Becoming a Self-Aware Trader

"When you are your own trading coach, there is always a part of you that stands apart from your decision-making and execution, observing yourself and exercising control over what you do and how you do it. The real value of the trading journal is that it structures the process of self-awareness and helps make it more regular and automatic. If you were walking on a familiar street, you would hardly think about how you walk; everything would be on autopilot. If, however, you were taking the same walk in a minefield, you would be exquisitely self-aware, conscious of every step that you took. Trading is neither a walk in the park nor a minefield...perhaps it's more like a walk in a beautiful, but somewhat dangerous park. You want to be absorbed in the walk, but alert and aware at the same time. That is the function of the trading journal: it enables you to monitor yourself, even as you are immersed in what you're doing."

The Daily Trading Coach, p. 102

More:

Sustaining Self Awareness During Trading

Market Awareness and Self Awareness

Making Friends With Self-Focused Attention

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