1. BE PREPARED & FOCUSED before you strike.
    You need to stay focused, zone everything out and concentrate on nothing but what you are doing, that way you can make every strike count. 

  2. CONSTANT TRAINING to learn automatisms.
    This is important for the times when you are under big pressure because you will be more confident and you will know how to react under stress because you have trained for it!

  3. Have a CLEAR STRATEGY.
    You need to make a plan with specific directions, criteria, risk limits, which brings me to my next rule, where you have to stick to your strategy!

  4. Be DISCIPLINED.
    Sometimes you need to make tough decisions in order to succeed in the long term: you have to respect your risk limits, cut your losses, run your winners, and in other words, always be disciplined!

  5. You need to SLEEP.
    You can’t play well if you don’t sleep enough. Likewise, you can’t think carefully without a good rest at night. That’s why you really need to conserve your energy and be fit for trading.

  6. Learn to HAVE PATIENCE.
    A match lasts 90 minutes, and there are plenty of opportunities to score goals. Don't make hasty decisions. If you risk more and lose, you are likely to become emotional and start making bad trades.

  7. Be AGGRESSIVE if you know what you’re doing.
    Unskilled or reckless tackles don’t help. Leverage is the same: higher rates of leverage aren’t your enemy, but you have to know how to use them properly. 

  8. LEARN FROM A LOSS.
    You can’t win all the games. But you can learn from your losses. You should analyze what went wrong, and apply it to the next game or trade.

  9. Have a WINNER MENTALITY.
    If it was that easy to be a successful professional footballer, everybody would be doing that. But it’s not: you need have a winner mentality, always train harder, always push yourself more.

  10. Team play and LEADERSHIP are very important.
    Being a good leader has been one of my priorities throughout my footballing career, especially as captain of the National Team. 

  11. It’s alright to TAKE A SHORT BREAK.
    Football is my passion, but even I, sometimes, need to take a short break. If you’ve been trading too much lately, and you are not sure where the market is going, take a break. 

  12. BE OPEN to the unknown.
    Nothing is certain in any game. For forex traders, this means that you need to minimize risk but it also means that you need to be prepared mentally for unexpected movements.

  13. TAKE YOUR TIME.
    Trying to score too early is a common mistake because players often don’t realize that earlier isn’t always better. You need to cut your losing trades early, but you have to run your winners!


Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains

EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains

EUR/USD is trimming part of its earlier gains, coming under some mild downside pressure near 1.1730 as the US Dollar edges higher. Markets are still digesting the Fed’s latest rate decision, while also looking ahead to more commentary from Fed officials in the sessions ahead.

GBP/USD drops to daily lows near 1.3360

GBP/USD drops to daily lows near 1.3360

Disappointing UK data weighed on the Sterling towards the end of the week, triggering a pullback in GBP/USD to fresh daily lows near 1.3360. Looking ahead, the next key event across the Channel is the BoE meeting on December 18.

Japanese Yen bulls have the upper hand as hawkish BoJ outlook offsets risk-on mood

Japanese Yen bulls have the upper hand as hawkish BoJ outlook offsets risk-on mood

The Japanese Yen remains on the back foot through the early European session on Friday, though it lacks bearish conviction amid hawkish Bank of Japan expectations. Traders have been pricing in the possibility that the BoJ will hike interest rates as early as next week.


Editors’ Picks

EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains

EUR/USD struggles for direction amid USD gains

EUR/USD is trimming part of its earlier gains, coming under some mild downside pressure near 1.1730 as the US Dollar edges higher. Markets are still digesting the Fed’s latest rate decision, while also looking ahead to more commentary from Fed officials in the sessions ahead.

GBP/USD drops to daily lows near 1.3360

GBP/USD drops to daily lows near 1.3360

Disappointing UK data weighed on the Sterling towards the end of the week, triggering a pullback in GBP/USD to fresh daily lows near 1.3360. Looking ahead, the next key event across the Channel is the BoE meeting on December 18.

Gold poised to challenge record highs

Gold poised to challenge record highs

Gold prices added roughly 3% in the week, flirting with the $4,350 mark on Friday, to finally settle at around $4,330. Despite its safe-haven condition, the bright metal rallied in a risk-on scenario, amid broad US Dollar weakness.

Week ahead: US NFP and CPI, BoE, ECB and BoJ mark a busy week

Week ahead: US NFP and CPI, BoE, ECB and BoJ mark a busy week

After Fed decision, dollar traders lock gaze on NFP and CPI data. Will the BoE deliver a dovish interest rate cut? ECB expected to reiterate “good place” mantra. Will a BoJ rate hike help the yen recover some of its massive losses?

Big week ends with big doubts

Big week ends with big doubts

The S&P 500 continued to push higher yesterday as the US 2-year yield wavered around the 3.50% mark following a Federal Reserve (Fed) rate cut earlier this week that was ultimately perceived as not that hawkish after all. The cut is especially boosting the non-tech pockets of the market.

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