I feel that the root of my problems with trading are definitely tied to my subconscious. Has anyone overcome this before? I've read books on the subject, of course I never implement the exercises consistently in order to make any changes. I will constantly run my account up to a certain level and its like a barrier. It then immediately falls back down and I lose what I've gained and more and in 1/2 the time. I do things I know I'm not supposed to. And I expect it to happen and no matter how much discipline I try to use daily, I somehow ALWAYS manage to do those things I know I'm not supposed to do. It reminds me of what Ed Sykota said "Everyone gets what they want out of the Market".. Is this what I want? Failure, desperation, a life of struggling to get by, always struggling financially. I could go into why I feel this is imbedded in me since childhood but I guess that's better left to go over with a psychologist.
My first thought on your post: To be what you've never been, you must do what you've never done. As for this: "I could go into why I feel this is imbedded in me since childhood but I guess that's better left to go over with a psychologist." Couldn't we all? I think in the end, we might discover the obvious (exploring whatever effects of our childhood), then what? We'll still have to make a conscious choice if we want to change (now armed with new and more information). I think the easier approach is to do what we've never done and skip the discovery.
Neuro Linguistic Programming is a rather direct and incredibly effective means to change your subconscious. It's not endorsed by the scientific / professional community. It's an offshoot of hypnosis. You can find a practitioner or just read the "dummies" book. I've used it just a little, I sort of fear it's power and don't want to overdo it, I just use it like you would your band-aids, they go on the obvious and not too serious things. I'm pretty sure you can overwrite those things that make you do the known bad things that cost you money...
The subconscious is powerful (see the links below). Naturally, we continuously seek control over the affairs we engage in. But when it comes to trading, we need to learn to relinquish this desire. The market is always the boss and in control. We must learn to react to the boss's decisions. Subconscious decision making & the prospect theory: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5mSlPNX8Mk Brain Neuroscience: http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=E8F8252AB1B6DAE2 Trading psychology: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3648457800591882730
No such thing. The subconscious is a myth perpetrated by shrinks so they can "save you" from it, while taking your money for the booga booga they perform. You are what you believe.
The bottom line is you CONSCIOUSLY have to make the effort to correct your mistakes. If you keep doing the same things that lead you to failure then you are doomed. I don't believe people subconsciously want to be poor and unhappy. We are built to enjoy pleasure and comfort, of course I have no childhood trauma so Im speaking from a clean mind in that regard.
.......................................................... Exactly.... It's all about gaining rights to the podium....and then selling the admission tickets....to those that will buy them.... ie selling trading books....etc....
Flashboy....just work harder mentally while you are trading to avoid the same behaviors that are causing you to have failures in the first place. Talk things out with yourself before and while you are placing trades to reinforce the correct behavior and avoid what ails you. There are no quick fixes, training and retraining yourself takes a long long time. The more damage done the more time and effort needs to be expended