The major boom in the financial markets has led, in parallel, to a huge increase in the number of books published about how money is traded in the markets. Many ideas are full of brilliance; some are good, while others are not so good. Some are original, while others are simply recycled ideas taken from previous works. Yet despite all that, any writer who brings something from his own experience has something special—and that is exactly what one author, Mark Douglas, did.
In his book Trading in the Zone, Mark Douglas presents the accumulation of years of thinking and research, along with the results of experience and practice, producing a valuable essence for anyone who wants to trade professionally.
Trading in the Zone offers a deep look into the challenges we face in trading. It is the only challenge for beginners who are searching for a way to make money. As soon as the beginner learns these tips, listens to brokers’ advice, and tries other methods to perfect buying and selling that do not work consistently, they soon discover the need to develop a reliable strategy—or create one of their own.
After that, trading should become easier, right? All you have to do is follow the rules, and money will start falling into your lap!
At this point—if it has not happened already—the beginner discovers that trading can become one of the most frustrating experiences they may ever face. This experience leads to what early statistics reveal: around 95% of futures traders lose their money during their first year of trading. Stock traders usually achieve the same results. This explains why critics and analysts point to the fact that traders fail at the simple process of buying, selling, and setting investment scenarios.
The question is: why do most people who succeed greatly in other professions fail miserably as traders? Are successful traders born that way, or are they made?
Mark Douglas says: no—the important thing is for a person to develop the mindset of a trader.
This may sound easy, but in reality, this mindset is very strange when compared to our life experiences, the way we were taught, and how we think in the world. The 95% failure rate makes us feel that life experiences and skills learned through maturity and growth are not enough when it comes to trading.
In fact, despite the skills gained through education, achieving high grades in school, career development, building good relationships with others, and everything learned throughout life—these often become unsuitable for trading.
