As Mark Douglas might say, trading anxiety and stress come from a lack of trust—either in your strategy, in the market, or in yourself. The key to overcoming it is to reframe your mindset and take deliberate actions to reduce uncertainty. Here are 8 ways to deal with trading anxiety and stress:

Anxiety often comes from obsessing over whether a trade will win or lose. Instead, shift your focus to executing your trading plan flawlessly. When you know you’ve followed your process, the outcome becomes less important.

Reducing your position size minimizes the emotional weight of each trade. With less on the line, you can think more clearly and trade more objectively. Build confidence gradually as you feel more in control.

A trade should only be taken if you can accept the potential loss fully and without hesitation. Mark Douglas famously said, "If you can't accept the risk, you have no business being in the trade." Only risk what you’re genuinely comfortable losing.

Uncertainty breeds stress. Define your entry, stop loss, and profit target before you trade. Knowing exactly when and why you’ll get out—win or lose—reduces emotional turmoil during the trade.

Constantly staring at the charts can heighten stress and lead to overtrading. Set specific trading hours and take breaks to reset your mindset. Sometimes, stepping away is the best move you can make.

Stress often stems from the pressure to win or prove something. Trading isn’t about being right; it’s about executing your edge over time. Losses are part of the game—accept them as tuition for learning.

Create habits that calm your mind, like meditating, journaling, or exercising. Practicing mindfulness can help you manage the emotional swings of trading and maintain a steady state of mind.

After each session, review your trades objectively. Ask yourself: Did I follow my plan? What did I do well? What can I improve? Focusing on self-improvement removes the self-criticism that fuels stress.

Trust in the Probabilities Trading anxiety often arises because of the illusion that you can control the outcome of every trade. You can’t. What you can control is how consistently you execute your plan. Trust that over time, your edge will play out in your favor. A simple yet massive reminder is that trading is a marathon, not a sprint. The market isn’t your enemy—it’s a reflection of your own mindset. By taking deliberate steps to manage stress and build trust in yourself, you can trade with a clear head and steady hand.