1). The typical trader who is struggling will look for outside information that completes the puzzle or “holy grail” of trading. Go and look at yourself in the mirror. This is the missing piece in the trading puzzle.

2). Mental rehearsal (of both positive and negative scenarios), positive imagery, inducing a relaxed state of mind, and developing daily rituals can help put you in the flow state of mind for trading.

3). The most important question a trader can ask: “Am I acting in my own best interest right now?”. Menaker explains why this question will help you define your risk and maximize your opportunities and trading results.

4). The very largest traders are focused primarily on risk management. Accepting and managing risk is a big part of trading. Some traders have difficulty following rules in this area. We should spend time learning about the mental biases humans have against suffering losses (see: Prospect Theory) and become aware of these showing up in our trading. Keep a trading journal to highlight awareness of these events.

5). “If I was forced to rank the importance of [various aspects] of trading, setups would be at the bottom of the list. Position sizing, risk management, and psychology are really what’s going to keep you out of trouble and ahead of the game. The best traders understand this and have internalized it.”.

6). You need to learn to do more of what works and less of what doesn’t. While it sounds obvious, many traders have difficulty with this as their unmanaged emotions are interfering with their perceptions and trading process.