Soul Trader – Trading the Stock Market whilst In the Zone

Many analogies are made between different sports and trading the stock market. Usually such analogies refer to mindset required for elite performance or the technical processes involved. One analogy that particularly resonates with me comes from the sport of surfing.

Of all the sports I have tried and participated in, surfing has provided me with by far the most amount of pleasure over the years.

I refer here to what is termed as ‘soul surfing’; that is, surfing for your own pleasure outside of a competition environment. Part of the pleasure is derived from environmental factors; surfing in places of stunning scenery in crystal clear water, spotting dolphins, rays, turtles and fish frolicking without a care in the world. It is particularly rewarding at dawn or dusk which are such beautiful times of the day.

However, an enormous amount of the pleasure comes from being in the here and now.

When in stressful situations I consider surfing a great stress release. The fact is, if you are completely present whilst performing any task, there is no stress. More than any other sport, I have found that more time is naturally spent in the here and now when surfing. You tend to slip into the present moment effortlessly and stay there for longer periods. I surfed for many years before I understood this concept and how it was in fact, the core reason for my enjoyment.

When surfing you find yourself immersed in the flow of the ocean and swell, concentrating on catching the next wave. There are no other thoughts of past or future. Once riding a wave you are completely embedded in the present moment, you react automatically and instinctively to the conditions thrust upon you, you allow your skills to flow and determine the route travelled, you do not predict as no two waves are ever the same.

And so it is with trading – no two trades are ever the same. The surrounding conditions may be similar.

If you rely on technical analysis, the setups may be similar, an indicator behaving in a familiar way, the analysis process performed with the same routine but once the trade is underway, your job is to react, not predict. This is made easier if your trading rules are so ingrained that you can instinctively follow them for every given situation and react to the conditions thrust upon you. After all, technique is the essence of performance and being in the here and now enhances your technique.

One of my trading goals therefore, is to trade like a surfer, to be a ‘soul trader’ as it were. To slide into the present moment effortlessly and take pleasure performing all tasks required by staying in the here and now for the duration of my trading routine. To intimately know and understand my trading rules so I can instinctively operate without question or hesitation and without overriding my trading rules.

In the here and now, there is no second guessing, no ‘what if’ scenarios filling your mind, no fear, no greed, no regret, no hindsight. Trading is pure and you begin to understand what it really is about trading that you enjoy.

If you are interested in exploring this concept further I would recommend “Trading in the Zone” by Mark Douglas as a good starting point. There is nothing more satisfying than trading the stock market whilst in the zone.

By Craig Fisher