Main Page > Best Trading Books > The Mental Game of Trading
All Book Reviews

The Mental Game of Trading

by Jared Tendler 8 min readTrading Psychology
4/5

Quick Summary

Best For: Traders dealing with tilt, fear, and emotional breakdowns

Key Takeaways:

  • Emotions follow a predictable pattern
  • Tilt has identifiable triggers
  • Mental game has distinct skill levels
  • Emotional baseline determines trading quality
  • Process goals outperform outcome goals

Review: The Mental Game of Trading by Jared Tendler

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)

Best For: Traders dealing with tilt, fear, and emotional breakdowns

Category: Trading Psychology

Overview

The Mental Game of Trading by Jared Tendler is a highly regarded contribution to the trading psychology literature. This book has earned its place on the shelves of many dedicated traders for good reason — it delivers profound insights that can meaningfully impact trading performance when properly internalized and applied.

Who Should Read This Book

This book is ideal for traders dealing with tilt, fear, and emotional breakdowns. It is considered essential reading in its category and frequently appears on 'must-read' lists compiled by professional traders and trading educators.

Key Takeaways

1. Emotions follow a predictable pattern

This insight is particularly valuable because it addresses a fundamental aspect of trading psychology that many traders overlook or underestimate. Understanding and applying this concept can create a meaningful edge in your trading approach.

2. Tilt has identifiable triggers

This insight is particularly valuable because it addresses a fundamental aspect of trading psychology that many traders overlook or underestimate. Understanding and applying this concept can create a meaningful edge in your trading approach.

3. Mental game has distinct skill levels

This insight is particularly valuable because it addresses a fundamental aspect of trading psychology that many traders overlook or underestimate. Understanding and applying this concept can create a meaningful edge in your trading approach.

4. Emotional baseline determines trading quality

This insight is particularly valuable because it addresses a fundamental aspect of trading psychology that many traders overlook or underestimate. Understanding and applying this concept can create a meaningful edge in your trading approach.

5. Process goals outperform outcome goals

This insight is particularly valuable because it addresses a fundamental aspect of trading psychology that many traders overlook or underestimate. Understanding and applying this concept can create a meaningful edge in your trading approach.

Strengths

The primary strength of The Mental Game of Trading is its depth of insight. Jared Tendler brings significant experience to the subject matter, and the writing is clear and practical. The concepts are presented in a logical progression that builds understanding incrementally.

Weaknesses

The book could benefit from more practical examples and case studies. Some readers may find certain sections require multiple readings to fully absorb. Additionally, as with any trading book, the specific examples may become dated even as the underlying principles remain timeless.

How to Apply This Book

To extract maximum value from The Mental Game of Trading, we recommend reading it cover to cover first, then returning to highlight key passages that resonate with your current trading challenges. Create a summary document of actionable insights and review it weekly. Most importantly, implement one concept at a time in your trading — attempting to apply everything simultaneously leads to overwhelm and inconsistency.

Final Verdict

The Mental Game of Trading earns its 4/5 rating as a highly recommended read in the trading psychology space. If you're serious about improving your trading, this book belongs in your library.

This review reflects our assessment based on the book's content, practical applicability, and reader feedback. Individual results from applying the book's concepts will vary based on experience level and market conditions.