Over my many years in the options market, I’ve noticed one trait that ruins traders — stress.

Stress can affect both your mental and physical well-being. And heightened levels of stress can even lower your overall quality of life…

It can affect your sleep, appetite, relationships, and overall mood.

Listen…

The options market is not a naturally low-stress environment.

You must learn how to deal with a manageable level of stress, while continually looking for ways to reduce this negative emotion.

With that in mind, keep reading and I’ll show you five surefire ways to combat trader stress…

Don’t Rely on Trading for Income

Students often ask me, “Should I quit my day job? Should I go into full-time trading?” 

My answer’s usually no. Why? Because most of these aspiring traders simply aren’t ready yet. 

It’s always good to have a dependable job if you can, especially for newbie traders. 

Having a reliable stream of income (that’s unrelated to your trading performance) can actually help you be a better trader. 

Let me explain…

If trading is your only source of income, that puts a lot of pressure on your decision-making. 

Unless you’ve got ample money saved, you’ll have to succeed in the markets at all times to put food on the table.

There’s too much pressure and stress if you need that money to live. That’s not a winning recipe. 

Spoiler Alert: Constant success in the markets is impossible and unrealistic.

On the other hand, if you know you’ve got money coming in from another job, you shouldn’t have to worry about losing your shirt in the stock market…

This takes the pressure off of your trading performance, allowing you to focus on long-term success as opposed to near-term profits (but more on that later)…

Minimize Your Overnight Exposure

A lot of trader stress comes down to holding positions.

If you hold positions overnight, you’re likely to experience more stress, especially outside of active trading hours.

This is one of the big reasons I lean much more toward day trading. 

If you look at my trades on Profit.ly, I rarely hold anything for more than 24 hours.

But that’s because, over 10+ years as a professional trader, I’ve realized the strategy that works for me. But it’s not easy…

And while scalping day trades can be intense, I think holding swing positions is even more stressful. After all, anything could happen overnight. 

I’d usually rather close my positions out before the close and not have to worry about what headline events occur overnight (or over the weekend).

Here’s the thing…

In the stock market, the overall price action can shift on a dime. 

Why carry the burden of wondering what’s gonna happen in the premarket, after hours, or over the weekend … when you could close your positions out and sleep like a baby? 

However, sometimes you must hold positions for longer than a day to realize your maximum returns…

I learned this lesson the hard way recently, as I missed a massive opportunity by selling my Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) put contracts too early.

That said, I’d always rather play it safe. It’s annoying to miss a big trade, but it easily could’ve gone the other way.

Again, I’d rather reduce my stress and miss potential gains than worry about a potential loss. 

3 More Ways to Reduce Trader Stress…

• Take Breaks

Trading can be intense, so taking short breaks can help you relax. 

Step away from your screens for a while to clear your mind.

Go outside and get some fresh air! 

Plus, when you’re not actively trading, it’s easier to focus on studying. 

• Weaponize Your Long-Term Vision

Instead of stressing over every single trade, think about your overall goals. 

Your trading journey is a marathon, not a sprint.

Forget about instant gratification. 

Don’t expect to turn $1000 into $100,000 overnight. 

Understand that the vast majority of traders lose money in the beginning. 

Then, be willing to do the work required to make sure you don’t.

• Stay Positive

Don’t be too hard on yourself if things don’t go perfectly. 

Take it from me … May 2023 was one of my worst months in recent memory. 

I made a lot of regrettable trades…

But I didn’t beat myself up over them. Instead, I got motivated and enacted a plan to start winning again.

So, stay positive. Learn from your mistakes and celebrate your successes.

Then, ask yourself the following question…

Are You Ready To Take The Next Step?

I’ll let you in on a little secret … I wouldn’t be a multi-millionaire if I hadn’t joined Tim Sykes’ Trading Challenge so many years ago.

And I want you armed with all of the tools necessary for success in the stock market.

So, if you’re passionate and dedicated, ready to take on anything the market throws at you, then I’ve got something for you…

My mentor, Tim Sykes, has helped traders learn to succeed for years. More than 30 of them (including me) are now millionaires.

Are you ready to take your trading game to the next level? Do you have what it takes to face the Trading Challenge?

Let’s find out…

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TODAY FOR ONE OF OUR FREE, LIVE TRAINING CLASSES!

I’m looking forward to seeing you there!