As a trader, youve no doubt had moments in the zone. Its when you are in a natural state of clarity and presence and feel free of stress, worry, or pessimism. You have lots of energy and are focusing on achieving the most profitable trade possible, without fear of failure. Its being able to breathe consciously and enjoy the beauty of the trading moment. Other traders may be caught up in chaos and confusion, but you are not.

To be in the right mindset is easier said than done. Trading is a stressful business, and you will naturally have some times of tension. When you find yourself frustrated, fearful or worried, try these techniques:

Visualize the situation that is causing the most stress or upset. What beliefs, judgments, worries, expectations, assumptions, or considerations are you holding onto that are generating feelings of stress or anxiety? Take time to explore this. Write your thoughts and feelings down if it helps, or share them with a friend or associate.

Once you are clear about the situation, put it aside for a few minutes. Breathe deeply. Be very still, aware, and present. Open up to what you are feeling within and around you. Dont try to analyze or interpret your feelings.

Let go of every negative belief or concept. Allow your mind to clear totally, if only for a few minutes, so that you can experience what it means to be truly open and present, free of any distracting thoughts. Eventually it will dawn on you that you are not your recent trade or your string of losses. Rather, you are you.

On top of the unexpected emotional ups and downs of every day life, you also need to take into account the typical rhythm that your body goes through. Some people are morning people with clarity of mind and others just dont perk up until later in the day. Know yourself, and your own natural biorhythms, and you will be more readily capable of determining the best time to lay out your plan for the following day. In some cases, you are going to need to learn to trust your clear conceptualizing because when you go to execute your trades, your mental cloudiness may want to over rule the clearly thought out plan.

With the increased clarity and presence you now feel, your understanding will grow. If there is nothing needing your immediate attention, you can then ask: What are the goals I need to focus on to fulfill my mission? Now, you can use thinking and goal setting to set the stage for successful trading - full of optimism and free of fear.