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Welcome to the thirty-seventh issue of the free newsletter of Applied Trading Psychology. It is our intention to provide short, easily read articles on Applied Trading Psychology to a select list of persons with an expressed interest in the psychological aspects of trading. We hope to encourage an exchange of ideas and we seek to expand understanding of the basic concepts of Applied Trading Psychology among those persons with a desire to enhance professional performance with appropriate and responsible techniques and methods. Your comments, suggestions and questions are strongly encouraged. 

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PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
Enhancing Your Functional Thinking Skills
Part III: List, Prioritize, Estimate
by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

Because not enough time to get everything done one of the most frequent concerns traders mention and because concerns about time can reduce functional thinking, this article is focused on a planning technique associated with better Time Management as a key to Process Thinking.

 II. List, Prioritize and Estimate

Most of us use some method of recording what we need to do, if nothing more than jotting due dates on a calendar. To plan your time more effectively, you should try making a comprehensive list of training tasks. I recommend that you make a list each week that includes some time to work on major, goal oriented aspects of practice and training. Then rank-ordered your training tasks according to your priorities and estimate the amount of time needed to complete each task. These three important steps - list, prioritize, and estimate - are a key element in time management and developing or maintaining a positive habit of process thinking.

One of the key elements is the regularity with which you create a task list. For most of us setting aside a time each week to list our major trading tasks is a good idea. For example, I like to do mine on Sunday evening because it seems to help me start the week feeling well organized even if, at the time, I'm having a hard time finding my butt with both hands!

Take care to schedule the priority tasks first and block out enough time each day to get them done. If you're like me you have a tendency to chronically underestimate the time that it will take to get things done. If this sound like you just add an extra five minutes to your original estimate. Avoid, at all costs, any estimates that include multitasking. To me multitasking means doing more than one thing at a time and not doing any of them well.

Decide what to do and when to do it and make sure that you are setting aside enough time for high quality execution. When estimating and setting aside time, it's a good idea to keep in mind that quality is far more important than quantity. Make sure you distribute the more unpleasant tasks evenly throughout the week, or day, so you don't end up with one killer day, or time slot, that's hard to face and even harder to get through. Consider the natural rhythm of your body and mind and match the priority tasks with those times when your energy, clarity of thought and concentration is most often at its peak.  

Setting goals, defining action steps, establishing a plan and writing affirmations are the first steps down the pathway to more functional thinking. My next articles will offer more tips that will help you find the time to practice and train and in the process encourage a habit of more functional thinking.

Are you ready to start the journey today? Click here and I will tell you how.

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Welcome to the thirty-eight issue of the free newsletter of Applied Trading Psychology. It is our intention to provide short, easily read articles on Applied Trading Psychology to a select list of persons with an expressed interest in the psychological aspects of trading. We hope to encourage an exchange of ideas and we seek to expand understanding of the basic concepts of Applied Trading Psychology among those persons with a desire to enhance professional performance with appropriate and responsible techniques and methods. Your comments, suggestions and questions are strongly encouraged. 

To be removed from this mailing list, please click here.

PLAYING MIND GAMES THAT HELP YOU WIN:
Enhancing Your Functional Thinking Skills
Part IV: Create an Outline
by Gary A. Beale, Ph.D.

Simply put, a process is a series of related tasks, activities, or events that lead to a particular result or outcome.

One of the best ways to get to your desired outcome as trader is to begin to make Process Thinking a functional, productive habit in your life.

An obvious first step is to define or identify the process. If you're good at flow-charting, creating a flow chart can be a very productive tool in defining what the process is and identifying how the process can be improved.

If making flow charts does not come easily or is impractical you can begin with a detailed narrative.

For example, if you want to increase your focus on Process during your pre-competition preparation you should first create a detailed narrative of your typical preparation. In the case, the narrative should include everything you routinely do from the time you get up on the day of a competition until the competition begins.

The following is an except from a narrative created by a successful trader.

I wake up without any alarms at 6.30 am. I say a few words of prayer followed by one of my early morning affirmations and feel great as I get out of bed, I can hear my computers humming in the corner of the room. I make my way to the bathroom and brush my teeth and wash my face. It feels like another great day.

I go back into my bedroom sit quietly with my back straight, legs crossed. I center myself and clear my mind. I say my affirmations in my head, careful not to wake my partner and begin to create my day. In my mind I can see my day and create it just how I want it to unfold. I keep the images in my mind until they are clear. I create my whole day. I finish meditating and watch the day unfold as I have created it.

I drink water from the steel glass which I placed on my desk the night before. I then get into a warm shower and get dressed, feeling and looking my best I come out of the bathroom and say good morning to the kids who are up bright and  early. 

I go into the bedroom and turn on my internet computer, allowing it to boot up while I make my way downstairs into the kitchen. I greet my wife who is preparing a packed lunch for school. I make some tea and prepare some toast and head back upstairs to my trading corner in the bedroom. I turn on my trading monitors and do a quick analysis while sipping my tea. I feel totally calm and confident that I will make the right trade. Within a minute I have established how I will place my first trade of the day. I can feel that this will be  a great trading day with my analysis making me at least $1,000 today.

Can you make an outline of this athlete's typical pre-race process that is based upon this narrative? I will offer a 35% discount to the first 5 readers that accurately outline the process of preparation described above. Send your outline to me by clicking here.

My next articles will offer a Process Outline based upon this narrative.

Are you ready to start the journey towards more effective Process thinking today? Click here and I will tell you how.

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Because I believe that Traders and athletes are very much alike in their need and use of Mental Strength Training the Trader's Newsletter (E-zine) is now combined with the larger newsletter and the next article can be found at: http://www.drrelax.com/ezine5.htm#53 .

All Traders should now receive the athletic newsletter from this point forward. Please click here if you have questions, need help or would like to make a comment.

 Free Workbook |Free Affirmations| Ask Dr. Relax |Subscribe | Subliminal | Ordering | Alternate Site