Making Trading Changes is as Easy as Changing a Software Code

Posted by tradeyouredge on October 14th, 2014

 “…a state of mind or perspective is like software code. You could have several thousand lines of perfectly written code, with only one flawed line, and in that one flawed line there might be only one character out of place. Depending on the purpose of the software and where that flaw is in relation to everything else, that one misplaced character could ruin the performance of an otherwise perfectly written system…” – Mark Douglas.

As I continue to journey towards becoming a Transformational Coach, I continue to realise that making dramatic changes on a person is easy. In fact, the change is so fast that most people go through a phase of disbelief, by the time they realise it, the “new person” in them is already fully functioning.

This experience came along as I was forced to make dramatic changes in my own life (due to a less favourable event in the past) and, later on by using what I’ve learnt, I began helping friends and traders to make changes as well. As Mark Douglas puts it nicely, and it’s so true, making changes is only a matter of changing a code.

Of course, for the untrained, this is a challenge. Mind you, I’m not talking about the change that is challenging but the fact that many find it hard to believe that it’s so easy to make changes. Hence, today’s article is to give you an idea of how things came about.

It used to be Easy Until You Decided It Wasn’t

Ask a kid to change a habit, and they’ll ask you back: “What Habit?”

It’s not so surprising that kids have the flexibility to do anything they want and however they want it. Right? That’s mainly because, from birth, kids started off with a mental program that was blank. There was nothing in there and no code existed. However, as they grew older, new codes were slowly installed inside our mental program, and multiple ‘systems’ were built along the way. That also explains why, it is easier to teach a 10 year old kid how to trade (see related article).

Because everyone was a baby when they were born, that means you and I used to be flexible too (just because we were too young to remember doesn’t mean we were not). Also, it means that, in the past, we had no codes in our mental program too. Which indirectly means, it was never difficult to make changes from the beginning and, it was only at some point in our life, some of us decided that it should be difficult. And since that point onwards, the new line of code which says “making changes is difficult” has been overwritten in your mental program.

To push my point a little further, the codes were written in such a way that some people struggle to accept help or support because the word Easy was not part of their mental program. In fact, you would only seek help if there were a complicated and complex solution. Hence, some people make things more complicated than it should. Sounds familiar?

What is that Code?

The word “code” in the mental program is a great analogy to explain the situation. In fact, this is probably the single most important information for most people and it is really up to you to find it. This is of course a little challenging for the untrained trader because, more often than not, that flawed line is just in front of you.

Because that code has been in the mental program for a very long time (nearly a life time for some), nothing really stands out anymore and it becomes a real challenge to identify it. On other occasions, the code looks like a perfectly normal working pattern in a non-trading environment. However, in the context of trading, it can cause chaos and this is can represent the typical trading problems like fear, greed, over-trading, failing to pull the trigger, anxiety etc.

• Limiting Beliefs
• Limiting Decisions or
• Conflicting Beliefs.

You have heard of this, have you not? That’s right because many of the codes that is stopping a trader from achieving success relates to the trader’s belief system. In fact, I dare say that a person’s belief system is what determines his success or failure in life (generally). For example, beliefs like “I’m fated to be poor”, “I’m not good enough” or “I’m will never make it” are beliefs that will most definitely hold a trader back from becoming successful.

Changing the Codes

So, you know now that a belief systems exist in every person. The next thing to do is to identify your own system. If you truly want a change, here are a few suggestions.

1. Write it Down

Write down your beliefs and you can start your statement with

“I believe in trading because …” or “I can’t achieve my goals because … ”

Anything that comes out will likely relate to your belief (yes, it’s as simple as that). Keep writing and take whatever that comes out naturally. More importantly, leave the analysis for later when you’re done.

2. Sharing With A Stranger

While writing down may be useful, some of the beliefs that you hold within you have been there for a long time. As mentioned before, some of the beliefs may not even be obvious to you. Hence, it’ll be useful to exchange ideas with a stranger or an unfamiliar trader. Doing that, the both of you can help each other identify what’s holding you back.

3. Coaching

Lastly, even if you were to sort out your computer using a “Dummies Guide For Softwares”, in the end, you know deep inside you that a professional IT coder will do a better job. Right?

It goes without saying that getting professional help will be a more efficient and effective way to discover those limiting beliefs. Above and beyond that, the right coach can help you resolve or remove those unwanted beliefs easily. For example, a trained NLP coach can help identify and remove unwanted beliefs within a few hours (yes, it is that fast).

Conclusion

So, the first belief that you need to get right is that making changes can be an easy process.

That process becomes even easier if you start working on it as soon as possible. Imagine one day in the future where you see, hear or feel yourself having the right belief system in place which will allow you to achieve your trading goals easily. Imagine how nice that would be, right? Then, looking back at now from the future, you wished you had started this process earlier.

Anyway, thank you for reading and please post any comments in the box below.