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PERSONALITY TRAITS OF SUCCESSFUL TRADERS

Personality

What are the key personality traits that successful day traders tend to have in common? Here are some of the most important ones:

Confidence

This is perhaps the most important personality trait of good day traders. You won't succeed at day trading unless you have a high measure of confidence in yourself. Lack of self-confidence will result in doubt, indecision and second-guessing which, in turn, will lead to missed trading opportunities and frequent losses. You must believe in yourself when day trading. If not, you will be better off pursuing some other endeavor.

Discipline

In order to day trade successfully, you must develop a trading plan and consistently stick to it. You must avoid a "shooting from the hip" or a "seat of the pants approach" to day trading. Get out of the market when you have reached your objective and do not let emotions like fear and greed influence your trading decisions.

Decisiveness

Good day traders do not hesitate to "pull the trigger" when entering and exiting trades. Traders who are in the habit of being tentative or indecisive will never become successful.

Passion

Most successful day traders have a true love or passion about their trading activities. If you do not enjoy reading charts, dealing with numbers, reading market news, interpreting quote screens, learning new trading strategies and working independently in a fast-paced environment, then day trading is probably not your cup of tea.

Ability to Accept Failure

Good day traders know that many of their trades will fail to meet the original objective. They do not, however seek to blame someone else for their loss, and they don't dwell on it. They attempt to learn from their mistakes and move on to the next trade.

Ability to Accept Risk

Another personality trait of good traders is that they are comfortable with risk and are prepared to lose money from time to time. If you are afraid that you will, on occasion, lose money, then day trading is not for you.

Patience

Good traders do not rush into trades. They take the time to select good trading opportunities and do not place orders simply for the sake of holding a position in the markets at all times. On some market days, where few good trading opportunities exist, they are content to simply stand aside and wait.

Concentration

In day trading, a great deal of real-time information has to be absorbed, analyzed and acted upon in intense bursts throughout the trading day. This requires a great deal of concentration and stamina on the part of the trader, and the ability to avoid distractions. Day trading can be very hard work and a lack of concentration can doom a trader to failure.