to pay for it with your own resources?

This “mindset of lacking” creates a negative “self image“, sub-conscious, and belief system that you do not have what it takes to succeed (in trading or in life). It actually creates neural pathways which interfere with trading successfully. This isn’t someone who needs an attitude adjustment, but a ‘gratitude adjustment‘.

The Mindset of Gratitude

I certainly didn’t come from much, but I’m completely grateful for what I have now. I feel totally abundant and continue to be more so each year, and feel more so each year, regardless of what I have and don’t have.

In terms of how this helped my trading – I never started my trading day thinking – I have to win this trade to pay this bill, or I need this money to buy this thing, or I have to trade because I’m missing that in my life. Preparation in forex trading is critical, and for me, mindset was where it began.

I traded because I was passionate about it – regardless of how much I had. I never felt like I was ‘lacking’ anything, and this kept my focus on trading and the process – not the money, my bills, or the result.

And I was grateful for it, for the opportunities and resources (material and non-material) I had in my life.

So how do I use this mindset of gratitude today?

When I walk into my office, before I look at the price action or ichimoku setups on the charts, I take a moment to be grateful – for the resources, people, and abundance I have in my life.

As soon as I do this, I notice my energy completely changes. I think not about what I need to get back, or what I need to pay for but about what I’m going to build, create and manifest in the markets.

For the last year or so, I now take a portion of my resources, and donate to someone/something/some non-profit organization every day. I am grateful for my abundance, and want to use this to help those in need, whether it’s water, food, shelter, education, or to those that spend most of their time helping others grow.

I am grateful for everything I have, and I hope to have an impact on people’s lives using these resources. Doing this mindset of abundance practice will increase your equity threshold, which is critical for taking your trading to the next level.

The Litmus Test

The next time you start your trading day, take 1 minute to think about all the things you feel grateful for in your life, whether it’s resources, people, or opportunities (note: you do get to trade to make money, which is quite an amazing thing). Visualize all the things you feel grateful for and why.

Do this for one minute every day starting today, and notice how you feel when you start trading. Notice how you feel in your life about needing and wanting certain things.

This “mindset of gratitude” is a mindset of abundance practice, and will definitely change your brain, mind and life if you do this practice intensely. Ask yourself what kind of mindset have you been approaching the markets (or life) with every day, and how it has been working out for you. Then ask yourself what would a fundamental change in how you think do for your trading and life.

My guess is, once you start to employ this unconventional gratitude mindset, you’ll see things turn in a direction that you’ll never have to look back on, and your trading will take on a different meaning, focus, and energy.

“Be thankful for what you have; and you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” Oprah Winfrey