*  Successful traders trade uniquely – They look at markets differently from consensus.  They process different information and they process the same information differently.  They have found a way of making sense of markets that makes deep sense to them and that grounds their decision making.
*  Successful traders are multidimensional – They have ways of making money in different markets and in different market conditions.  They are flexible; they find ways to win in difficult market conditions.
*  Successful traders work at their trading – They work on themselves and they work at markets.  When markets are closed, they’re still engaged in their work.  Their focus is on self-improvement.  They don’t just set goals; they live them.
*  Successful traders know when to not trade – They wait for opportunities, they pull back their risk taking when they’re not perceiving opportunity.  It’s not that successful traders are always successful.  It’s that their success springs from knowing how to not lose when they’re not seeing the ball well.
*  Successful traders are self-aware – They know their limitations, and they know what they do well.  They are quick to recognize when they’re not “in the zone” and they also recognize when they are seeing unusually good opportunities.  They are not afraid to say, “I don’t know”.