One very successful trader I work with describes the market as a friend he drifts in and out of contact with. He also thinks of the market as a many forked river that flows, while he drifts down, looking at the eddies and the rocks, exploring for interesting forks he can take. He also looks at trading as an abstract painting that he doesn't know just how it will look when he's finished, but he knows it will come out all right. His metaphors manifest his confidence and ease in his relationship with the market, and support him in his trading.

If you like sports metaphors, think of trading as a game you're good at, a game you like to play. Don't think of it as an all important contest that you're afraid you'll lose! Think of it as fun! Think of it as sport. Think of it as play.

If you like basketball, you can think of each trade as but one point in a game, and each trading day as but one game in a series. If you like tennis, for goodness sake don't think of each trade as match point. In other words, realize that your trading is truly a series of probabilities, a string of events, no one trade makes or breaks you.

If you like golf, think of yourself focusing on a tight target as you imagine the ball arching up gracefully to go to your target, or seeing the ball roll along a path on the green to drop into the cup as you hear it drop, and then imagine your trades going in the direction of the probabilities right to your target as you pick up the phone and place the order.

If you like baseball think of yourself swinging at each high probability trade forcefully and easily, always keeping your eye on the ball.

Some people think of trading as hunting. The hunter goes out knowing exactly what he's hunting whether it's big game, or rabbits, or pheasant. He goes where the game is. He's got the right equipment. He quietly and patiently waits for his prey. When he sees the prey, carefully he lifts his gun and shoots. No hesitation. Just like a cat waiting for hours until the moment is right and then pouncing on it's prey.