Trading Stress - (Wiley Trading) by Ari Kiev (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

In Mastering Trading Stress, author Ari Kiev--a psychiatrist who specializes in stress management and works extensively with traders--offers examples, transcripts of conversations, and personality profiles of real-life traders to illustrate how stress affects their ability to perform at their best. Drawing on his vast experience, Kiev describes a variety of practical techniques that can be used to handle destructive emotions and out-of-control feelings, including his "Most Basic" stress busters, and tells what to do if a breakdown should occur.

From the Back Cover

The daily grind of the trader is always full of excitement, energy, adventure--and stress. While many live for the thrill of the trade, most also feel the emotional, psychological, and physical impact of the constant changes; riding the roller coaster of the financial markets for eight hours a day, five days a week, forty-eight weeks out of the year.

But while some traders just seem naturally better equipped to deal with the emotional turmoil of trading, others seem to "fall apart" under much less dire circumstances. While eliminating stress is not realistic--or an entirely desired approach--reducing stress is. And traders can best cope with stress, says Ari Kiev, by being proactive and taking steps to reduce it. With this book, Kiev shows you how to do this--beginning with developing an appropriate understanding of stress and how it physically affects us, and leading all the way to specific exercises that can help traders manage their daily stress.

The author, a psychiatrist who specializes in stress management and performance enhancement, has worked extensively with traders over many years. In Mastering Trading Stress, he draws on his vast experience to offer examples, transcripts of conversations, and personality profiles of real-life traders that illustrate how stress robs them of their ability to perform at their best. He points out that the stressors for all of these traders were different and, accordingly, asserts that aspiring traders need to identify their own particular stress points and learn to deal with them in order to succeed.

Kiev describes a variety of practical techniques that can be used to handle destructive emotions and out-of-control feelings, including his "Most Basic" stress busters, and tells what to do if a breakdown does occur.

There is no way to take the stress out of trading. But stress does not have to make you emotionally, mentally, or physically ill, and it does not have to hinder your trading game. With this book as your guide, you can learn to reduce stress, cope with the stresses that are inevitable, and even use stress to your own benefit.

Review Quotes

"...a welcome addition to Kiev's other ground breaking trading books...one that experienced and novice traders will greatly benefit from." (Futures Magazine, August 2008)

"One of the most fascinating aspects of most of Mr. Kiev's books is how attuned he is to the trading profession. His books -- and this one is no exception -- rely heavily on case studies and interviews with traders. Once could guess that the author is a trader himself based on the technical trading advise he gives his patients. ... Mr. Kiev always returns to the same fundamental theme. A trader cannot eliminate stress, but he can learn to cope with it. In fact, mastering stress is a requirement for success because the biggest mistakes are caused by stress and mismanaged emotions." (Accredited Investor magazine)

About the Author

ARI KIEV is a psychiatrist who specializes in organizational psychology, stress management, and performance enhancement. He is President of the Social Psychiatry Research Institute and is recognized worldwide for his pioneering work in transcultural psychiatry, suicidology, and psychopharmacology. Kiev is the author of four trading books: Trading to Win, Trading in the Zone, The Psychology of Risk, and Hedge Fund Masters. In recent years, he has developed The Trading To Win training programs for dealing with trading stress, portfolio management, risk control, and leadership as they relate to peak performance in the trading arena.

For more information, visit www.arikiev.com