Do you suffer a lot when you trade? Are you under constant stress from trading? What are your thoughts about stress, and is it a major factor in your trading? Stress in trading is not always harmful, probably depending on the source of the stress. For some traders it is imperative that they run scared. For those traders it is the emotion of fear that can generate the concentration necessary to survive. For all traders, it has been proven that trading is a stressful business. Tests have shown that even when traders appear calm, relaxed, and comfortable during trading, their heartbeat rises, blood pressure rises, and skin moisture increases. In other fields we see constant demonstrations of performing under stress. It is the ability to thrive under stress that sets athletic superstars apart. It is the ability to go onstage when a person's stomach is full of butterflies that can make a stage performer into a star. An effective trader learns to handle stress. His natural instinct of self preservation is what makes him effective when challenged. There are other forms of stress besides fear. Selfishness can cause a trader to fight greedily for what he thinks he must have. Such a trader will trade without any consideration for personal honesty. The attitude of this kind of trader is "get what you want. Win somehow." As a trader you must find out who you are and learn to accept yourself that way, or better yet, change; become a better person. Regardless of the source of your stress, if you are going to trade effectively, you must face the cause of it and learn to deal with it.