Nick Goold
Traders as a profession or part-time hobby can be very rewarding. Traders are motivated by money, but there is also a high sense of achievement when you successfully execute your trading plan. Many people think successful traders have a magic system. Successful traders use similar strategies to losing traders but have different mindsets.
Below we will outline some of the characteristics of successful traders.
Be Patient
Trading requires a lot of patience to make profits over the long term. Traders need patience for many reasons. Some of which are listed below;
- Waiting for their entry point
- Waiting for their target to be hit
- Accepting short-term losses
- Taking the time to analyze the market
- Not overtrading
Be Calm
Trading can be stressful. Markets are constantly changing, and profits can turn into losses, or losses exceed expectations. In these situations, many traders panic and cannot make good decisions. Successful traders stay calm under pressure and always follow their trading plan. Successful traders take a break from trading when they feel stressed because they understand the importance of
staying calm.
Self-control
You cannot control market movements. You cannot control how sudden news can turn profits into losses. Therefore, successful traders understand that they should only focus on what is within their control.
What a trader can control:
- What time do they trade
- What market do they trade
- Where they enter the market
- Where they exit the market
- How they feel while trading
Exercising a high level of self-control at all times is a skill all successful traders possess.
Stay Motivated
Successful traders understand that the potential rewards of being a trader are high, and that trading is not always easy. Staying motivated after a period of losses makes it more likely you will be a successful trader. Focusing on the profits and accepting the losses keep successful traders
motivated.
Be Confident
Successful traders all possess a high-level of confidence. Confidence allows successful traders to follow their strategy and focus on the long term. A lack of confidence will result in a short-term focus and poor performance.
