2 day Break

I find it very important to keep myself fresh for trading the day and evening races. To ensure this happens I have been taking Sundays and Mondays off for a while now. It's a very important process that you don't over trade....burning your eye balls out and frying your brain! =)

I've noticed that after a time-frame of 6-7 hours a day focusing intensely at flickering numbers, my eyes need a well deserved break. This 5 times a week is ample enough for me and 2 days off gives me the time to wind down. Try and look out of the window every 30 mins - 1 hr to extend those eye balls out and release any built up tension. Also I've started to do sit-ups/press ups in between a few races to keep that blood flowing and the concentration levels up. I believe you should be always looking for ways to increase your focus whilst trading. Don't be lazy!

Over time I've learnt how to distinguish my trading life from my real life, but this hasn't been easy. What i mean by this is when I'm finished trading for the day, regardless if Ive won or lost i wipe that clean from my mind and continue to enjoy my life in other ways. Separating work from play is very important. As much as it's an unusual job, for me its my work not my life. Its what makes me money and gives me a challenge, but its not the be all and end all of my existence. This helps me move forward with trading as i can overcome any losses v quickly, and also not get complacent when Ive had a good day. Keeping a level head is where consistency is born, thus increasing confidence.

For the first few yrs trading i was forever thinking about trading. Every waking hour of the day thoughts were whizzing around my head that were very hard to control. I swear i even had a few nightmares of numbers on ladders. Crazy but it actually doesn't surprise me. So many hours, financial injection and emotional energy goes into trading that's its inevitable that it will grab your attention levels well after the trading day is finished. But I think you have to try and take a step back from it all and don't let it get the better of you. Your the one in control....keep it that way! This emotional control of yourself is what separates the people who make money consistently from the people who don't. The brain is the most powerful asset we own....use it wisely!