"Flow" like Water...

In his ground breaking work FLOW (Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi), a psychology professor at the University of Chicago, interviewed thousands of people to discover the characteristics and qualities of the ideal performance state. He termed this state “FLOW”. It is a unified experience of heightened focus and “flowering” (his term) in the moment where we feel total confidence and control.

Characteristics of Flow:

Physical Relaxation

Psychological Calm

Optimism

Energised Demeanour

Active Engagement

Loving Fun

Managed Anxiety

Effortlessness

Automatic Responses

Alertness

Confidence

In Control

Focus

As you think about the ideal performance state, see how it relates to your own trading. Ask yourself the following questions:

1. When you trade, do you feel relaxed and loose?

2. Do you feel a sense of inner quiet and calmness?

3. Do you trade anxiety-free?

4. Do you have a high level of energy and feel vibrant?

5. Are you trading in the moment?

6. Are you optimistic?

7. Are you having fun?

8. Is your performance effortless?

9. Is your trading automatic?

10. Are you totally focused?

11. Do you trade with a string feeling of confidence?

And I feel most importantly.....

12. Are you in control.. of yourself?

Please be truthful and honest with yourself, and aim to get a positive answer to each of the above, when you do you will be in the FLOW...

Contributed by the great Kam Dhadwar of L2ST www.l2st.co.uk

Aamar Shehzad is Chief Technical Analyst and Managing Director of Technical Anlaysis provider Pivotfarm.com. Prior to creating Pivotfarm.com, Aamar worked as an independent trader and analyst.

Harvesting profits from the financial markets –www.pivotfarm.com