Mastering Trading Stress: Strategies for Maximizing Performance (Wiley Trading) [Hardcover]

Ari Kiev (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 14, 2007 | Series: Wiley Trading (Book 330)

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.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"…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)

From the Inside Flap

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.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (December 14, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470181680
• ISBN-13: 978-0470181683
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 0.9 x 9.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,095,400 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Markets are anti-therapeutic, March 27, 2008

By 

linus 71 - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Mastering Trading Stress: Strategies for Maximizing Performance (Wiley Trading) (Hardcover)

That's what Brett Steenbarger stated in his book Psychology of Trading.

The main purpose of this book is not to help you to make more money but to help you to deal with stress.
When I read the first pages of Mastering Trading Stress I thought Great, a sequel to Psychology of Trading. It's even the same size in the book shelf.

Kiev explaines all the varieties and levels of Stress. And yes, it's really interesting. I thought it might be useful to know where my trading stress comes from. But I've found once you're in the game or battle or whatever you want to call it; you FORGET about all this. That's why markets are anti-therapeutic.
This book aims toward fund managers and institutional traders since all the guys he's interviewing make millions, lose millions, and trade positions of about some million shares. It's not like Vadym Graifer discussing scalping where you get out after momentum fades (that is, after a move of say 13 cents!).

And then at the end of the book, there are the tips about how to deal with stress: I say; nothing special. Long sleep, exercise, healthy diet, etc... you can find this kind of advice in any kind of book about trading or psychology or stress.

I am really pondering if shall rate this book three or four stars because there actually ARE some really useful informations and great interviews in it.
But let me quote some passages to show why I give it only 3:

The Nature of Stress
Personality Factors
p.8
After being a bit stressed out for several weeks, Albert made a conscious effort to stay focused, to spend fewer nights out on the town, and to take some time off and prepare for the end of the year.

The Emotions of Stress
Anger
p.27
[.....]He was also annoyed at not being included in the loop regarding new ideas in venture capital, and by not having more than a very small percentage of commission dollars being allocated for the research process.
Making a conscious effort to stay focused, he went out fewer nights and took some time off to prepare for the end of the year.

So after that passage I had to force myself to read this book to the end.
Still, I've found that this was the only flaw.
I can recommend this book if you are interested in psychology generally and want to know why you and other people act in certain ways. Maybe it does help you, it didn't help me.
If you're an institutional trader buy this book right away. Ari Kiev speaks your language. You won't waste your time reading it nor your money.
For a more effective way how to deal with stress I'd like to recommend Morita therapy. If you went to college you probably heard about it. Otherwise you can learn about it in the world wide web. Or read Trade with Passion and Purpose by Mark Whistler.

3.5 Stars

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars utter drivel, July 1, 2010

By 

Mark T. Williamson (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Mastering Trading Stress: Strategies for Maximizing Performance (Wiley Trading) (Hardcover)

I rarely write book reviews on the trading books I have bought off amazon, but this book must be critiqued. This book is worse than worthless, because it has negative time value expectancy. From page 16, you will learn that you need to follow a stock closely, then "buy it low and sell it high." Thanks for the tip! The hedge fund interviews wander aimlessly, and the advice they give is highly subjective and of no practical relevance to the reader about mastering the stressful situations they will come across. Even their stories are dull. Quit trying to impress us with the traders P&L, and start talking about the psychological constraints of trading. I am almost tempted to believe the author created these interviews as they are so disconnected. This will be the first book I have bought that went into the trash can instead of my book shelve.

4.0 out of 5 stars Mastering Trading Stress, April 17, 2011

By 

Rick - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Mastering Trading Stress: Strategies for Maximizing Performance (Wiley Trading) (Hardcover)

Excellent read and an opportunity to look at your emotions through someone else's experiences. I recommend this book to anyone with roller coaster emotions and want a better understanding about those emotions. It's a book about traders, which is why I bought the book, however applies to life's everyday situations.