sidesteps all of the barriers , scars and self-destructive behaviour in order to excel .
The trader re-programs his reactions , becomes aware of his emotions and finds trading a continual learning experience . Profits are consistent , and the trader discovers he or she is ... well ... ( surprise )... unhappy or unfulfilled . I have seen traders overcome their trading challenges , produce profits and still find themselves in a strange world of success that their upbringing and modelling didn ' t accommodate . Along with money , alcohol and divorce , other events can cause a loss of community . This final peril can grab even the most successful trader .
If a professional trader wins at his work but doesn ' t enjoy life , often the latter can poison the former . Traders face an additional hurdle in professional satisfaction - they don ' t build buildings , invent new drugs , deliver packages or write software . Yes , they contribute to liquid capital markets , which reduce risk and support these productive activities , but sometimes it is a challenge to make a solid connection to products and services that contribute to the betterment of our world . Although the contribution isn ' t trivial , it isn ' t easy to explain at a party over drinks .
Joy in life is a decision that is made on a daily basis . Money gives every trader options to have more of what drives joy for him or her . The last exercise is about making choices to experience joy .
How does a trader gain personal life satisfaction ? First , he bases satisfaction on building skills - not making money . This works for many professionals . The satisfaction of skill building avoids connecting our life satisfaction to the equity in the trading account . Second , create great stories to play in your mind ' s movies .
Finally , the core of life ' s satisfactions is about relationships . Successful trading doesn ' t produce relationships as in other walks of life , so the trader has to get aggressive about creating nourishing relationships by being nourishing to others .
Moving Ahead
Now it is time to pull up the three-legged stool we mentioned at the start of the article . Go ahead ; it is your stool , so have a seat . Imagine sitting down hard . How are the three legs holding up ? Do you have internal barriers or destructive behaviour ? Do you react