To trade well you need to overcome the emotional hurdles that tend to get in the way. This means having a business plan, having systems with well documented rules that are tested, and then having the discipline to follow those rules. When you have this, then you have a chance to follow the discipline that will lead to success.

However, everyone has emotions that tend to get in the way of following your rules. This comes up occasionally in long term trading. It's comes up much more in swing trading. And it's very noticeable in day trading. And then when you really notice it -- or at least I do -- is in playing poker. You have a few seconds to make a decision but you are still getting over your feelings from when someone else made a stupid bet against you and was rewarded on the last card with an exceptional stroke of luck. You did everything right and that person was rewarded.

That's a lot like following your system...overall, you'll make money. But sometimes the trade just goes against you. However, in the short term it just feels like that other guy did something stupid and was rewarded and it's not fair. But they key here is to make sure that you don't do anything stupid while you're feeling emotional to ruin the next hand. And this is one of the main challenges of poker and of good trading.