I don’t hear much about this, that of being “In the Zone”. I recently was in the zone in forex. Everything was right, i was locked into forex and everything else was locked out.
This is not a brag thing, i was wondering how often it happens to forex traders?
I’ve been in the zone in cards and sports, but this was the first time i was in it in forex. So i am able to recognize it.
Just wondering.
What Mark Douglas described in his book, [B][I]Trading in the Zone[/I][/B], is quite rare. In fact, many traders who have never experienced this phenomenon deny that it even exists.
Here’s an excerpt from the book. If this is what you experienced, congratulations!
"If you’ve ever had the occasion to experience the zone in some sport, then you know it is a state of mind in which there is absolutely no fear and you act and react instinctively. You don’t weigh alternatives or consider consequences or second-guess yourself. You are in the moment and “just doing it.” Whatever you do turns out to be exactly what needed to be done.
"Most athletes never reach this level of play, because they never get past the fear of making a mistake. Athletes who reach the point where there is absolutely no fear of the consequences of screwing up will usually, and quite spontaneously, enter into “the zone.” By the way, a psychological zone is not a condition you can will yourself into, the way you can will yourself into a feat of endurance. It is a state of mind you find yourself in that is inherently creative, and usually if you start thinking about your actions at a rational or conscious level, you pop right out of it.
“Even though you cannot force or will yourself into a zone, you can set up the kind of mental conditions that are most conducive to experiencing “the zone,” by developing a positive winning attitude. I define a positive winning attitude as expecting a positive result from your efforts, with an acceptance that whatever results you get are a perfect reflection of your level of development and what you need to learn to do better. That’s what the great athletes have: a winning attitude that allows them to easily move beyond their mistakes and keep going.”
Mark Douglas, [I][B]Trading in the Zone[/B][/I]
That zone definitely exists - I’ve been there, though not in forex - and I need to get myself together and read that book. It’s been postponed for to long.
MacGyver, i did not finish the book. I got through about 5 pages, and heard what my mother would have said, “That’s a load of hog wash”.
I just know ME, that’s all, this is key. I can concentrate wholly on one thing alone, call it an obsession if you will. If i do more than one thing, then i tend to dabble, and nothing comes of it.
Preceeding the zone, for me, i am totally immersed with whatever i am doing, both physically and mentally. Saturated to the core, through and through with no distractions whatsoever. Nothing else matters to me, nothing, then i am able to get into the zone. Then i am able to, “Be in the moment”.
I take issue with what was said by Mark Douglas about “developing a positive winning attitude” as i believe it is more of an “unconquerable attitude” that is attained in the zone.
Of course, i get into trouble trying to strive in the zone because everything else stands still, like relationships. That said, with my wife, “When she makes up my mind, she let’s me know!”. 
I have been in adrenaline rushes before too and they are also very cool. I like the part where everything slows down to a crawl, like slow motion. :eek:
Cas has peaked my curiosity with “Zen Meditation”. I had this thought that it might help me to get myself out of the way to enter the zone more readily. 
Thanks Clint, i’m scatter brained right now, am in the process of moving.
To me it’s a normal occurrence, it’s not really a big thing. It’s just the effort to get there, and what i must give up to attain it.
Everybody is different and whatever they must do, then they must do, if they want to attain it.
I just know me, that’s all.
There’s just one way for me to find out if Mark Douglas is for me or not.
I agree with you that when in the zone you’re essentially untouchable mentally. Every decision made turns out to be right. It’s like a trance.
Maybe Mark Douglas has never been in the [B]real[/B] zone…
I’ll find out when I get to reading some day.
MacGyver, please let me know what you think when you read the book.
If Mark Douglas has not been in the zone, then i do not believe he realizes the magnitude of the boundaries that have been set, both literal and figurative in the lives of those who live it.
I will do that.
The above has been around for more than 2000 years. It is the essence what Gautama the Buddha taught.
It is the essence of living your life without regrets and in line with a saying in Japan…
“Every breath brings you one step closer to death.”
So why waste even a moment of your life by [U]“NOT”[/U] just doing it…?
The zone is a right-brain thing. That is the non-verbal side of the brain. When you play a game, draw, play music, dance, etc… your brain isn’t using words. You are one with what you are doing. You get lost in time. Hours can pass and you are not aware of time passing. The way we are taught to trade is verbal based and that is why most traders most traders never find themselves in the zone.
[B]Click here to find out whether you are right-brained or left-brained.[/B] The Right Brain vs Left Brain Test | I Am Bored
[B]Looks like fun either way.[/B]
Thanks to Mike Parker for this link.
I have seen that before. Sometimes the dancer is spinning one way and sometimes the other. I wonder if you watch it after doing something left brained vs. right brained would make a difference?
I happened to like the book by Douglas. I think there is probably only about 1/2 of the book worth reading, but did find it interesting. I especially agree that fear of trading is a big impediments to “being in the zone”
Only half worth reading? Is that because it repeats? You can distill the necessary facts onto 1 page.
In my mind, there is a different between “only 1/2 is worth reading” then saying its only “1/2 worth reading”. But what I should have said is the whole thing is worth reading, but only 1/2 is worth re-reading 
Doesn’t that make 3/2? :eek:
I’ve read the book and it twisted my mind, when i was reading it i thought that i was already in the zone.
I have heard of being in the zone in sports and sometimes I thought I was there in my younger days. I’m not so sure now. But I definitely achieved that in my career in software and now in trading stocks and forex. Its that feeling that you are right and that all possibilities have been covered and what you try will work. In forex I have been in the zone for a day or two and then not. In stocks and writing software, I have been in it for months at a time. There are usually 2 things that knock me out - overconfidence to the point of arrogance and carelessness and stress. Getting back into the zone usually, but not always comes by getting my mind focused on something else and forgetting about trading. The best part of being in the zone is the peace of mind and satisfaction that you feel.
Excellent description, CodeMeister.
If Mark Douglas ever decides to release an updated version of [I][B]Trading in the Zone[/B][/I], he should include your paragraph in his Preface.
With your permission, of course.
Shame it’s no use at all for trading, in my view - total psychobable , I used to think I had days and weeks ‘in the zone’, but it was all total garbage, basically you can end up making nice profits when your in the zone which is when the market is nice and easy and trending, then it stops, so you’re still in the zone, but the market isn’t, you need to have a totally pragmatic view of the market.