Golf offers us so many psychological lessons from which traders can learn. Are their two professions that universally accept the importance of the mental side of the game more than trading and golf? Are there any two professions where psychological coaching is in such demand? Are their Dr Steenbargers, Shulls, Kievs coaching litigators or surgeons?

Before this week’s US Open I read an anecdote about a psychological mindset that my favorite athlete Phil Mickelson employed to break an 0-40 majors streak. At the time Phil wore the Scarlett Letter of his sport: best golfer to have never won a major. Phil learned not to spend Saturday night only day dreaming of holding that trophy at the end of Sunday’s round. Isn’t this what we are supposed to do? Visualize ourselves winning?

If you focus only on that trophy or that elusive number for your trading P&L, this will hinder performance. You must embrace the process. Enjoy everything about that Sunday round. All the shots you will hit, the talk with your wife before the round, banter with your competitors, lunch before tee time, strategy work with Bones, the feeling of that perfectly struck ball on the range. When you do this you remove much of the pressure of the score and redefine your day as a series of potential joyful experiences. You will perform better.

 

Below is a recent trading session and what brought me joy:

1. Learning more about Pandora and their business strategy
2. My wife making me laugh. I laugh at just about most things she has said
3. The high after a serious workout
4. The delicious egg white, turkey bacon and hot sauce breakfast wrap from Flavors
5. The interaction with the Flavors counters girls who someone how know everyone’s name: “Hi mike”
6. Lunch with a new trader in a slump nailing exactly how to get back on track
7. The New York Post on the subway to work
8. Buster Onley during lunch
9. My afternoon Coke Zero
10. Our interns surprising me with Facebook changes I could have never created myself
11. A call from my sister informing me that my Dad who had a stroke was driving again
12. NYC real estate where an agent told us someone had bid 20 percent above list without seeing the property. My wife and I will be laughing about that one for a month
13. Adding nine plays to our new SMB Playbook
14. A talk with a developing trader about his short in JCP
15. An SMB Tradecast where a trader claimed not to do something after we had all just seen him do it from his screen recording
16. Closing my office door, thinking and a new training idea painted in my brain
17. Adding one more nuance for a Reason2Sell for my trades
18. Creating a new blog that helps traders improve at something that is most important to them.

I will stop here.

What things bring you joy during the trading day? Think about all the opportunities that you can maximize to enjoy you day more. You will score better.

Mike Bellafiore
Author, One Good Trade