It is a well documented fact that alignment with one’s goals gets one to achieve one’s goals. The main reason many traders have difficulty achieving positive trading consistency is a lack of skill sets that gets their brains in alignment with their goals.
Neuro science has discovered that we have five times more negative thoughts than positive ones.
The brain is hardwired to think defensive, negative and limiting thoughts habitually. It is a left over from the earlier days of our evolution and also a stress response to modern day life styles which are not supportive of healthy brain function.
Our negative thoughts are largely subconscious. Unless you develop a strategy that brings your subconscious thoughts to your awareness you will be thinking and acting on auto pilot most of the time. By the time you realize that you have succumbed once more to a sabotaging behaviour pattern the damage to your trading account, not to mention your psychological account has been done.
You might think that there is something wrong with you, or that you aren’t a good enough trader, alas this is not entirely true and can lead to serious self esteem issues which are not that easily resolved.
When your brain is not in coherence, the critical part of the brain dominates.
That part of the brain is trained to think logically and critically.
By contrast, if the left and the right brain are in harmony, the intuitive, creative and visionary sides of your brain are in alignment. When the left and right side of the brain are balanced critical thinking ceases. You feel better, fear recedes and your creative powers surface.
Stress is a form of fear.
Fear stops your brain from making decisions in the absence of a certain outcome. This is exactly what happens to most traders who have difficulty maintaining a steady trading performance.
When you learn to meditate fear begins to vanish.
In fact, when you make guided meditation a daily practice the benefits are almost immediate: You will notice that you feel better. Over time the brain builds new neural pathways. The beauty of guided meditation is that it does the re-thinking for you. All you have to do is sit back and relax into the meditation for a little while. Your brain begins to feel good because it feels safe. During the guided meditation your brain is told what to think and how to get into alignment.
The brain relaxes and begins to feel safe the more you meditate.
When the brain is relaxed it is open to new suggestions. This is how you train the brain for lasting trading success when you learn to meditate regularly.
You don’t have to meditate for hours. It is far more important that you maintain the practice on a daily basis.
His Holiness The Dalai Lama once said: If everyone meditated for just five minutes daily there would be world peace.
Meditation alters the brain.
The right kind of meditation can positively alter the brain very quickly. Scientific research shows that within as little as three months new neural pathways have formed. Between three and six months you can change behaviours and beliefs. That is the power of regular guided meditation.
Everyone has five or ten minutes a day to meditate. If you think you can’t make time, it’s a copout. I know that sounds harsh, but it is the reality. Learn to meditate, it is a simple way to help you become a better trader. You will be feeling much happier too.
